“What do you do?” Rachel asked.
“Oh, I manage people across the state,” the man replied. He smiled, an amused-looking smile that Rachel couldn’t quite understand. “I’m Bastian, by the way.”
“Rachel,” she replied.
“What about you, Rachel? What do you do?” Bastian asked.
The way her name sounded on his tongue made her ache for him. She wanted more than just her name on his tongue. She wanted him to lick her all over. She felt herself blushing, and she was glad when the waitress appeared at that moment with Bastian’s grilled cheese sandwich and his coffee. She took the moment she was given to compose herself and when the waitress left the table, she was back under control.
“I’m a receptionist at a doctor’s office,” she said. “It’s pretty dull most days but it pays the bills. And sometimes I get to meet some interesting characters.”
“Oh, I bet you do,” Bastian smiled. “Working with the public sure throws up some strange people, right?”
He laughed and his laugh was low and sexy. Rachel laughed with him and nodded her head.
“Oh, that’s for sure,” she replied. “Are you staying somewhere nearby?”
She cursed herself inside. It sounded like she was looking for an invitation back to Bastian’s hotel. If he extended an offer, she wouldn’t be in a rush to say no, but she hadn’t meant to be quite so forward.
“Actually, I’m not sure where I’m staying yet,” Bastian said. “I wasn’t planning on spending the night, but well, I saw something that made me maybe want to stay the night.”
Rachel felt herself blushing once more as Bastian looked into her eyes, charming her with his words. There was no doubt in her mind that he was talking about her. And there was no doubt in her mind that she was up for this. Saying yes to Bastian would have been hard if he had been local and she would have run the risk of seeing him again, but knowing this could only ever be a one-night thing and that she wouldn’t have to risk getting too close, she had no reason to turn him down and she knew she wouldn’t have the willpower to say no to him, even if she had wanted to.
Bastian put down the crust of his grilled cheese and drank some of his coffee. Rachel had finished her meal and she had almost finished her glass of wine. She was debating whether or not to order another one when Bastian nodded toward her almost empty glass.
“Would you like another drink?” he asked.
“Sure, why not?” Rachel smiled.
Bastian waved the waitress down and ordered a glass of red wine for her and a scotch on the rocks for himself.
“Do you mind if I join you at your table?” Bastian asked Rachel. “It seems silly us sitting apart.”
“Please do,” Rachel smiled, her stomach flipping.
Bastian got up and sat back down opposite Rachel. She swallowed hard. The closer he got to her, the more of an effect he seemed to be having on her. She could feel her heart racing, and the bear she worked so hard to keep down was moving inside of her, intensifying her lust for Bastian.
Their drinks arrived quickly and Bastian thanked the waitress, who raised an eyebrow at him moving seats but didn’t say anything. Rachel smiled her thanks at Bastian and took a long drink of the wine. He watched her over the rim of his glass as he took a sip of his drink.
“So, Rachel, I feel like I should ask you this before I get any more invested in our little moment. Are you married? Engaged?” Bastian asked.
Rachel’s stomach rolled again. He was making it entirely clear that he was interested and she knew exactly where this would be going if she answered his question honestly.
“Nope,” she replied. “I’m happily single right now.”
“Same,” Bastian replied. “It looks like it might be our lucky night.”
“Yes, it does look that way, doesn’t it?” Rachel smiled.
Bastian smiled back at her and she knew he knew that she had just sealed the deal. Bastian was coming home with her tonight. He took another drink, his eyes never leaving Rachel’s face. His gaze on her made her feel flustered and sexy at the same time. She wanted him so badly. She could hardly wait to get him out of here and back to her place so she could feel his lips on hers, his hands on her body.
“Would you like another one?” Bastian asked her when she finished her second glass of wine.
Rachel felt brave suddenly, a combination of the two glasses of wine and Bastian’s unwavering attention.
“I would,” she said. “But I thought maybe we could have it at my place rather than here?”
“Works for me,” Bastian smiled.
He waved to the waitress and asked her for the check. When it came, Rachel reached for it, but Bastian beat her to it.
“You don’t have to…” she started.
“I know I don’t have to, but I want to,” Bastian smiled.
He returned the check to the table and put down eighty dollars. Rachel didn’t know the exact price of their meals and drinks, but from what she knew about the prices in the diner, she figured the eighty dollars included a pretty generous tip for their waitress.
“Ready to go?” he asked Rachel.
She nodded and they got up and left the diner. Rachel led Bastian toward her place.
“I’m only down the street,” she said. “Just a few minutes’ walk.”
They reached Rachel’s house and she opened the door and stepped in, motioning for Bastian to follow her. She closed the door and turned to find him watching her. She abandoned any pretense of them being here for a drink and she stepped closer to Bastian. Their eyes met and as one, they reached out for each other, their lips coming together and
