I'd never been promiscuous before, but then being in a long-term relationship really left no room for that. Funny how Jackson had been the exact opposite, getting the best of both worlds.
"Hey. You alright? Your pretty smile turned into a frown." He reached across the table and brushed his fingers over my hand.
"Yeah. I just went through a really nasty breakup a month back. Just can't seem to shake it." I shrugged, not really wanting to talk about Jackson or my laundry list of shit that followed me around all the time.
"I knew something was a little off on the plane." He pulled his hand back as the food was delivered. "Not that I know you that well, but I could see something weighing on you."
I glanced up at the server. "Just set it in the middle of the table. We're sharing it."
"Lovely. I'll bring you two plates." The girl smiled and sat the platter down.
Breathing in deeply, I let my eyes scan the plate and smiled. "This looks incredible."
"I agree. You'll have to give me the pleasure of reading your write-up on the place. If it's good, perhaps I can submit it to my boss for review. If nothing else, he could give you some pointers. Hell, I could too. I do reviews for all parts of the company." He took the plates the server brought back and handed me one. "If you want."
"I would love that." I took my plate and worked to get a good-sized bite of everything onto it before glancing back up at the sexy man across from me. "What costs have you paid to be where you are in your career? Is that why you're not married?"
"Married? I'm too young to be married, or so I like to believe. My mother would tell you otherwise." He rolled his eyes, and I couldn't help but laugh.
"My mom used to talk about marriage all the time too, but in the last few years she's laid off." I left the part out where it was surely my dad's fault that her desire to tout marriage was long gone. I needed to visit her soon and have a long heart-to-heart. Something was up, and neither her nor my father were acting like themselves much.
"Lucky. My mom makes me feel like a leper most days." He chuckled. "I had a few good relationships in high school and college, but I've been out of school for two years now, and the handful of girls I've asked out turned into nothing more than dinner and dancing. They're looking for stability I guess, and with me moving about so much, I have none to offer."
"You travel all the time?" I took a small bite of a beef tamale and held up my hand. "Just a minute."
Closing my eyes, I took in the flavors and lifted my phone to my mouth, not caring who was in front of me. My passion to taste the flavors of the world and report them overrode even my appearance sometimes.
"Smooth and a touch spicy, the sauce brings about a delicious heat that permeates me completely and leaves me desperate for more. The meat is undeniably beef, the grassy tones and earthy complexity is a delight." I opened my eyes and turned the recording off. "Sorry."
He stared at me, his mouth a little agape. "Wow. You sure you shouldn't open up a website called Food Porn? I want to eat ten of these just off of your description."
I laughed. "Too much?"
"Um, no. Not nearly enough. I can't say I've ever been turned on by a girl describing a tamale, but there's a first for everything." He laughed. "Onto another topic before I blush."
"You blush? You don't seem like the type." My insides were dancing to the sound of butterfly wings as he complimented me. The light dusting on his cheeks gave credence to him being slightly turned on, which was exhilarating.
"I blush more than I care to say." He took a bite of his food and nodded. "It is delicious. Feel free to do whatever you need to, I'm happy witnessing it."
"Now I'm going to blush." I smirked and finished my tamale. "Tell me about your travel schedule."
"It's fifty weeks a year. I'm home maybe Saturday and Sunday a few times a month. I usually work Monday through Friday and then use the weekends to explore the places I'm sent. The company pays for my stay as a thank you for selling them my soul." He picked up his drink and watched me as he brushed his tongue along the side of the glass to gather salt once again.
I adverted my eyes as a light sweat covered my skin. The heat of the salsa mixed with him watching me was only the start of my discomfort. I was a lightweight where alcohol was concerned, as well. A few beers at the beach, another in the bar, and a margarita later, and I was ready to slide into the booth next to him and snuggle up to his side.
"That's a lot of traveling, but it sounds like a great life." I grabbed a few chips and took my time enjoying them as I beckoned my body to calm down a little. "Do you live in New York?"
"Yeah. I love it there. My whole family lives in the suburbs, but I'm downtown in Manhattan. The vibe and activity keeps me feeling alive." He shrugged.
"I get that." I picked up my fork and smiled. "Now hush and give me a few mi
nutes to analyze all of this."
"Consider me part of the audience." He winked and worked on his plate while I got lost in my own world for a few minutes. The sexy smile on his lips only grew as I finished up my fun and dropped my napkin into my lap.
"That was delicious. Thank you for bringing me here. I love it."
"I'm going to take you everywhere just to hear you moan over how good the food is. You should come with a warning label." He wagged his eyebrows playfully, which pulled a chuckle from me.