reservation, and yet here he was still holding up the bar, on his third beer waiting for a woman with apparently no concept of time. Was she playing with him yet again? Watching to see just how long he’d hold out before leaving, once more? Harold had let that cat out of the bag while they were having him measured for several pairs of new slacks at one of the shops. The night in the gallery had been a test of his resolve, if he had left he’d have lost his shot. His desperation had paid off, or at least it was beginning to if Donnella would just show up.
“Hi.” Her voice caught in his ear as her hand wrapped around his shoulder delicately. He turned and looked into her eyes. She looked beautiful, but tired. Her usually light make up was patted on just a little heavier to cover the darkened circles around her just puffy eyes. Most men wouldn’t have noticed, but Matthew wasn’t most men. He had an eye for these things.
“Are you alright?” Concern filled him where annoyance had only moments ago begun to creep.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” She pushed a stray hair back from her face, and handed her coat to the doorman. “Let’s get some food, I’m starving.” The maître d' met them at a flick of her wrist and they were seated. “He’ll take another of whatever he’s been drinking, and I’ll take a Bourbon, rocks, make sure it’s Jefferson’s.” She went to pull out her chair to find Matthew already at its place. She hesitated a moment, as though it broke her concentration, then nodded sitting down.
Matthew wondered if it had been so long that a man had done anything for her, rather than her constantly doing for them. What kind of assholes has she been dealing with? He sat across from her with an easy smile. He had something of a buzz already and was certainly looking forward to some food to calm it down. They had a full menu, but the prices made his eyes bulge. $95.00 for a 12 oz. steak, potato and a small house salad. He shifted uncomfortably, it was her dime, but still, for that kind of money he could stuff her full of good foods and they wouldn’t have had to put on all the airs, or leave a tip for lousy service.
“What looks good?” His silence drew her attention. “Something wrong?” She asked looking over the top of the menu seeing the furrow in his brow.
“Nothing’s wrong, I just don’t usually do these kinds of places, the overpriced…” He trailed off, looking back down as she raised an eyebrow at him with a smirk.
“You really are adorable. What would you rather do? It’s after eight, most places are crammed full of people and I already have the reservation. I went through a lot of trouble to get it too. It’s not easy to get in here on short notice.” Her tone was shortened, and he could see the temper beginning to rise up in her. The last thing he wanted to do was have a fight with her, especially in public.
He looked down at the table then stood up pulling out his wallet. He tossed two crisp hundreds onto the table. And put out his hand. “C’mon. Let’s get out of here.”
She stood up, glancing about, a few people looked up, but most seemed to be minding their own business. Letting his large hand eclipse her own she let him lead her back through the restaurant and to the front doors. They retrieved their coats and stepped out into the street.
The weather reports talked of possible snow and you could almost taste it in the air. He pulled her in close as they waited for her car, she nuzzled into him as his strong arms held her tightly.
“Where are we going?” She asked almost drowsily as the car pulled up and the driver opened the door.
“Just get in. I got this.” He sided the driver whispering something and he nodded as Matthew climbed in to the car.
She cozied up against him, putting a leg over his knee, and he put an arm around her. With a smile she stretched up to him. “I forgot to kiss you hello.” She licked her lips slightly palming his smooth chin to
“Hi.” Her voice caught in his ear as her hand wrapped around his shoulder delicately. He turned and looked into her eyes. She looked beautiful, but tired. Her usually light make up was patted on just a little heavier to cover the darkened circles around her just puffy eyes. Most men wouldn’t have noticed, but Matthew wasn’t most men. He had an eye for these things.
“Are you alright?” Concern filled him where annoyance had only moments ago begun to creep.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” She pushed a stray hair back from her face, and handed her coat to the doorman. “Let’s get some food, I’m starving.” The maître d' met them at a flick of her wrist and they were seated. “He’ll take another of whatever he’s been drinking, and I’ll take a Bourbon, rocks, make sure it’s Jefferson’s.” She went to pull out her chair to find Matthew already at its place. She hesitated a moment, as though it broke her concentration, then nodded sitting down.
Matthew wondered if it had been so long that a man had done anything for her, rather than her constantly doing for them. What kind of assholes has she been dealing with? He sat across from her with an easy smile. He had something of a buzz already and was certainly looking forward to some food to calm it down. They had a full menu, but the prices made his eyes bulge. $95.00 for a 12 oz. steak, potato and a small house salad. He shifted uncomfortably, it was her dime, but still, for that kind of money he could stuff her full of good foods and they wouldn’t have had to put on all the airs, or leave a tip for lousy service.
“What looks good?” His silence drew her attention. “Something wrong?” She asked looking over the top of the menu seeing the furrow in his brow.
“Nothing’s wrong, I just don’t usually do these kinds of places, the overpriced…” He trailed off, looking back down as she raised an eyebrow at him with a smirk.
“You really are adorable. What would you rather do? It’s after eight, most places are crammed full of people and I already have the reservation. I went through a lot of trouble to get it too. It’s not easy to get in here on short notice.” Her tone was shortened, and he could see the temper beginning to rise up in her. The last thing he wanted to do was have a fight with her, especially in public.
He looked down at the table then stood up pulling out his wallet. He tossed two crisp hundreds onto the table. And put out his hand. “C’mon. Let’s get out of here.”
She stood up, glancing about, a few people looked up, but most seemed to be minding their own business. Letting his large hand eclipse her own she let him lead her back through the restaurant and to the front doors. They retrieved their coats and stepped out into the street.
The weather reports talked of possible snow and you could almost taste it in the air. He pulled her in close as they waited for her car, she nuzzled into him as his strong arms held her tightly.
“Where are we going?” She asked almost drowsily as the car pulled up and the driver opened the door.
“Just get in. I got this.” He sided the driver whispering something and he nodded as Matthew climbed in to the car.
She cozied up against him, putting a leg over his knee, and he put an arm around her. With a smile she stretched up to him. “I forgot to kiss you hello.” She licked her lips slightly palming his smooth chin to
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