The Exposure
Page 23
And though her eyes darkened with desire, she only nodded. But he wanted more.
“Say, ‘Yes, Sir.’”
Her entire countenance dissolved into sweet submission. “Yes, Sir.”
Fuck, what those two words did to him when they came out of her mouth. He wanted to take her in his arms and crush his lips against hers. He wanted her lips and her kiss so badly he could taste it. And he wondered, not for the first time, if her lips still tasted the same.
Damn it all to hell, he was going to find out. Not right this second. Maybe not even tonight, but soon. Soon, he’d taste her kiss again.
Using all the self-discipline and self-control he could muster, he lowered his head, bypassed her lips, and whispered in her ear, “Thank you, Meagan. I’ve never heard sweeter words.”
Was it his imagination or did she look disappointed that he hadn’t kissed her?
Regardless, it wasn’t the time or the place to give her the type of kiss he wanted, so he took her hand once again and started walking toward his favorite pizzeria. It wasn’t a long walk, but he was thankful it was long enough to cool his blood and keep him from doing something he wasn’t quite ready to do.
Meagan didn’t say anything while they walked. More than likely she was fuming over his threat to take her over his knee, but he really didn’t care. She might identify as a switch, but she needed to understand she wasn’t going to Top him.
The owner of the pizzeria hurried to the front of the restaurant as soon as he saw Luke enter. He gave only a passing glance to their finery before punching Luke on the shoulder.
“Good to see you, DeVaan. What can I do for you tonight?”
“Good to see you, too, Angeleno.” Luke raised an eyebrow. “Meagan?”
“Thin crust. All the veggies.”
“Give us a large thin with all the veggies, a bottle of your house red, and a tablecloth. To go.”
Angeleno snapped his fingers. “It is done. Give me fifteen minutes.”
Luke turned back to Meagan. Fifteen minutes was long enough for her to decide she didn’t want an impromptu picnic in Central Park. But she was watching him with curious eyes that held a hint of laughter and Luke couldn’t help but smile.
“What?” he asked.
“Do you do this often?”
“First time, actually.”
He was going to tell her she could ask Angeleno when he came back, but she seemed satisfied with his answer.
“I’ve walked by this place, but never stopped,” she said, looking around.
Luke tried to imagine it was his first time entering. It was difficult; he’d been to the tiny restaurant often over the years and the owners were like a second family. To him, the entire space gave a warm and comforting vibe. Soft candlelight, crisp tablecloths, and the inviting aroma of brick oven–baked pizza. “If you haven’t eaten the pizza here, you haven’t had real pizza yet.”
“I’ll hold off on making that decision until I’ve tasted it.”
“You’ll be singing its praises by the time the night’s over.”
A large family came in and they were all so packed in the small area, there wasn’t much opportunity to talk anymore. Right as the group was seated, Angeleno appeared with the pizza and two bags.
“I have everything you need in the bags,” he told Luke while he rang him up. “And Teresa insisted on sending cannoli. On the house.”
“You truly married an angel. Be sure to tell her thank you for me.”
The older man grinned. “I certainly will. Now you two go and have fun.”
“He seems really nice,” Meagan said once they were outside again and headed toward the park.
“I swear he’s half saint. He and Teresa have always been there for me. They’re great when you just need someone to listen.”
He didn’t mean to say that; it just spilled out. Hopefully, she wouldn’t push and want to know more about what the sweet couple had listened to him talk about. Namely because it was her. During those awful days that followed their breakup, they’d listened and didn’t pass judgment.
Perhaps Meagan could tell, because she didn’t pursue it any further. “Where should we have the picnic?”
“I think just inside the park,” he said, thankful that she’d picked up on his unspoken desire. “Much more likely for me to behave if there are people close by and a chance we’ll be seen.”
She cut her eyes at him, probably in an effort to see if he was teasing or telling the truth. Because he didn’t want her to know just how close to the truth he’d been, he made sure his expression gave away nothing.
They had lucked out. The weather was perfect for a picnic, and though there were several couples and families who had the same idea they did, Luke was able to find a somewhat secluded spot. He handed the box and bags to Meagan and spread out the tablecloth on the ground.
She placed the items on the red-and-white-checkered fabric and then lowered herself to sit as gracefully as she could. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”
They were getting quite a few double takes from their fellow Central Park visitors. Let them look. Luke imagined every guy who walked by was wishing he was the one sitting across from Meagan. Angeleno had packed some paper plates, so Luke took one and put two slices of pizza on it before handing it to Meagan.
“Thanks.” She bit into her first piece and her eyes nearly rolled to the back of her head. “Mmm, damn. This is seriously good.”
Luke refrained from saying, I told you so. “Bet it beats what Guy had on the menu.”
“No doubt, but Robin will be upset we left early. I think you were on her menu for the evening.”
“She should go with pizza. Much more likely to happen.”
“Say, ‘Yes, Sir.’”
Her entire countenance dissolved into sweet submission. “Yes, Sir.”
Fuck, what those two words did to him when they came out of her mouth. He wanted to take her in his arms and crush his lips against hers. He wanted her lips and her kiss so badly he could taste it. And he wondered, not for the first time, if her lips still tasted the same.
Damn it all to hell, he was going to find out. Not right this second. Maybe not even tonight, but soon. Soon, he’d taste her kiss again.
Using all the self-discipline and self-control he could muster, he lowered his head, bypassed her lips, and whispered in her ear, “Thank you, Meagan. I’ve never heard sweeter words.”
Was it his imagination or did she look disappointed that he hadn’t kissed her?
Regardless, it wasn’t the time or the place to give her the type of kiss he wanted, so he took her hand once again and started walking toward his favorite pizzeria. It wasn’t a long walk, but he was thankful it was long enough to cool his blood and keep him from doing something he wasn’t quite ready to do.
Meagan didn’t say anything while they walked. More than likely she was fuming over his threat to take her over his knee, but he really didn’t care. She might identify as a switch, but she needed to understand she wasn’t going to Top him.
The owner of the pizzeria hurried to the front of the restaurant as soon as he saw Luke enter. He gave only a passing glance to their finery before punching Luke on the shoulder.
“Good to see you, DeVaan. What can I do for you tonight?”
“Good to see you, too, Angeleno.” Luke raised an eyebrow. “Meagan?”
“Thin crust. All the veggies.”
“Give us a large thin with all the veggies, a bottle of your house red, and a tablecloth. To go.”
Angeleno snapped his fingers. “It is done. Give me fifteen minutes.”
Luke turned back to Meagan. Fifteen minutes was long enough for her to decide she didn’t want an impromptu picnic in Central Park. But she was watching him with curious eyes that held a hint of laughter and Luke couldn’t help but smile.
“What?” he asked.
“Do you do this often?”
“First time, actually.”
He was going to tell her she could ask Angeleno when he came back, but she seemed satisfied with his answer.
“I’ve walked by this place, but never stopped,” she said, looking around.
Luke tried to imagine it was his first time entering. It was difficult; he’d been to the tiny restaurant often over the years and the owners were like a second family. To him, the entire space gave a warm and comforting vibe. Soft candlelight, crisp tablecloths, and the inviting aroma of brick oven–baked pizza. “If you haven’t eaten the pizza here, you haven’t had real pizza yet.”
“I’ll hold off on making that decision until I’ve tasted it.”
“You’ll be singing its praises by the time the night’s over.”
A large family came in and they were all so packed in the small area, there wasn’t much opportunity to talk anymore. Right as the group was seated, Angeleno appeared with the pizza and two bags.
“I have everything you need in the bags,” he told Luke while he rang him up. “And Teresa insisted on sending cannoli. On the house.”
“You truly married an angel. Be sure to tell her thank you for me.”
The older man grinned. “I certainly will. Now you two go and have fun.”
“He seems really nice,” Meagan said once they were outside again and headed toward the park.
“I swear he’s half saint. He and Teresa have always been there for me. They’re great when you just need someone to listen.”
He didn’t mean to say that; it just spilled out. Hopefully, she wouldn’t push and want to know more about what the sweet couple had listened to him talk about. Namely because it was her. During those awful days that followed their breakup, they’d listened and didn’t pass judgment.
Perhaps Meagan could tell, because she didn’t pursue it any further. “Where should we have the picnic?”
“I think just inside the park,” he said, thankful that she’d picked up on his unspoken desire. “Much more likely for me to behave if there are people close by and a chance we’ll be seen.”
She cut her eyes at him, probably in an effort to see if he was teasing or telling the truth. Because he didn’t want her to know just how close to the truth he’d been, he made sure his expression gave away nothing.
They had lucked out. The weather was perfect for a picnic, and though there were several couples and families who had the same idea they did, Luke was able to find a somewhat secluded spot. He handed the box and bags to Meagan and spread out the tablecloth on the ground.
She placed the items on the red-and-white-checkered fabric and then lowered herself to sit as gracefully as she could. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”
They were getting quite a few double takes from their fellow Central Park visitors. Let them look. Luke imagined every guy who walked by was wishing he was the one sitting across from Meagan. Angeleno had packed some paper plates, so Luke took one and put two slices of pizza on it before handing it to Meagan.
“Thanks.” She bit into her first piece and her eyes nearly rolled to the back of her head. “Mmm, damn. This is seriously good.”
Luke refrained from saying, I told you so. “Bet it beats what Guy had on the menu.”
“No doubt, but Robin will be upset we left early. I think you were on her menu for the evening.”
“She should go with pizza. Much more likely to happen.”
