eyes when he'd picked her up and saw what she was wearing—a L.A.M.B. by Gwen Stefani leopard-print minishift with a flirty short-sleeved white lace blouse underneath, and purple studded Marc Jacobs ankle boots with a three-inch heel that her aunt Kat had given to her outright.
What Billy didn't know was that under the lace blouse and minishift, Lydia wore nothing else. No bra, no thong, nothing. All the better for dessert.
The restaurant was called Jaipur, and it turned out that Kumar was the son of the owner. Evidently, Billy ate here a lot. Kumar had led them through the dark-walled interior to a table in the back, not far from the to-go counter. With ragas playing on the sound system, Indian artwork on the walls, and unfamiliar but mouthwatering aromas wafting out of the kitchen, Lydia felt like she could be half a world away.
“Okay,” Billy said. “Taste this.”
Lydia opened her mouth. The motion made her think of sex. Tonight, everything was making her think of sex.
“It's hot,” he warned.
Lydia nearly laughed out loud. Maybe he was on her wavelength, too. A delicious mix of aromas wafted into hernostrils—saffron, cream, curry, pepper, onions, maybe eggplant, something sweet but not sugary. Then the fork was in her mouth, and smells turned into a panoply of amazing flavors unlike anything she'd ever tasted.
She chewed with gusto, swallowed, and then opened her eyes as languidly as possible. “That's amazing. What was that?”
“Began bharta—specialty of the house,” Kumar said proudly. “I'm glad you like it.”
“I love it!” Lydia exclaimed.
“It's eggplant baked in a tandoori oven, special red onions, ginger imported from Mumbai, hothouse yellow tomatoes, and some other spices,” Billy filled in. Kumar gave a little bow and said he would leave them to enjoy their meal. When he was gone, Lydia stuck her own fork into the clay pot.
“I think we should move in here,” she declared, forking up another mouthful of the delicious concoction. “Or maybe Kumar could sleep in your living room and cook for us. Three meals a day, I don't demand much.” She spooned some of the food onto Billy's plate, then filled her own.
Billy cocked an eyebrow. “How would that work, since you don't live in my apartment?”
“Just think how much fun we could have if I did,” she flirted.
“On a nightly basis,” he added.
She reached across the table and entwined her fingers with his large, strong ones. “I have a secret, Billy. Something I really need to tell you. I should have told you before, but …”
She hesitated. He put his fork down. “Okay.”
She leaned in to him. “I'm not wearing any underwear.”
He burst out laughing. “Aren't you the naughty girl.”
“Not yet,” she reminded him. “But I'd like to be. After we finish this amazing food, that is.”
Billy gave her a smoldering look. “Tonight's the night, huh?”
“You wanted us to wait, we waited. You wanted us to get to really know each other, we know each other.” Under the table she lifted one purple-booted foot and slid it along the leg of his jeans. “So yes. Tonight is the night. Even if I have to tie you down.”
Billy licked some sauce from his pinky. “Or maybe I'll have to tie you down.”
Well, this was going really, really well. At least he was saying the right things, which was a damn lot better than where he'd been on the issue before. It was a lot easier to get someone to say yes when that person was in the habit of saying yes. Very promising. Tonight she and Billy would seal the deal. And Luis would barely be a—
No. It couldn't be. Lydia peered toward the front of the restaurant, where someone who looked a lot like Luis was picking up a to-go order.
He turned. It
was
Luis. He was looking right at her.
Damn. Of all the shit-ass luck.
When Luis recognized her, he popped a pair of earbuds from his ears and walked confidently toward her and Billy's table. “Well, well. If it isn't the great Lydia
What Billy didn't know was that under the lace blouse and minishift, Lydia wore nothing else. No bra, no thong, nothing. All the better for dessert.
The restaurant was called Jaipur, and it turned out that Kumar was the son of the owner. Evidently, Billy ate here a lot. Kumar had led them through the dark-walled interior to a table in the back, not far from the to-go counter. With ragas playing on the sound system, Indian artwork on the walls, and unfamiliar but mouthwatering aromas wafting out of the kitchen, Lydia felt like she could be half a world away.
“Okay,” Billy said. “Taste this.”
Lydia opened her mouth. The motion made her think of sex. Tonight, everything was making her think of sex.
“It's hot,” he warned.
Lydia nearly laughed out loud. Maybe he was on her wavelength, too. A delicious mix of aromas wafted into hernostrils—saffron, cream, curry, pepper, onions, maybe eggplant, something sweet but not sugary. Then the fork was in her mouth, and smells turned into a panoply of amazing flavors unlike anything she'd ever tasted.
She chewed with gusto, swallowed, and then opened her eyes as languidly as possible. “That's amazing. What was that?”
“Began bharta—specialty of the house,” Kumar said proudly. “I'm glad you like it.”
“I love it!” Lydia exclaimed.
“It's eggplant baked in a tandoori oven, special red onions, ginger imported from Mumbai, hothouse yellow tomatoes, and some other spices,” Billy filled in. Kumar gave a little bow and said he would leave them to enjoy their meal. When he was gone, Lydia stuck her own fork into the clay pot.
“I think we should move in here,” she declared, forking up another mouthful of the delicious concoction. “Or maybe Kumar could sleep in your living room and cook for us. Three meals a day, I don't demand much.” She spooned some of the food onto Billy's plate, then filled her own.
Billy cocked an eyebrow. “How would that work, since you don't live in my apartment?”
“Just think how much fun we could have if I did,” she flirted.
“On a nightly basis,” he added.
She reached across the table and entwined her fingers with his large, strong ones. “I have a secret, Billy. Something I really need to tell you. I should have told you before, but …”
She hesitated. He put his fork down. “Okay.”
She leaned in to him. “I'm not wearing any underwear.”
He burst out laughing. “Aren't you the naughty girl.”
“Not yet,” she reminded him. “But I'd like to be. After we finish this amazing food, that is.”
Billy gave her a smoldering look. “Tonight's the night, huh?”
“You wanted us to wait, we waited. You wanted us to get to really know each other, we know each other.” Under the table she lifted one purple-booted foot and slid it along the leg of his jeans. “So yes. Tonight is the night. Even if I have to tie you down.”
Billy licked some sauce from his pinky. “Or maybe I'll have to tie you down.”
Well, this was going really, really well. At least he was saying the right things, which was a damn lot better than where he'd been on the issue before. It was a lot easier to get someone to say yes when that person was in the habit of saying yes. Very promising. Tonight she and Billy would seal the deal. And Luis would barely be a—
No. It couldn't be. Lydia peered toward the front of the restaurant, where someone who looked a lot like Luis was picking up a to-go order.
He turned. It
was
Luis. He was looking right at her.
Damn. Of all the shit-ass luck.
When Luis recognized her, he popped a pair of earbuds from his ears and walked confidently toward her and Billy's table. “Well, well. If it isn't the great Lydia
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