The Perfect Time

[POV: SHAY 0b72778e-d4ca-4f69-a31f-a31f-aad0a34beba8]

We climbed the grand staircase, stopping at the hostess stand. The hostess’ face lit up when she saw Zane, but her smile quickly faded when her gaze landed on me.

“Good evening, Mr. Santone. Your usual table is ready.”

She picked up two menus and guided us to a secluded table in the back corner with a view of the city. Zane pulled out my chair for me, and as I sat, she practically threw my menu in front of me.

But for Zane, she gently placed the menu on the table and let her hand linger on his arm. He shot her a stern look, and she quickly withdrew her hand and walked away, clearly miffed.

I raised an eyebrow at him as he dove into his menu. “Why are you hiding from me?” I teased.

“Nothing worth discussing, so don’t bother asking,” he muttered, pretending to study the menu.

I picked up my own menu and scanned the list of tonight’s dishes. There were so many tempting options, so I took my time deciding until a waiter approached our table.

“Good evening, my name is Jason. What can I get you to drink tonight?”

“A bottle of your 2010 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, please,” Zane replied, glancing up at the waiter. My jaw dropped at his choice.

“What? It’s a fantastic wine,” he defended after the waiter had left.

“Zane, that’s a four-thousand-dollar bottle of wine.”

“So? I want something I don’t often have—that I haven’t had in years. What’s the point of having more money than I could spend in four lifetimes if I don’t splurge a little?” He grinned and turned back to his menu.

The waiter returned with the wine. I took a sip, and it was as good as Zane had promised. The waiter smiled at me, and I saw a flash of jealousy in Zane’s eyes.

“Miss, what can I get you tonight?” he asked, all politeness.

“I’ll have the shrimp linguini. No red spice, please,” I replied.

He nodded and turned to Zane, who was sitting stiffly.

“I’ll take the filet mignon, extra seasoning, with a baked potato and vegetables on the side.”

“Of course, sir, I’ll put that in for you.” He flashed one last smile, and Zane clenched his jaw so tightly I was afraid it might break.

“Zane, what’s your problem? He was just doing his job and being polite.”

“He smiled at you one too many times, and I didn’t like it. If he does it again, they’ll be calling a coroner to take him away in a body bag.”

I shook my head and reached across the table to take his hands in mine. He relaxed at my touch, and the fire in his eyes cooled. He took a deep breath, and I felt the tension slowly leave his body.

“Zane, it doesn’t matter how many men look at me, try to flirt with me, smile, or anything else. I have the person I want right here with me.

“I only have eyes for you, so don’t worry about anyone else. Please?”

“It’s hard for me not to worry about you. When Forest took you, it was torture not knowing what was happening. And when you left, it broke me. I didn’t know if I could ever recover.

“But then you came to talk to me that night. When I realized what I’d done to you, holding back the tears was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I wanted to break down in your arms and cry like a child.

“The way I feel about you is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. When I’m not near you, it feels like a piece of me is missing.

“But as soon as I hold you in my arms, that piece snaps back into place and I feel whole again. I don’t think I can live without that feeling.”

I blushed and smiled at his words just as our food arrived. I took the first bite and closed my eyes, savoring the flavors. I’d forgotten how good this place was.

When I opened my eyes again, Zane was smirking at me, his gaze fixed on my lips.

“What?” I asked.

“I’m glad we’re staying at my place tonight because you’re making those noises that drive me wild.

“If we weren’t in a restaurant, I’d have you in bed making love to you in two seconds flat.”

An idea popped into my head, and I decided to see how far I could push him. Leaning forward, I slowly licked my lips while maintaining eye contact.

“Really? Would I be under you while you thrust deep inside me, or would I be on top, riding you while you watched my breasts bounce?”

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and then leaned forward, his eyes blazing.

“I warned you not to tease me, love. If you play with fire, you’re going to get burned. And right now, you’re pushing your luck.

“If you push me too far, I’ll strip you down right here and show everyone how to properly fuck a woman.

“And you’ll have so many orgasms that people on the boats in the harbor will hear you screaming my name.”

I certainly hadn’t expected that response. He grinned wickedly as he sat back in his chair and returned to his meal. I swallowed hard and took a bite of my linguini.

The waiter returned to clear our plates and ask if we wanted dessert. I locked eyes with Zane, who declined. He paid the bill, leaving a generous tip.

He then picked up the bottle of wine, which we hadn’t finished, and we headed back to the limousine. The hostess watched us leave, a scowl on her face.

The driver closed the limousine door and started the car. Zane put the wine in the mini-fridge and then pulled me onto his lap. His lips crashed onto mine, hard and demanding.

“You’re lucky I’ve got self-control. Otherwise, we’d be in that bathroom right now, and I’d be fucking you senseless.”

He showered me with kisses all the way to a grand house nestled by the sea. I pulled away from his lips to take in the sight.

The house was built from tan brick, with a massive dock stretching out behind it. A yacht, its lights glowing, was moored next to the dock. Zane helped me out of the car and led me towards the boat, while men carried our luggage aboard.

The yacht pushed off, setting course for the open sea. We stood at the bow, watching the shoreline shrink into the distance.

He cupped my face and kissed me again.

“What’s on your mind, sweetheart? Talk to me.”

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything. This life we’re living, what we want for our future, how far we’ve come.

“Sometimes it feels like I’m dreaming, like I’ll wake up back in my apartment. Not that it was a bad life, but this... this is the kind of dream girls have but never expect to come true.

“I still find myself touching things, just to make sure they’re real and not just figments of my imagination.”

He took my hand and led me down to the bedroom. “Let me show you just how real this is.”

We undressed and made love for hours that night, as the yacht sailed into the blackness of the night.