Playing It Safe(60)

“Sorry, my mouth sometimes has a mind of its own,” I say with a giggle while he’s still clearing his throat.

“Don’t apologize. I love your mouth.”

“Is that so?” I lean forward and put my elbows on the table. “Then you’re really in for a treat later.”

He leans forward, and since the table is for two, he’s much closer to my face. “If you keep saying things like that, we’ll be taking this meal to go.”

“Saying things like what?”

“Saying things that make me want to do things to you.”

“What kind of things?” I coyly ask.

“Things that I’ve been imagining for quite some time. Things that will have you screaming my name out loud again and again.”

The sound of someone clearing his throat turns both of our heads. Our poor server has been standing there for who knows how long listening to us. I want to die of embarrassment. If the ground could open up and swallow me whole, I’d be totally fine with it right now.

The server sounds flustered when he speaks. “If you’re ready, I’ll be bringing out the appetizer now.”

Alex answers in an assured voice. “We’re ready.”

When the waiter walks away, I ask Alex, “Don’t I get a chance to look at the menu?”

“I already ordered for you. For both of us.”

“Um, how do you know I’ll like what you picked? Aren’t you afraid that I’ll hate it?”

“Don’t you trust me?” he says with that dimpled grin of his that does things to me.

That’s not only a good question but a loaded one too. One that I can’t answer yet because unfortunately I’ve been burned so many times before by other men. I know it’s not fair to hold Alex accountable for the *s who came before him. And I know I’m making it sound like there was a goddamn army of men, but there were enough who wasted my time and made me feel like garbage that I have a hard time letting down my guard.

“Hmm, I better like this food you picked out for me. If not, then I may have to take the blow job offer off the table.”


Alex’s eyebrows fly up toward his hairline, and when he opens his mouth to make a witty comeback, the waiter appears at our table with our first dish. His face is somewhere between shocked and uncomfortable. I’m wondering how I can slip a packet of Tic Tacs in the guy’s pocket so I can hear him coming next time. He places a silver circa 1950s vintage style toaster on our table with two flaky pastry pouches sticking out of it and tells us to enjoy before trotting off to wherever he came from.

Curiously, I ask, “What are those?”

Alex reaches over and takes one of the pastry pouches out of the toaster and puts it on my plate for me and then takes the other one for him. “Lobster Pop-Tarts.”

I dig in, and when the first forkful hits my taste buds, it’s like I’ve bitten into a slice of heaven. My eyes shoot up to find him clearly enjoying himself watching me eat.

“Good?”

“Oh my God, it’s delicious.”

“You have no idea how glad I am to hear that,” he teases, and takes a bite for himself.

“Ha! I’m pretty sure I have a very good idea of how glad you are that I like it. But we still have the rest of the meal to go, so I reserve the right to withhold my opinion until that time. Deal?”

He wipes his mouth with his napkin and takes a sip of his champagne. “Just to be clear, we’re still discussing what I think we’re discussing?”

I give him a look that confirms his assumptions and take another forkful of food.

“Well then, how could I possibly pass up a deal like that? You’re on.”

When the main course is presented a little while later, which consists of “Mouse Trap Mac ’n’ Cheese” and “Eat the Beef Ribs,” which are equally delicious, we get on the subject of his niece.

“I saw Josie again the other day. Vanessa brought her by my office to go over some party stuff.”

“I know,” he says. “I talked to her earlier today.”

“She’s awesome.”

He smiles warmly and then says, “I couldn’t agree more.”

“So if what I’m about to ask is too personal, don’t hesitate to tell me, okay?”

He nods and takes a bite of his food.

“Is her dad in the picture? Because I noticed that Vanessa doesn’t have a wedding band, and Josie has never mentioned anything about him.”

“No, he’s not,” he replies in a clipped tone.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. It’s just that she’s so amazing, and I was curious.”

He puts down his fork and gives me an apologetic look. “No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so put off. It’s a bit of a sore subject. He skipped out on my sister when she found out she was pregnant with Josie. She’s never had the pleasure of meeting her father.”

“Never?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “Not one single damn time.”

“Wow, I’m really sorry to hear that. Not only for Josie but Vanessa too. That’s just awful.” I lean forward and rest my elbows on the table. “But that’s why you’re so close to her, right?”