She took a step closer. “I was thinking that your clothes would look better on my floor. We’d better go to dinner if you want to get out of here with your virtue intact.”
Titus sucked in a sharp breath and put a hand on the wall, bracing himself. “That’s…not what I expected you to say. At all.”
“It’s up to you.”
“We should…proceed with the date. I don’t want to rush things between us.”
Dammit. Well, she didn’t think that would work anyway. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Danica checked her bag and then gestured for him to lead the way. Outside, his Nissan Leaf was parked in front of her house, such a cute and unassuming ride, perfect for Titus. He opened the door and closed it for her afterward, and somehow it was even more adorable seeing a tall guy fold himself into a compact electric car.
“Where are we headed?”
“It’s a surprise, a little place I discovered recently. They’re newly opened, and I love the food. I hope you will too.”
Titus drove like he did everything—with quiet confidence—and Danica settled in to enjoy the ride. He didn’t protest when she fiddled with the radio, settling on a station out of Chicago. Ten minutes later, they pulled into a strip mall. None of the places looked too interesting, but he parked in front of Burma Kitchen. She tended to be experimental with her meals, and she’d never tried Burmese food.
“I didn’t even know this was here!”
“You seem excited.”
“Absolutely. I can’t wait to try everything.” For once, she didn’t mean to be suggestive, but Titus stilled, his gaze fixed on her mouth.
He swallowed once, twice, and leaned slightly her way. He touched her cheek, tracing a fingertip lightly downward, drifting toward her mouth with a restless compulsion.
Then he caught himself. Pulled back.
I really want to kiss him. I refuse to go home until I find out whether his lips feel as good as I imagine.
***
Dear God.
With effort, Titus gave himself a silent pep talk as he slid out of the Leaf and jogged around to get her door. She already had her hand on the handle, not making it easy for him to be a gentleman. It wasn’t that he thought she couldn’t open her own door, but he wanted Danica to know that she was special, worth putting in extra effort.
Anxiously, he watched her face as they went into the restaurant together. The decor was simple, nothing extravagant, but they’d need to go into the city for a superposh dining experience. Burma Kitchen was half full, the tables simple wood and metal. The walls were painted ecru and bamboo green, with judicious use of fabrics and screens to attempt to add privacy and elegance.
Kham Keow, the owner of Burma Kitchen, greeted Titus with a friendly wave. “Good to see you. And your lovely guest. Sit anywhere you like.”
Since the place was on the small side, he chose a table for two near the back, not so close that they could hear noise from the kitchen or bathroom. “How’s this?”
Danica took her seat, smiling. “Perfect.”
A server in black proffered menus as Titus spread his napkin across his lap. Need to make a good impression and take my mind off how much I wish I’d gone upstairs with her back at her house. Sternly he told himself to settle down. You’ve waited this long. You can wait a little longer to take things to the next level. With Danica, it already mattered more than it ever had—that he do this properly and not screw it up.
“Anything look good?”
“Everything,” she said with a teasing light in her eyes as she looked him up and down. “But what do you recommend?”
Somehow, he swallowed the sexy rejoinder that sprang to mind. “The roti is great. I usually get a veggie dish, some curry, oh, let’s try the tea leaf salad?”
“Since this is my first time, I’ll put myself in your hands.” Danica closed her menu and gazed across the table like she was considering Titus as her main course.
Yes, please.
He ordered the samosa platter, tea leaf salad, spicy lotus roots, fried rice, and chicken coconut curry. “You don’t mind sharing, I hope?”
“With you? Not at all.”
“Do you like iced milk tea?” he asked, pretending his heart wasn’t racing like he’d just completed a sprint.
“I do.”
Turning to the server, he added, “Two milk teas, please. I’m driving, but you could have a cocktail if you prefer.”
Danica shook her head. “If you’re not drinking, I’d rather not. In some countries, they have a designated driver service. You ring in and someone comes to take you home.”
“I suspect they must have better public transportation,” he said thoughtfully. “It would work in larger cities, but out here…”
“Not so much.” St. Claire had no public transportation, unless one counted the Greyhound stop at the gas station twenty minutes away. “That’s what ride-sharing apps are for, though you pay for two rides instead of one. Sometimes I do that when I go out drinking with Clem and other friends.”
Titus imagined a tipsy Danica, all giddy and getting in a random stranger’s car; he didn’t care for that scenario. It could be dangerous even if she went home with her cousin… “You can call me,” he said quickly. “If you ever need a ride, that is. It doesn’t matter what time. I’ll come get you.”
“Wow, seriously? You’ll be my on-call chauffeur?”
I’ll be anything you wish.
With effort, he managed to bite back the words. Luckily, the samosas arrived, and they were delicious, as always. The food came in well-timed waves, so the next hour was full of incredible flavors and casual conversation. Titus watched Danica respond to each bite, enjoying her blissful smiles and half-closed eyes. Before, he’d never realized how sensual it was to watch someone enjoy their food, but by the time they’d finished, he was slightly aroused, dazed with resisting the pull between them.
“How was it?” he asked.
“Exquisite. I’ll be back. I’m bringing Clem…and the rest of my book club. I don’t know if Margie has ever had a curry. I’m positive Ethel hasn’t.”
“That’s fantastic. Word of mouth is critical for a restaurant.”
Pleased by her response, he paid for their meal while she went to the bathroom. When Danica returned, her lipstick was freshly applied, such a gorgeous shade of red that he curled his hand into a fist against his knee to resist the urge to pull her to him and smear it thoroughly. She touched him on the shoulder, just a light pressure to call his attention, and a pleasurable shock went through him, almost electric in its intensity. It traveled throughout his body in a sensuous wave, and his cock stirred.