Business Not As Usual, page 13
“Wow, that had to be exciting.”
“She enjoyed herself. Is that something you’d want to do someday?”
Dreamy propped her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her hand as she pondered the question. “I can’t say that I’ve ever thought about traveling the world. I’m pretty simple. I wouldn’t mind maybe checking out Hawaii or even New York. Then again, maybe not the Big Apple. Wouldn’t want to risk running into my mother. You probably figured from what I said back at the community center, but she and I don’t have the best relationship. We might talk on occasion, but usually, five minutes into the conversation, and I’m ready to throw the phone across the room. She doesn’t know me . . . I mean really know me. Yet, she has an opinion about how I choose to live my life. I’m sure my irritation with her centers around how she left me behind, and I can’t seem to let it go. I know I shouldn’t hold a grudge, but—”
Karter reached for her hand and squeezed it. “You don’t have to explain it to me. I understand. I’m not as close to my parents as I could be, even though I see them regularly. Growing up, my father was on location a lot for his movies.”
“Did you guys travel with him?”
“Occasionally, when we were little.”
“Despite not seeing him all the time, it had to be amazing growing up with a famous father.”
“It had its moments.”
“Is your mother an actress too?”
“No. She’s more of a professional socialite,” he cracked. “She’s . . . special.”
He smiled when he said it, but there was an edge to his tone, Dreamy noticed. Maybe she was a piece of work like her mother, Tarrah.
“Well, your family sounds great,” she said.
“Yeah, you know how family is. Gotta love ’em. Who knows, maybe you’ll get to meet them someday.”
Dreamy hadn’t gone into the evening expecting another date would come out of it, but she wasn’t totally opposed to it either. But meeting his family? Now that was something she couldn’t imagine . . . yet.
The server, Candace, seemed to materialize out of nowhere the moment Dreamy finished eating. “How was your dinner?” she asked with a smile.
“Amazing. My compliments to the chef.”
“I’ll be sure to pass that along. May I take this for you?” she asked, pointing at Dreamy’s empty plate.
“Yes, please.”
Once the server cleared the table, she returned with the dessert menus. Dreamy scanned it, thinking she didn’t have room for another bite of food. That was until she saw the list of choices.
“Oh, my goodness. You guys have Vesuvius cake?”
“Yes, and I can attest that it’s the best that you’ll ever have. Would you like a slice?”
Dreamy glanced across the table at Karter, who was looking at her instead of the menu. “Wanna share a slice?” she asked.
“I’m not much of a sweet eater, but for you? Sure, even though I have no idea what a Vesuvius cake is.”
“Bring us a slice while I school him on the best cake that’s ever been created,” Dreamy said, handing Candace the dessert menu before she left the table. “So I was first introduced to the cake during my breakup party.”
“A breakup party? Now that’s something I haven’t heard of before. What all’s involved? Music? Dancing?”
“More like cake, tubs of ice scream, name-calling, and tears. Lots of tears,” Dreamy said, remembering how devastated she’d been. “Jordyn called it a kiss my ass, Brandon breakup party. I think it was a first for both of us.” Dreamy laughed, recalling how supportive Jordyn had been. “My cousin walks to her own beat and is very outspoken. I had to practically hold her down to keep her from hunting my ex.”
“She sounds like the type of person we all should have in our corner.”
“Yeah, she’s the best, but don’t get me wrong, she can be a pain in the you-know-what too. But that night, Jordyn knew just what to say and do. As for the cake, it’s a decadent dessert that’s like a chocolate explosion in your mouth.”
Karter gave a mock shiver. “Sounds intense.”
Dreamy laughed at his horrified expression. “It is, but don’t worry. I won’t force you to eat a lot of it. You just have to try a bite or two. Then you’ll understand why it’s the perfect cure for being dumped.”
“I don’t know what type of idiot would let you go, but he must have been a fool,” Karter said with an edge to his tone. “If you were mine . . .” He reached for her hand, but his jacket sleeve made contact with the candle in the middle of the table.
Dreamy let out a little scream and jumped back when his sleeve went up in flames. “Karter!” She gasped and threw what was left in her water glass at him, totally missing his jacket sleeve.
He sputtered and let out a string of curses when the water hit his face, but he still managed to quickly put out the small fire. The waitstaff rushed to the table to offer assistance.
“Are you okay? Did it burn your skin?” Candace asked in a rush, while a waiter swiped the candle from the table, leaving the space even darker than it had been.
“No, no, I’m fine. Apparently, just . . . clumsy or maybe accident prone.” Karter shook his head and grunted as he inspected the wrist of his singed jacket.
“Okay, if you’re sure you’re all right,” Candace started, not looking convinced, “I’ll bring your dessert shortly.”
She hurried away, and Karter glanced at Dreamy, who still had her hand over her mouth.
“How do you feel about us taking the cake to go?” he asked. “I’m afraid if I stick around much longer, I might accidentally burn the place down.”
Dreamy burst out laughing, not even embarrassed that she was drawing attention again. This was a first date that she would remember for the rest of her life.
“I think that’s a good idea,” she said, still giggling. “Let’s make a run for it.”
Chapter Sixteen
“Thanks for coming out here with me,” Karter said as he and Dreamy stared out over the Pacific Ocean.
“It’s beautiful out here. I can see why you love this spot,” Dreamy said, snuggling back against him. He had his hands on the railing on either side of her, cocooning her against him. Even with other people moving around them and hanging out at the nearby amusement park on the pier, it still seemed as if it were just him and Dreamy out there.
When she asked him about his favorite place, it reminded him that he hadn’t been to the Santa Monica Pier in a long time. Karter hadn’t even realized just how long it had been, at least not until tonight, and what a beautiful night it was. Stars twinkled in the distance while moonlight glinted off the water and a light breeze cooled his skin. It was a perfect moment to just be.
Karter couldn’t stop thinking about their time at the restaurant. He had wanted to run out of there and pretend that they hadn’t made complete fools of themselves. Actually, that title went to him alone. What the hell had been wrong with him tonight? Sure, he’d been looking forward to taking Dreamy out and hoped to show her a good time, but his brain short-circuited the moment she opened the door to her house. That sexy-ass dress had completely floored him.
Stunning didn’t begin to describe how incredible she looked tonight. From day one, he thought she was a beauty, but tonight? Dreamy was on a whole different level, and could rival any model that he’d ever dated. Confident. Poised. Witty. She had it going on, and his concerns from a week ago completely vanished. He no longer cared that they came from two different worlds. All that mattered in this moment was that he had every intention of spending more time with her. Assuming he hadn’t completely blown his shot.
Still feeling the anxiety that had been ever present during dinner, he inhaled a cleansing breath and released it slowly. It felt good to finally breathe. For the last hour and a half, he’d been wound tighter than a pair of alligator shoes that were three sizes too small. It hadn’t been until after the flying food fiasco that he started to relax.
Karter cringed just thinking about the mess he had caused. Food flying, glass breaking . . . the only thing that saved him from cutting their dinner short and getting the hell out of there was Dreamy. Her humor and easygoing persona were like a breath of fresh air. Now, had that been Angelica sitting on the other side of the table from him, she would’ve run out of the place screaming like a banshee. But not Dreamy. The woman was definitely one of a kind.
He bent slightly, his mouth close to her ear. “Listen, I’m sorry about what happened at the restaurant. I wanted this night to be perfect for you, and I hate that I blew it. I . . . I can honestly say that—all of that—was a first for me.”
She turned in his arms, and a smile spread across her lips. “I think it’s sweet that you were nervous. And I can honestly say I have never had that effect on a man before.”
Karter slowly brushed the back of his hand down her soft cheek. “I find that hard to believe.”
“Believe it.”
“I hope you’ll let me make tonight up to you?” Considering how bad the early part of their evening had gone, he shouldn’t be asking for another chance to possibly make a fool of himself all over again.
“Hmm . . . what did you have in mind?” she asked saucily, a wicked gleam in her dark eyes.
His immediate thought was to invite her to his penthouse to make mad passionate love. Too bad suggesting that would probably get him slapped, or maybe kicked in his private parts.
Instead, he said, “Dinner . . . but not at that restaurant.” There was no way he’d ever return after the chaos he had caused.
“I have a better idea,” Dreamy countered. “How about I plan our next date? Or better yet, I’ll cook for you.”
Karter arched a brow. “So this means you’re giving me another shot? You want to see me again?”
Her gentle laugh traveled on the night air. “Of course, silly, but only if I plan the date. Fancy places like that restaurant give me the heebie-jeebies. Before we arrived, all I kept thinking was that I was going to make a fool of myself. I was afraid I’d forget and lick my fingers, spill wine all over my dress, or throw up from nervousness.”
“Well, I definitely couldn’t tell you were nervous at all tonight. Then again, I was busy causing so much damage at the restaurant I wouldn’t have noticed.”
“Okay, true, but I’m talking about before you picked me up. I almost canceled on you.”
Karter leaned back. “Really? Why?”
“Because you’re . . . you. Karter, I’m so far out of my element when I’m around you. I’m still trying to pull my life together, but you? You’ve already been where I’m trying to go. Literally and figuratively.”
Karter used to think he had his life all figured out, but lately, he didn’t feel like it. What came next? A wife? Kids? More property? He didn’t know. At the moment, he wasn’t sure of anything. No. That wasn’t true. He was sure that he wanted to kiss this beautiful woman who had finally agreed to have dinner with him.
“I don’t need to be wined or dined at the most expensive restaurants,” Dreamy continued. “Nor do I have to drive around in the shiniest or fastest cars. Give me a fat, juicy hamburger, a spectacular glass of grape Kool-Aid, and a car that goes faster than thirty miles an hour without overheating, and I’m good.”
“Great. Now you tell me,” Karter cracked, and he reveled in her laughter until he thought about what she’d just said. “Wait. Your car only goes thirty miles an hour?”
“Oh, please. If I can get it to go that fast without clunking out on me, it’s a good day. A very good day.”
Revelations like that reminded him just how different their lives were. Karter had picked her up in his Maserati, never thinking about the struggles she might have with her car that he’d seen the other day at the community center. It was old, but he’d assumed it ran perfectly fine. He prided himself on being in tune with those who weren’t as fortunate as him, but other times, he was so far removed from their realities.
As Dreamy rambled on about cars in general, Karter’s gaze drifted to her red lips, and all he wanted to do in that moment was smudge her lipstick with a kiss. He wanted to taste her. It was something he’d been thinking about each time he looked at her across the table. Which was probably why he’d been so distracted.
As if reading his mind, Dreamy lifted her hand and cupped his cheek. After that, Karter wasn’t sure who moved in first. All he knew was that one minute they were staring into each other’s eyes. The next, his mouth covered hers. Nothing else mattered. Her lips were as soft as he imagined them to be.
He slipped a hand behind her neck, his fingers sifting through her long hair as he pulled her closer. This was one time he was glad she hadn’t worn a wig. Less chance of causing more chaos, like getting his fingers tangled in it and sending it flying around the pier.
Dreamy’s arms went around his waist, and Karter took his time savoring her sweetness. As their tongues tangled and they passionately explored the inner recesses of each other’s mouths, Dreamy moved closer. Her lush body molded into his, and all rational thought flew from his mind as his body tightened with need.
He’d kissed his share of women, but kissing Dreamy felt different. It felt right. It felt like . . . home. Their lip-lock was explosive, and Karter knew one kiss was never going to be enough. He wanted to explore every inch of this woman’s body.
Slow down, man, the irritating voice of reason blared through his mind. He was pretty sure it wouldn’t be the only time tonight that he heard it, and this was one time he should probably listen.
He couldn’t. Instead, he cradled the back of her head and increased the pressure of his mouth over hers. As he devoured her, a rush of need plowed through his body, and a moan, similar to the one she had released in the meeting the other day, pierced the air.
Before now, he had never been into public displays of affection, but that was before he met the vibrant woman in his arms. And their soul-stirring kiss was getting more heated by the minute. If he didn’t slow things down, he might be tempted to explore other parts of her body.
Karter reluctantly lifted his head and gazed into Dreamy’s lust-filled eyes and knew they would share another kiss before the night was over.
“Wow, you’re a good kisser,” she breathed, and a small smile spread across her mouth. “I can honestly say this is the best first date I’ve ever had.”
“I’m glad to hear that, and it’s not even over yet.”
Outside of planning dinner, Karter hadn’t thought much past that, but he wasn’t ready to take her home yet.
“How are you in those shoes? Are you up for walking back to the car?” It was becoming clear that she loved high heels, and apparently had a nice collection of shoes. So far he hadn’t seen her in the same pair twice. “The shoes you have on are very sexy, but they don’t look all that comfortable.”
Dreamy glanced down and turned her foot to the side. “These are more like sitting shoes than walking shoes. But I should be able to trudge back to where you parked the car. Besides, what would be the alternative? You gon’ carry me or something?”
“I would if you needed me to. Or I’d call an Uber to pick us up and take us to the car.”
Dreamy tsked. “Now that would be a waste of money. I think I can handle a few blocks. Worst-case scenario, I can always slip them off and walk barefoot.”
“I’ll carry you before I let you do that. Let’s get going before your sitting shoes give out on you.”
A short while later, Karter helped Dreamy into the car and closed the door. He strolled around the back of his vehicle, trying to come up with someplace else they could go.
Just another sign that I need to get out more.
Ten minutes into their drive, he was still tossing ideas around. He considered taking her for a ride up the 101. That was something he hadn’t done in years.
“Are you in a hurry to get home?” he asked.
“Nope. What did you have in mind?” Dreamy turned in her seat to face him, and a loud rip filled the quietness of the car.
She gasped, then shrieked. “Oh, no! My dress! Jordyn’s going to kill me!”
“What?” Karter asked. He split his attention between her and the road, confused and concerned by her screaming. Each time she moved, there was more tearing. “Dreamy, calm down.”
“Calm down?” she yelled, her eyes shooting daggers at him. “I can’t calm down. My life as I know it is about to be over! You don’t understand. Jordyn is going to kill me, and she doesn’t make idle threats!”
Still not understanding, Karter glanced around for someplace safe to pull over. Bumper-to-bumper traffic on Santa Monica Boulevard was making that difficult, but moments later, he turned into a gas station and found a park. Shutting off the car, he faced Dreamy, surprised to see that her eyes were shimmering. Whatever was going on was serious.
“What happened?”
“My dress . . . no, Jordyn’s dress. It must’ve gotten caught in the door.” She fumbled around with the seat belt and finally unbuckled it before shoving open the door. “Oh, no, no, no. This is bad. This is really, really bad. Worse than I thought,” she screeched. The pitch of her voice rose with each word.
Karter couldn’t see the damage from where he sat but was glad he managed to park near an overhead light that was attached to the side of the building. When he climbed out of the vehicle and rushed to the other side of the car, his brain froze.
Legs. That’s all he saw at first, and not just any legs but one in particular. His gaze raked over her hip, where a black string was showing from what he could only assume was a thong. His eyes kept moving along a beautifully toned thigh on down to a long, shapely leg, which was on full display. Add that to the sexiest red shoe he’d ever seen, and you had a sight that stole his breath.
