them to Baciare, a beautiful riverfront Italian restaurant that you had to book well in advance for a table.
‘I’ve always wanted to eat here. Everyone raves about it,’ she said as he parked his car. Marcus came around and opened her door. He took her hand and they walked the short distance to the restaurant. Nearby a couple were making out against a red BMW. The girl wore a matching red dress and had her arms around a guy in a tailored navy suit. It actually looked romantic and postcard perfect, with the couple kissing in the glow from a nearby lamp and the lights reflecting off the river in the background. Would that be her after this meal, having passionate moments with Marcus by the river?
‘Some people have no decorum,’ whispered Marcus with a chuckle.
He pulled her hand up to his lips and kissed it before they entered the restaurant. The smell of garlic and rich sauces assaulted her nose, making her mouth water. ‘Oh, I’m so hungry.’
They waited to be seated at their reserved table; a few other couples were waiting also. Maybe they hadn’t been able to get a booking and were hoping for a spot. The restaurant felt fancy but had a relaxed Italian feel, lots of clean lines, but warmth came from the lush red accents and exposed brick walls. Jaz felt like such a grown-up playing with the adults.
Just as Marcus leant over the lectern to talk to the waiter, the door opened letting in the cool night and a high-pitched laugh. Moments later Jaz was nudged as a person bumped into her.
‘Oh sorry,’ said a lady.
Jaz turned to find the woman in the red dress from outside. She smiled apologetically as she clung onto her date, the man from the car park in the deep blue suit with an open-necked shirt. There was something strangely familiar about the breadth of his shoulders. As her eyes roamed up, she found those dark familiar eyes. Ryan. She’d never seen him in a suit before, no wonder it took so long to recognise him.
Her heart was pounding in her chest. Jaz tried to hide her surprise while her thoughts ran around her head like a group of screaming banshees. Who was this woman? Was this a real date? Had he found himself a girlfriend?
Ryan had been smiling at his date before he spotted Jaz. It fell from his face immediately. Being ‘on duty’, Jaz couldn’t acknowledge Ryan, but it didn’t stop her appreciating the vision before her. He smelt divine as always.
‘I have to say, I just love your dress,’ said the woman. She was pretty. Long blonde hair and a curvaceous figure many would kill for, especially in that little red dress. She also looked late twenties.
‘Oh, thank you.’ Jaz forced a smile and avoided Ryan’s eyes, which seemed to be assessing her dress also.
‘Jaz, this way,’ said Marcus, drawing her back to reality.
‘Have a nice night.’ Jaz tried to keep the shock from her voice. She turned, keeping her posture perfect and let Marcus guide her to their table, his hand gently on her naked back.
They were seated up against the side wall, not far from the wide front windows that soaked up the river view. The moment Jaz sat in the plush red chair her eyes went back to Ryan and his mysterious woman. Ryan had his back to Jaz as he talked to his date. Was he embarrassed? Ashamed? Caught out? Jaz wanted to let it go but her heart wanted to know if his date was something serious. Was he moving away from Jaz? Using this woman to keep them apart and focused on their work?
‘You are ten times prettier than her,’ said Marcus.
Jaz turned to him and smiled. ‘You have to say that because I’m your girlfriend,’ she said, feeling a warmth spread through her at his sweet words.
‘No, I just see it truthfully. She is easy on the eyes but she looks high maintenance, whereas you are just beautiful and there is something about you, Jaz, that radiates sweetness and a down to earth quality. I am the luckiest man here.’
‘Well, you just filled up the jar with brownie points, smooth
‘I’ve always wanted to eat here. Everyone raves about it,’ she said as he parked his car. Marcus came around and opened her door. He took her hand and they walked the short distance to the restaurant. Nearby a couple were making out against a red BMW. The girl wore a matching red dress and had her arms around a guy in a tailored navy suit. It actually looked romantic and postcard perfect, with the couple kissing in the glow from a nearby lamp and the lights reflecting off the river in the background. Would that be her after this meal, having passionate moments with Marcus by the river?
‘Some people have no decorum,’ whispered Marcus with a chuckle.
He pulled her hand up to his lips and kissed it before they entered the restaurant. The smell of garlic and rich sauces assaulted her nose, making her mouth water. ‘Oh, I’m so hungry.’
They waited to be seated at their reserved table; a few other couples were waiting also. Maybe they hadn’t been able to get a booking and were hoping for a spot. The restaurant felt fancy but had a relaxed Italian feel, lots of clean lines, but warmth came from the lush red accents and exposed brick walls. Jaz felt like such a grown-up playing with the adults.
Just as Marcus leant over the lectern to talk to the waiter, the door opened letting in the cool night and a high-pitched laugh. Moments later Jaz was nudged as a person bumped into her.
‘Oh sorry,’ said a lady.
Jaz turned to find the woman in the red dress from outside. She smiled apologetically as she clung onto her date, the man from the car park in the deep blue suit with an open-necked shirt. There was something strangely familiar about the breadth of his shoulders. As her eyes roamed up, she found those dark familiar eyes. Ryan. She’d never seen him in a suit before, no wonder it took so long to recognise him.
Her heart was pounding in her chest. Jaz tried to hide her surprise while her thoughts ran around her head like a group of screaming banshees. Who was this woman? Was this a real date? Had he found himself a girlfriend?
Ryan had been smiling at his date before he spotted Jaz. It fell from his face immediately. Being ‘on duty’, Jaz couldn’t acknowledge Ryan, but it didn’t stop her appreciating the vision before her. He smelt divine as always.
‘I have to say, I just love your dress,’ said the woman. She was pretty. Long blonde hair and a curvaceous figure many would kill for, especially in that little red dress. She also looked late twenties.
‘Oh, thank you.’ Jaz forced a smile and avoided Ryan’s eyes, which seemed to be assessing her dress also.
‘Jaz, this way,’ said Marcus, drawing her back to reality.
‘Have a nice night.’ Jaz tried to keep the shock from her voice. She turned, keeping her posture perfect and let Marcus guide her to their table, his hand gently on her naked back.
They were seated up against the side wall, not far from the wide front windows that soaked up the river view. The moment Jaz sat in the plush red chair her eyes went back to Ryan and his mysterious woman. Ryan had his back to Jaz as he talked to his date. Was he embarrassed? Ashamed? Caught out? Jaz wanted to let it go but her heart wanted to know if his date was something serious. Was he moving away from Jaz? Using this woman to keep them apart and focused on their work?
‘You are ten times prettier than her,’ said Marcus.
Jaz turned to him and smiled. ‘You have to say that because I’m your girlfriend,’ she said, feeling a warmth spread through her at his sweet words.
‘No, I just see it truthfully. She is easy on the eyes but she looks high maintenance, whereas you are just beautiful and there is something about you, Jaz, that radiates sweetness and a down to earth quality. I am the luckiest man here.’
‘Well, you just filled up the jar with brownie points, smooth
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