My hands shook a little as I poured a small amount and narrated my actions. “The bottle is pretty. The cork looks and smells good.” I set the bottle and cork down and picked up the wine glass to swirl. “Yours has longer legs than mine, which is true it both cases.”
Aiden chuckled and I grinned at him before closing my eyes to smell the wine.
“I smell... pepper. And soil.” I opened my eyes and looked at him. “But it's a good soil smell, not like dirt dirt. It smells drinkable.”
Aiden laughed. “Good. Try it and see what you think.”
I took a small sip, hoping his eyes were on my lips. The idea that he was watching my mouth made my female parts ache for his touch. “It's got a dark, fruity taste.” I scrunched my nose. “And it's got that bitter wine taste at the end.”
“Those are tanins. You'll learn to love them,” he promised. “Do you like it?”
“It's good.” I took another small sip, liking the first part but not the tanins.
“Do you want more?” he asked, watching my face but keeping his laughter to himself.
“No, thank you,” I answered. “I like mine better.”
Just then our food arrived. The waitress set it down in front of us, made sure we were happy and then disappeared to leave us alone once again. I took a bite and instantly found my way to food heaven.
“This is delicious,” I moaned. “How's yours?”
He cut off a small piece, put it on his fork, and then held it out for me to eat. I only hesitated for a second before leaning forward and taking it in my mouth.
“It's perfect. Grandma would be proud,” I told him, enjoy the tender piece of meat.
“I agree,” he said with a grin. He took another bite.
“Why'd you pick the lobster for me?” I asked, taking a sip of wine before going back to my dinner.
He paused for a moment, then shrugged. “I just thought it would impress you. Lobster in a champagne butter sauce sounds fancy and awesome. I don't have a good story for it.”
“What? No story?” I teased.
“I did tell you the origin of the game,” he countered. “That has to count for something.”
I laughed, enjoying his honesty. “Well, it's delicious. Want some?” I held out a my fork with a bite prepared for him. He took it carefully in his teeth. I liked that the next bite I took would have him on it.
“I think your grandma would approve of that as well,” he said quietly. I grinned. I knew she would most certainly approve, and it had nothing to do with the food.
Chapter 11
Aiden took my hand in his as we left the restaurant. The night air was still tropically warm and the ocean breeze ruffled my skirt. This truly was paradise.
“Walk on the beach with me?” Aiden asked, pulling me gently toward the sound of water. I would have followed him willingly into a volcano. A moonlit walk on the beach was better than I could have dreamed.
“That sounds great,” I agreed. It only took us a moment to reach the sand. My heels immediately sank and I knew I would twist an ankle if I stayed on them. “Hold on, I need to take my shoes off to walk in the sand.”
“Barefoot again?” he teased gently as he also removed his shoes. He finished nearly as soon as I did, standing beside me in the sand. “How tall are those heels?”
“Tall?” I shrugged. I had no idea the actual height, just that they were taller than my usual selection of heels.
“I like you this height better,” he told me. A warm flush went through me. No one had ever said that to me before. I always thought I was too short and needed heels.
“Really? I thought guys liked the tall, leggy blondes best.”
“I can't do this with a tall, leggy blonde,” he informed me, stepping close and draping his arm over my shoulder. Goosebumps and want skittered across my skin. I could barely believe that this handsome, funny, man was holding me on a moonlit beach. It seemed too good to be true.
The sand was soft and warm under my feet. The travel guides hadn't been kidding when they raved about Caribbean sand. The moon was rising slowly and casting pale, silver light on every wave. Everything had a magical glow that made anything seem possible.