Violet And Her Alien Matchmaker by Jessica Coulter Smith Page A

It had been a long time since she’d even thought of having a man in her bed, but since meeting Tiraz, she’d thought of little else.
    Violet put on her bra and panties before donning her robe. She peered into the hall before dashing to her bedroom. The dress she’d purchased was red and hugged her curves while dipping into a low vee showing off her cleavage, more than she’d ever shown off before. She slipped on thigh highs and the cute strappy shoes she’d hidden amongst her new clothes. Another peek into the hall and she scurried back to the bathroom.
    She didn’t have much in the way of make-up, but she did have some mascara, a little blush, and a tinted lip balm that made her lips tingle. After pulling her hair down, she brushed it thoroughly and decided to leave it down. She hadn’t thought to buy any pretty hair clips and wished she had. Some perfume might have been nice too, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it now.
    Steeling her nerves, she opened the bathroom door and walked on unsteady feet to the living room. Tiraz stood with his back to her, his broad shoulders covered in an expensive black suit jacket. He turned, his eyes widening when he saw her. He wore a light gray shirt under the suit with a vibrant red tie. Mouthwatering didn’t begin to describe him.
    “You look beautiful,” he said as he came toward her. His hand curved around
    her hip as he reached for her hair, trailing his fingers through the ends. “I’m not sure I like the idea of other males seeing you like this.”
    Violet blushed. “You look really nice. I haven’t seen you in a suit before.”
    “I seldom wear them, but in this case, I’m happy to do so.”
    Tiraz helped her into her coat and then led her down to the car, which was
    waiting at the curb for them. The restaurant was on the other side of town, and when he pulled up to the valet parking, Violet felt her eyes go wide. She’d heard of this restaurant of course, but she’d never known anyone who had actually been to it. It was very exclusive and she’d heard it was impossible to get reservations unless you booked months in advance.
    “How did you know we’d come here tonight?” she asked. “You had to have
    made this reservation months ago.”
    Tiraz shook his head. “I called last night. They happened to have a cancellation and I convinced them to let me have it.”
    “I’m sorry for doubting you.”
    He winked at her. “You thought I’d made the reservation for some faceless
    woman, didn’t you?”
    Her cheeks warmed and she ducked her head, too embarrassed to admit that’s
    exactly what she’d thought. Tiraz chuckled under his breath and escorted her into the restaurant. The low-lighting lent a romantic atmosphere and she could hear the sounds of a stringed quartet playing in the dining area. Tiraz gave his name and they were immediately escorted to a table at the edge of a small dance floor.
    The host handed them menus and assured them a waiter would be right with
    them. As Violet skimmed over the menu, she noticed there weren’t any prices listed. It made her uneasy knowing that meant everything was probably insanely expensive, but Tiraz didn’t seem bothered by it.
    “Your clenching your menu like it’s going to run away,” he observed. “Do you not see anything to your liking?”
    “Everything looks wonderful,” she assured him and was determined to make a
    decision. She’d never had lobster before and shrimp was her favorite, but wouldn’t that cost too much.
    “Violet.”
    She peered over the menu at him.
    “Order whatever you want.” He smiled faintly. “I wouldn’t have brought you
    here if I couldn’t afford it. For once, don’t worry what something costs and just let yourself enjoy the night. No bills, job searches, or children tonight. Just you and me, and hopefully, a pleasant dinner. Deal?”
    Violet smiled and nodded. “I can do that.”
    He winked at her again and went back to looking at his menu. Violet set