“Well, they’re not important to the ecosystem of my office,” he replied, making her laugh. She grinned.
This date was going better than she’d expected. The food was amazing, which she had been expecting, but the easy conversations they shared every morning while he ordered his coffee shone through. It was like getting an extra long version of the morning and she was enjoying it.
The next course was sea bass with truffle sauce, followed by a Cornish game hen with an amazing demi-glace that made her want to cry tears of joy. She’d never eaten anything as wonderful as this meal. Jackson kept her champagne glass filled and the conversation flowing.
Before she realized it, they’d been on their dat
e for over two hours. She’d learned that he had no siblings and that both of his parents had died. It was just another thing that the two of them had in common. She felt such a connection to him, and it wasn’t just the champagne.
She loved the way he looked at her like she mattered. She was someone to him, even if before today she was just the coffee girl. Even then, he’d known her name. He’d really know her name after tonight.
I’m going to sleep with him, she decided as they waited for the dessert course to arrive. She smiled at the thought. She knew that was probably his intention all along given his reputation, but she was enjoying her evening so much she was okay with it. It was going to be her choice.
“And for dessert, a chocolate fondue,” he announced as the waiters set up the table with a chocolate stand and various plates full of dipping items. Strawberries, bananas, raspberries, cookies, marshmallows, and anything else that could be dipped in chocolate filled the table. There was no way she was going to be able to eat even half of it, but she was willing to give it a try.
“My favorite is the strawberries,” he advised, showing her his dipping technique. He opened his mouth and carefully sucked the luscious red fruit into his mouth.
Emma swallowed hard and pressed her knees together.
Yup. Definitely sleeping with him.
“Here, have one,” he offered, dipping a red berry into the dark chocolate and then holding it out for her. She leaned forward, her lips coming to wrap around the strawberry and brushing against his fingertips.
It was electric to touch him. He smiled.
“You have some chocolate on your cheek,” he pointed out.
“Oh.” She went to wipe her cheek, but he beat her to it. His hand caressed her skin and she shivered with pleasure.
He leaned forward, his hand on her cheek, and tipped his mouth to meet hers in a kiss.
He tasted like chocolate and wine and everything delicious in the world. His kiss was sweeter than any dessert and better than anything she could have imagined.
He kissed like he looked. Amazing.
She was definitely sleeping with him tonight. She’d never been this turned on with just a kiss.
He pulled back and smiled at her. She was all electric shivers and desire now.
“Can I ask you something?” Emma picked out a marshmallow and carefully dipped it in the chocolate.
“Anything,” he replied. His green eyes sparkled in the candlelight of the restaurant.
“Why me?” she asked. “I mean, you can have any woman in the city. Why me?”
He swallowed and patted his mouth with a napkin. “I actually have an offer for you,” he told her. “I wanted to take you on this date to see if we would be a good match, and I think we would.”
“A good match?” She frowned, confused. “What could a coffee barista do for you?”
He smiled slowly. “For that, we’ll need to go back to my place.”
Chapter 6
Emma
* * *
Emma tried to keep her knee still. She tried not to bounce it up and down, but she couldn’t help but move it. She was nervous now as the car sped along the road to Jackson Weathers’ apartment and her knee couldn’t hold it in.