Love in the City, an erotic romance novel (34 page)

“That was one of the best meals I’ve ever had,” Anabelle said. She leaned forward over the table to take his hand. “It was absolutely delic
ious. You are an amazing cook.”

He cleared his throat as he tried to avert his eyes from her low-cut dress
, trying to be a gentleman. He looked into her eyes, admiring her beauty in the candlelight. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. My mom would be proud of me if she heard you say that.”

“You know, Mr. Tsarkopolis, you are just full of surprises.” She smiled and stroked his hand, feeling the effects of the wine. “There are just so many interesting things you do that I enjoy.”

He raised his eyebrows, caught off guard by her suggestive comment. He smiled, blushing. “Dessert?”

She grinned at him,
but then shook her head. “I’m way too full right now. But I’d like to be able to exercise that option later, if I may.”

“Of course,” he
said, “it’ll be waiting for you whenever you’re hungry enough. Just let me know.”

“I will.” Her hazel eyes sparkled with mischievous intent.

He gave her sly smile. He got up and went over to kiss her, his hand brushing against her hair and the skin of her back as he did. “You’ll like it when you do,” he whispered into her ear.

She felt her temperature spike.

As Giorgio got up to clear the table, Anabelle went to freshen up in the main floor bathroom. He watched her walk away, admiring her feminine form, her shapely behind and the way her soft-looking hair fell down her bare back. He whistled to himself.

A few minutes later, she came back and joined him in the kitchen as he was finishing up putting things away.

Provocatively, she leaned over on the kitchen island on her elbows, her full cleavage once again catching his eye. The two glasses of wine had emboldened her a bit and she was feeling like being fairly direct with him. “So, since we’ve been getting to know one another more tonight, I have a question I’d like to ask you,” she said, looking up at him. “It’s been on my mind since we first met.”

Distracted by her assets, he replied, “Go right ahead.” He was thinking how she could ask for anything from him looking like that.

“Why was a guy like you interested in a girl like me?”

He looked surprised. “What do you mean?”

She pressed her lips together, a little embarrassed at the subject, but she needed to know. “Well, I don’t exactly look like…most of the women you must come into contact with working in Manhattan.” She looked over at him, a bit worried about what his answer might be. She stood up and tucked her hair behind her ear. “They’re so slender, so perfectly put together, so polished. And I’m, well, not exactly skinny.” She motioned down her frame. “I’m a little…curvier, I guess is the polite term…” She
turned beet red.

He looked at her, a big smile crossing his face. He walked over to the other side of the island to stand next to her. He brushed her arm. “Anabelle, look at me.”

She looked up at him, his blue eyes sparkling with warmth.

He saw how important this question was to her, it was written all over her face, but at the same time he was trying to suppress a small laugh. “You know what I am, right?”

She shook her head. “What?”

“Oh, m’lady,” he said, his expression one of amusement. “I’m Greek rem
ember? A Greek male.”

She frowned. She had no idea what that had to do with anything. “So?”

He licked his lips, placing his hands on her bare shoulders. “So, my beautiful girl, it’s in my DNA to be attracted to a…” his gaze dropped to her bosom, showcased by her sultry, figure-hugging dress, “curvy woman. God, Anabelle, your womanly body…your full breasts, your full hips and beautifully rounded bottom…” He let out a long sigh and looked into her eyes, a rosy blush to his cheeks. “You are female perfection to me. Just thinking about you...” he stopped, his fingers stroking her shoulders, “well, you know all about that already.” He pressed his soft, pillowy lips against hers for a long, lingering kiss.

Anabelle felt her face flush. His kisses were so sensual.

He touched her hair, then ran his hands down the length of her arms and back up to hold her, his hands now resting level with her bosom. “The first day I saw you, I was instantly attracted to you. It was all I could do not to look like a leering creep as you bent down. Your cleavage, your shapely legs…ohhh…it got me. Immediately.”

She wanted to melt. “Really?”

He smiled sexily at her. “Really. And you were so adorable. So…real. No affectations. No pretense. Just natural. And funny.” He laughed softly at the memory. “I believe I told you all that during our first coffee, which you obviously didn’t believe.”

She shrugged her shoulders, not wanting to admit it. “You’re sure you’re not just saying all this to make m
e feel better?”

“Oh, I’m sure,” he said. “Besides, I need to be with a woman who can eat. We Greeks like to share feasts, enjoy big meals and wine and be merry. I want to be with someone who can enjoy those kinds of pleasures, like you did tonight, a woman who doesn’t deprive herself for
vanity. That makes me happy.”

She beamed at him. “Well, I certainly love your cookin
g. It was an incredible meal.”

“Good,” he said, “I’m glad to h
ear that.” He hugged her close.

She hugged him back, pressing her chest into him, as he stroked her bare back.

“Shall we retire to the living room and enjoy an after dinner drink?” he offered.

“Lovely,” she said.

While Anabelle went to the living room, Giorgio poured them snifters of Cognac.

He came back out to see her gazing out the floor-to-ceiling windows. He walked up beside her and handed her a glass. “Your cognac, m’lady.”

“Why, thank you,” she said, taking the glass and swirling it.

They sipped the smooth, flavorful amber spirit. He wrapped an arm around her as she stood looking out the window at Ce
ntral Park and the city beyond.

“This is a spectacular view,” she said.

“Yeah, it was one of the first things that drew me to this place. I like working and reading in here,” he said, pointing to the desk in the corner. “It helps me think.”

“I’m sure, it’s beautiful. Very relaxing, I’m sure,” she replied.

“Very much so.”

They continued to gaze out at the park, whose trees and greenery seemed to stretch on endlessly.

“Can I ask you something else?” Anabelle said, looking up at him.

“Sure.”

“Does it bother you that we’re not exactly…matched…in a financial sense?”

“Not at all. Why, does it bother you?”

“A little, I guess. I’ve never dated anyone so different from me that way.”

He regarded her thoughtfully for a moment. “I know that some things are different, this place for example, but really, I’m a pretty low-key guy. I like quiet nights in, dinners, movies, plays, spending time in the park. Simple things.”

“Yeah, but we’re in a much different place when it comes to what we each have the ability to do, money-wise. That might get kind of awkward sometimes.”

“It
won’t for me,” he said, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “I’m definitely not one for a lot of flash generally. The money’s nice, it helps one do things, for sure. But, we can do whatever you’re comfortable with. I have plenty to provide us with some nice experiences, if you’ll let me.”

She nodded. “Just let me know if things
get too unbalanced and make you uncomfortable.” She looked down at her glass. “I don’t want to come across as taking advantage of you that way.”

He laughed. “Says the girl who, when she realized who I was the first day we met, couldn’t run away fast enough.”

“Yeah,” she replied, giggling. “You freaked me out something fierce.”

“Obviously. You wouldn’t even tell me your last name or come in for my offer of a replacement coffee. And you didn’t call me when I invited you to.”

She looked down at her glass. “You were pretty intimidating for someone like me.”

“I hope not anymore.”

She shook her head. “No.” She leaned her head into him, feeling comfortable in his embrace.

He held her for a bit. “Why don’t I turn on the fireplace? It gives a nice glow to the room. We can sit down and enjoy both the view and the flames.”

“That would be really nice,” she said.

He led her over to the sofa and set his drink down. He turned the gas fireplace on as well as the speakers so that the music would play in the living room as well. He adjusted the lighting to bathe the spacious area in a soft, warm glow. He
came back and sat down next to her.

She placed her hand on his knee. “You are an excellent host, I must say.”

“Thanks,” he said as he moved his knee closer, to brush against her leg. “I try.”

She instantly felt the heat, and it wasn’t just from the Cognac.

He leaned back against the sofa and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

She leaned into him, letting out a long sigh.

“Penny for your thoughts?” he asked.

“I’ve got a million things running through my head,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”

“Wow, that’s a lot.” He laughed. “Me? I’m thinking of one thing. You.”

She looked up at him and saw his sexy smile, his blue eyes and high cheekbones. His hair looked touchably soft. He was so inviting. She leaned over and kissed him. “You have the most luscious, pillowy soft lips,” she said afterwards. “Impossible not to kiss.”

“Lucky me,” he said, watching her.

She lightly stroked his thigh, again deep in thought.

He rubbed her shoulder. “How about you tell me one or two of those million things you’re thinking about all at once. I can see something’s on your mind.”

She took a long sip of Cognac. “Are you sure? Maybe we should just relax and enjoy the rest of the evening.”

He sat up. “Now I know there’s something important on your mind,” he said as he placed his hand over hers. “Talk to me. This night was for us to get to know one another more. I want us to move past any doubts or insecurities that are lingering on.”

She smiled softly and looked at him. He was turned towards her, waiting patiently for her to start. She was grateful for that. She sighed and took another sip of Cognac. She looked up at him and touched his thick, dark hair. She ran her hand across his shoulder, down his chest, and back to her glass. “You’re just so incredibly handsome. You took my breath away the first moment I saw you. I just don’t know why…” she stopped.

“Why what?”

“Why you’re not dating up a storm right now.”

“Because I’m crazy about you, that’s why,” he said, brushing her hair from her face and kissing her cheek.

She smiled at the warmth in his touch. “Still though, you must have a lot of women coming onto you. I’ve seen it, at the ball, remember? You must’ve dated half of the high-society women in Manhattan.”

He laughed. “I don’t know where you get these ideas about me.”

“You’re gorgeous, successful, charming, a great cook…need I go on?”

He regarded her for a moment. “I’ll be honest with you. I did date around a bit when I was younger.”

She looked away. She braced herself for what, she was certain, would not be easy to hear.

Noting her silence, he continued, “And what I found dating in these social circles you keep referring to, is that women wanted one of three things from me. Money. Status. Sex.”

“I see,” she said.

“Then you’ll also see that no where in that list is friendship, companionship, true connection, deeper feelings, love. None of them really wanted to get to know who I was. They didn’t care. I had something they wanted from that very short list and that was it.”

“That doesn’t sound like women
at all,” she said skeptically.

“See, that’s just it. Not the ones you know. Not the person, the woman you are. The women you’re referring to are like…a different breed. They don’t think like you or I.”

“But they’re so successful and they can afford designer things. They’re so done up, they look amazing…”

He held his hand up. “First, their business success doesn’t keep you warm at night, or make you feel like you really matter as a person. Second,
I like quality, but these women are slaves to labels and talk about them like they’re a life necessity. They’re not. And third, a lot of them actually look downright scary up close. Fake everything. I prefer a more natural look.”

She
smiled. She was really happy and relieved to hear that. “I understand what you’re saying there, but...” She hesitated.

“But what?”

She shifted in her seat. “Well, you also mentioned sex. What did you mean by that exactly?”

He looked at her. “You won’t get mad at me? I mean these things happened before I knew you.” He touched her leg.