zeroed in on her because she
might be that person. He didn’t even know her. Not yet.
“I find it strange we haven’t met before.” His words stroked
over her like a caress. “How do you think that happened?”
“I— We— That is—” She found her herself unaccountably
stammering.
“However it happened—or didn’t happen—I think we should
discuss it over dinner.”
She didn’t remember her goodbye to Lorelei, or what excuses
she made for leaving practically as soon as she’d arrived. The ride down to the
lobby in the elevator, being ushered into a car waiting at the curb, the drive
to a restaurant so exclusive she hadn’t even heard of it—all of it passed in a
blur. She was aware only of the overwhelming presence of the man beside her and
the power that surrounded him like an invisible cloud.
The restaurant he took her to was at the far north end of
the city, tucked away in a copse of trees, the interior broken up into small,
intimate dining rooms. The maître d’ ushered them into a room toward the back,
told Brian a waiter would be in shortly with their wine and bowed his way out.
Fallon stared at the man sitting across from her. Had he
hypnotized her? Cast some kind of spell? This was not like her, to allow
someone to simply whisk her away from a party without so much as a word of
protest. Not in character for her at all. Yet here she sat, like some idiot,
unable to pull a coherent thought together, spellbound by this man. By the
strength of his masculine aura. By the hunger in his eyes.
“I have a special wine I keep here.” The sound of his voice
flowed over her like a warm caress. “It’s the only wine I drink. I make sure
they stock it at the restaurants I frequent.”
She was sure he did. Fallon had the distinct feeling that
people anticipated his every word and provided what he required even before he
asked for it.
“The color of your eyes is striking, Fallon. I don’t think
I’ve ever seen actual violet eyes before.”
“Th-Thank you.” Why was she stammering again?
“You should wear something that accentuates them, as well as
your magnificent hair.” He reached across the table and captured a few strands,
letting them slide over his fingers. “I’m going to have a shopper send
something to your place. Wear it Saturday night when I pick you up.”
She finally found a shred of sanity. “To my house? Wait,
wait, wait. We just met. You can’t buy me clothes.” She tried to clear the fog
from her brain. “And Saturday night? I think I have plans.”
“Cancel them.” He said it as if there was no question that
she’d acquiesce. That it was a foregone conclusion. “I’ll pick you up at
eight.”
Fallon opened her mouth to say something but the door to
their private little room opened and a waiter wheeled in a cart containing a
silver ice bucket. A bottle of wine rested in the bed of crushed ice. The
waiter looked at Brian and, at his nod, uncorked the wine and poured a small
amount into a crystal goblet. Brian took it, let a few drops rest on his tongue
then gave his silent assent to fill the two wineglasses.
“To us.” Brian smiled at her as he touched his glass to
hers. “Yes, definitely to us.”
Fallon lifted the wine to her lips and drank as if she had
no other choice. She had the sense that her world was about to change
drastically.
* * * * *
The present
Fallon hated driving into San Antonio. The trip the other
night with Cord had been her first in more than a year. Otherwise she had her
boundaries. She’d go as far as The Rim or La Cantera, two high-end open-air
malls, but that was it. Fortunately, the restaurant that served her client’s
favorite designer coffees was at La Cantera, so she was still in her comfort
zone.
She’d really had to discipline herself to attend the event
with Cord the other night, more than he’d ever guess. Nothing in the city
appealed to her anymore. The specter of Brian hung over the landscape like a
black fog,
might be that person. He didn’t even know her. Not yet.
“I find it strange we haven’t met before.” His words stroked
over her like a caress. “How do you think that happened?”
“I— We— That is—” She found her herself unaccountably
stammering.
“However it happened—or didn’t happen—I think we should
discuss it over dinner.”
She didn’t remember her goodbye to Lorelei, or what excuses
she made for leaving practically as soon as she’d arrived. The ride down to the
lobby in the elevator, being ushered into a car waiting at the curb, the drive
to a restaurant so exclusive she hadn’t even heard of it—all of it passed in a
blur. She was aware only of the overwhelming presence of the man beside her and
the power that surrounded him like an invisible cloud.
The restaurant he took her to was at the far north end of
the city, tucked away in a copse of trees, the interior broken up into small,
intimate dining rooms. The maître d’ ushered them into a room toward the back,
told Brian a waiter would be in shortly with their wine and bowed his way out.
Fallon stared at the man sitting across from her. Had he
hypnotized her? Cast some kind of spell? This was not like her, to allow
someone to simply whisk her away from a party without so much as a word of
protest. Not in character for her at all. Yet here she sat, like some idiot,
unable to pull a coherent thought together, spellbound by this man. By the
strength of his masculine aura. By the hunger in his eyes.
“I have a special wine I keep here.” The sound of his voice
flowed over her like a warm caress. “It’s the only wine I drink. I make sure
they stock it at the restaurants I frequent.”
She was sure he did. Fallon had the distinct feeling that
people anticipated his every word and provided what he required even before he
asked for it.
“The color of your eyes is striking, Fallon. I don’t think
I’ve ever seen actual violet eyes before.”
“Th-Thank you.” Why was she stammering again?
“You should wear something that accentuates them, as well as
your magnificent hair.” He reached across the table and captured a few strands,
letting them slide over his fingers. “I’m going to have a shopper send
something to your place. Wear it Saturday night when I pick you up.”
She finally found a shred of sanity. “To my house? Wait,
wait, wait. We just met. You can’t buy me clothes.” She tried to clear the fog
from her brain. “And Saturday night? I think I have plans.”
“Cancel them.” He said it as if there was no question that
she’d acquiesce. That it was a foregone conclusion. “I’ll pick you up at
eight.”
Fallon opened her mouth to say something but the door to
their private little room opened and a waiter wheeled in a cart containing a
silver ice bucket. A bottle of wine rested in the bed of crushed ice. The
waiter looked at Brian and, at his nod, uncorked the wine and poured a small
amount into a crystal goblet. Brian took it, let a few drops rest on his tongue
then gave his silent assent to fill the two wineglasses.
“To us.” Brian smiled at her as he touched his glass to
hers. “Yes, definitely to us.”
Fallon lifted the wine to her lips and drank as if she had
no other choice. She had the sense that her world was about to change
drastically.
* * * * *
The present
Fallon hated driving into San Antonio. The trip the other
night with Cord had been her first in more than a year. Otherwise she had her
boundaries. She’d go as far as The Rim or La Cantera, two high-end open-air
malls, but that was it. Fortunately, the restaurant that served her client’s
favorite designer coffees was at La Cantera, so she was still in her comfort
zone.
She’d really had to discipline herself to attend the event
with Cord the other night, more than he’d ever guess. Nothing in the city
appealed to her anymore. The specter of Brian hung over the landscape like a
black fog,
Similar Books
