Part 5 (1/2)
Julie sliced into her steak, her pulse increasing as bright red juices squirted out onto the plate. Hunger, like a strong yearning, made her that much more aware of everyone around her. She caught herself staring at Roger's throat more than once and wondering what it felt like to bite into a vein full of warm, rich blood. Her gaze dropped to her plate and she stabbed a bite of meat. ”Tell me something about you that I don't know.” She popped the steak into her mouth and chewed. If she asked him all the questions, he might not have time to ask her the one question she dreaded most. Are you a vampire?
”I was married once.”
Julie stopped in mid-chew and swallowed the lump of meat whole. ”You were? As in past tense?”
He smiled and reached across to pat her knee.
Instead of calming her, the pat ignited adrenaline in her system and primed her libido. Now she was hungry for s.e.x as well as blood. How was she going to hold herself together without jumping Roger's bones in public?
With a serious frown creasing his forehead, Roger continued. ”Unlike my ex-wife, I believe in the sanct.i.ty of marriage. I wouldn't be out with you if I were still married.”
”Unlike your ex-wife?”
”Yeah, she slept around behind my back.”
”Wow.” Julie stared down at her plate. What did you say to something like that? Could you pa.s.s the pepper, please?
”Not that she has anything to do with us. I just thought you should know I'm divorced.”
”I guess now is as good a time as any to know that.”
He leaned toward her, concern written in his frown. ”Does it change the way you feel about me?”
”No.”
”Good.” Roger sat back in his chair and rubbed the side of his face. ”I'm glad we're together tonight. We haven't had time to really get to know each other. I feel like I've known you all my life, yet I don't know much about you at all.”
”Not much to know,” she said, dodging that bullet. ”I'm a nurse, I live in Houston. I'm an only child and my parents live in Dallas.” She shrugged. ”That's about it.”
”I see so much more to you.” He took her hand in his. ”I can tell you love your job by the way you are with the patients and staff in the ER. You're warm, caring and beautiful. An angel of mercy.”
Tears welled up in Julie's eyes and she pulled her hand free. ”Thanks. I do love my job.” But could she continue to work as a nurse now that she was a vampire? She stuffed the last bite of steak into her mouth and contemplated a confusing future.
”You have a little blood dripping from the side of your mouth.” Roger reached across the table and dabbed at Julie's mouth with the edge of his napkin.
Her cheeks heated and she smiled up at him. ”Sorry. I was just so hungry I couldn't see straight.” She stared down at the b.l.o.o.d.y juice on her plate and wondered if she could get away with licking it dry?
”I like my steaks rare, but I think I would have sent yours back for an extra thirty seconds each side. Have you always eaten your steaks that rare?”
As she sat back in her chair, Julie lifted her own napkin to her lips. ”No, but I will from now on. That was delicious and completely satisfying.”
Roger leaned toward her. ”Completely?” Beneath the tablecloth where their knees touched, Roger's hand slid across her thigh and up beneath the short hem of her black dress.
The steak had only whetted her ”appet.i.tes” more and her knees fell open. ”Not completely.”
Scooting his chair closer, Roger's fingers tickled the inside of her thigh, inching toward the black lacy panties damp with juices that had nothing to do with rare steak.
If there weren't a hundred customers scattered around the busy restaurant, Julie would consider climbing onto the table and doing it there. The wicked gleam in Roger's eyes was enough to get her blood shooting through her veins at a remarkable speed, and the danger of getting caught doing naughty things beneath the cla.s.sy table was enough of an attraction. She couldn't resist and opened her legs wider. Thank goodness for the long tablecloth.
He bent toward her ear and pressed a kiss to the side of her neck. ”Ever come in a fancy restaurant?” At that exact moment, his finger traced the folds of her l.a.b.i.a through the black lace of her thong bikini panties, barely skimming that ultrasensitive nub trapped between.
As she sank lower in her chair, Julie stifled a moan, her hand slipping beneath the pristine white tablecloth to join his. She guided him to the elastic edge of her panties and shoved his hand down over her mound of curls, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps. She was going to come all over the fine cus.h.i.+ons of the straight-backed chairs if she didn't watch it.
”May I offer you something from the dessert menu?”
Roger smiled up at their waiter, all the while flicking her c.l.i.t with his forefinger. ”No, thank you. I think we have all the dessert we can handle.”
Julie's tongue was glued to the top of her mouth and she closed her eyes so the waiter couldn't see them roll into the back of her head as she squelched the urge to squeal. G.o.d, that felt sooo good!
”Are you all right, madam?”
Her eyes popped open and she nodded. ”Yes...yes. I'm perrrfect.” Roger's finger dipped inside her and a smile climbed up her cheeks. ”Thank you.”
When the waiter walked away, Julie shot a teasing glare at Roger. ”Now he's going to think I'm a nutcase.” She started to push his hand away. ”We shouldn't do this here. What if we get caught?”
His finger swirled around the opening of her p.u.s.s.y and upward to nudge against her c.l.i.t. ”Are you afraid?”
She thought for a moment, the adrenaline pulsing with the blood throughout her body. ”No. And that feels so good.” ”Then ride it.”
”Here?” He hit her sweet spot and she practically jerked out of her chair. ”Aren't you afraid you'll lose your job?” she said through gritted teeth.
”I like to live dangerously.”
”Well, two can play that game.” Her hand slid up his thigh and she cupped his package, squeezing firmly.
”Careful.”
”Afraid?” He was hard as a stump beneath her fingers and his c.o.c.k pulsed in her hand.
His lips tightened and he swallowed hard. ”Maybe we should take this somewhere more-”
Julie squeezed again.
”Private,” he ended on a gasp. His hand withdrew from her panties and he pushed back from the table, tossing his napkin on his plate. ”Ready?”
With a smile teasing the corner of her lips, she straightened her dress and panties. ”What? No dessert?”
”We'll go back to my place for dessert.”
If they ended up at his place, she might not get back to hers before daylight. ”Why don't we go to mine? I think I have some chocolate pudding and whipped cream in the fridge.”
His brows climbed upward. ”Do you always keep a stash of cream on hand?”
”For the right guest.” She folded her napkin neatly and looked across the table at him. Should she tell him about her little problem before they did the nasty?
Roger ran his tongue across his bottom lip. ”Ummm, whipped cream sounds tasty.”
Okay, so maybe she'd wait to tell him after dessert. ”Let's go.” She jumped from her seat before he could help her with her chair.