more relaxed around me. I like seeing her that way.
I get into a taxi at the front of the hotel thinking how ridiculous it is
that we are not sharing a ride, but as an employee, appearances matter to
Natalia. I wonder what her friends make of the time she ’ s been spending with me. I wonder if she ’ s told her fiancée she has a new swimming
instructor. Yeah, one that does what you do for a living . I shake my
head. I ’ ve never given a fuck about
appearances and I ’ m not about to start now.
Tonight I ’ m going to prove to myself she ’ s just like the others. I know I ’ m a prick for setting her up like this, but I
also know it is the only way I ’ ll find
peace of mind.
I enter the restaurant and scan the room. The hostess takes her time to
appraise me and stifles a smile while she locates my reservation.
“ Jake Harper? ” She looks up and
her eyes darken. I refrain from rolling mine and nod a response. She swings her
hips around her station, makes sure I get a good shot of her ass as she picks
up the menus, then glances once over her shoulder.
“Right this way, please.”
I follow her to the table I ’ ve
requested. It is by a floor to ceiling window overlooking the mountain. I ’ ve been here with Tamara before. I ’ m browsing over the wine list when Natalia
appears at my side. I stand and before I can say anything she tilts her face up
and greets me with a kiss on the cheek. I ’ m
momentarily stunned, enjoying the sudden contact with her chilled cheek. She
realizes she caught me off guard and a slight blush raises to her face.
“It ’ s an Argentinean thing,” she
explains. “The kissing on the cheek. I keep forgetting you guys don ’ t do that here. It ’ s weird to me to shake someone ’ s hand.” She smiles as I help her with her coat.
“ I don’ t mind.” I shrug and her
smile widens. She looks radiant. Those piercing green eyes are bright and her
hair is down in long, raven layers. I haven ’ t seen her hair down since the poker night and it
is definitely my new favorite.
“This place is incredible. Look at that view,” she says as I pull out her
chair, then gives me a thankful smile.
“Do you come into town much?” I say, drinking in her fresh expression. I
haven ’ t seen her this relaxed since… I have never seen her
this relaxed.
“Not usually,” she says. “Unless it ’ s
someone ’ s birthday and we can work out
the time off. Most nights I ’ m dead tired
after work. We just stay in and play poker.”
“Which is quite profitable in your case.” I smile and that slight blush
raises to her face again. I need to find more things to make her blush because
it ’ s sort of addicting. Her guard is down and she
looks beautiful. She shakes her head.
“Gotta do what you can.”
“ Indeed. I nod. ” My eyes are
locked on hers and she glances down at the menu, blushing again, and I can ’ t help the shit-eating grin on my face.
I order a bottle of wine and she lifts up the napkin on the bread basket
and picks up a bread roll. She breaks a piece and bites through it, making an
appreciative sound. I like that she is not hiding the fact that she ’ s hungry. I cannot remember the last time I saw a
woman grab a piece of plain white bread and put it in her mouth.
The waiter comes back with the wine and we order our meals. Once again I ’ m surprised when she orders the Fettuccine and Fungi
special and not a skimpy salad like Tamara would have.
We fall into easy conversation and she tells me about her life in Buenos
Aires. I ’ m fascinated and want to know
every detail. Life in South America sounds fun, careless and much less
regulated than here in every way. I make a mental note to add Buenos Aires to
my bucket list.
“ So Jake. ” She smiles. “I usually
don ’ t ask people this, but given the fact that we
just spent the last two days together and now you know more about my life and
aspirations than most people, I ’ m gonna
ask.” She
I get into a taxi at the front of the hotel thinking how ridiculous it is
that we are not sharing a ride, but as an employee, appearances matter to
Natalia. I wonder what her friends make of the time she ’ s been spending with me. I wonder if she ’ s told her fiancée she has a new swimming
instructor. Yeah, one that does what you do for a living . I shake my
head. I ’ ve never given a fuck about
appearances and I ’ m not about to start now.
Tonight I ’ m going to prove to myself she ’ s just like the others. I know I ’ m a prick for setting her up like this, but I
also know it is the only way I ’ ll find
peace of mind.
I enter the restaurant and scan the room. The hostess takes her time to
appraise me and stifles a smile while she locates my reservation.
“ Jake Harper? ” She looks up and
her eyes darken. I refrain from rolling mine and nod a response. She swings her
hips around her station, makes sure I get a good shot of her ass as she picks
up the menus, then glances once over her shoulder.
“Right this way, please.”
I follow her to the table I ’ ve
requested. It is by a floor to ceiling window overlooking the mountain. I ’ ve been here with Tamara before. I ’ m browsing over the wine list when Natalia
appears at my side. I stand and before I can say anything she tilts her face up
and greets me with a kiss on the cheek. I ’ m
momentarily stunned, enjoying the sudden contact with her chilled cheek. She
realizes she caught me off guard and a slight blush raises to her face.
“It ’ s an Argentinean thing,” she
explains. “The kissing on the cheek. I keep forgetting you guys don ’ t do that here. It ’ s weird to me to shake someone ’ s hand.” She smiles as I help her with her coat.
“ I don’ t mind.” I shrug and her
smile widens. She looks radiant. Those piercing green eyes are bright and her
hair is down in long, raven layers. I haven ’ t seen her hair down since the poker night and it
is definitely my new favorite.
“This place is incredible. Look at that view,” she says as I pull out her
chair, then gives me a thankful smile.
“Do you come into town much?” I say, drinking in her fresh expression. I
haven ’ t seen her this relaxed since… I have never seen her
this relaxed.
“Not usually,” she says. “Unless it ’ s
someone ’ s birthday and we can work out
the time off. Most nights I ’ m dead tired
after work. We just stay in and play poker.”
“Which is quite profitable in your case.” I smile and that slight blush
raises to her face again. I need to find more things to make her blush because
it ’ s sort of addicting. Her guard is down and she
looks beautiful. She shakes her head.
“Gotta do what you can.”
“ Indeed. I nod. ” My eyes are
locked on hers and she glances down at the menu, blushing again, and I can ’ t help the shit-eating grin on my face.
I order a bottle of wine and she lifts up the napkin on the bread basket
and picks up a bread roll. She breaks a piece and bites through it, making an
appreciative sound. I like that she is not hiding the fact that she ’ s hungry. I cannot remember the last time I saw a
woman grab a piece of plain white bread and put it in her mouth.
The waiter comes back with the wine and we order our meals. Once again I ’ m surprised when she orders the Fettuccine and Fungi
special and not a skimpy salad like Tamara would have.
We fall into easy conversation and she tells me about her life in Buenos
Aires. I ’ m fascinated and want to know
every detail. Life in South America sounds fun, careless and much less
regulated than here in every way. I make a mental note to add Buenos Aires to
my bucket list.
“ So Jake. ” She smiles. “I usually
don ’ t ask people this, but given the fact that we
just spent the last two days together and now you know more about my life and
aspirations than most people, I ’ m gonna
ask.” She
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