325 First Fights Read online

  My phone lit up with a message. “Sara said she can do it.”

  “Awesome. I’m gonna get some liquor in you and see what happens.”

  “You’re gonna get between my legs whether I’m sober or drunk.”

  He smiled. “Good to know.”

  8

  Blade

  Little Napoli was impossible to get into without a reservation, but since I knew the owner, he managed to squeeze me into a table. I was there first, making sure I was early so I would make a good impression when she walked in. Besides, she’d probably look cute as hell, and I wanted the best seat in the house.

  She finally walked inside at seven on the dot and scanned the sea of tables in a long-sleeve royal blue dress with a subtle print of black spots along the fabric. She wore leggings underneath and a pair of shiny black flats. Anytime I saw her clothing, she looked distinctly different from everyone but undeniably classy.

  And not to mention, sexy.

  I shook it off then stood up, making sure I didn’t gawk at her like an idiot this time. I got the woman on a date, so the hard work was done. Now I had to be cool and laid-back, making her laugh and showing her a good time. I’d never been nervous with a woman before, but this chick gave me serious chills.

  She spotted me when I stood, probably because I was six three and impossible to miss. She smiled, bright red lipstick on her mouth that contrasted against her fair skin. Her dark hair was in a curtain of soft curls, and she wore the same diamond earrings I’d seen her in before.

  When we were close together, my hand moved around her waist, and I gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. A hug might have been more appropriate, but I didn’t think twice about it. This was a date, and it wasn’t like I kissed her on the mouth right away.

  She didn’t react to the touch, so I assumed it was okay. If she really was French, the greeting should have been customary to her. She sat across from me, and I followed suit.

  Now that I had the date, I wasn’t sure what to do while I was on it. There was something about this woman that made my stomach tie up in knots. I wasn’t intimidated by her, just fascinated. I was immensely attracted to her, but I also adored her personality—at least what I’d seen of it. “I was going to order a bottle of wine for the table. What do you like? White or red?”

  “Both.”

  “What a coincidence. I do too. How about a Bordeaux?”

  “Looks like we have the same taste in wine.”

  Perfect. I ordered with the waitress then turned my attention back to my date. She was the most beautiful woman in the room, which was saying something because there were a lot of pretty girls around. A few men stared, and if she were my girl, I wouldn’t let them stare for long. Showing her signs of my jealousy wasn’t a great first impression, so I dismissed it for now.

  “I’m glad we got a table,” she said. “I rarely come here because I always forget to make reservations.”

  I almost mentioned I knew the owner, but I thought that would make it seem like I was bragging, so I didn’t say anything. “Looks like we got lucky. I’m a big fan of the lasagna. That’s probably what I’ll get.”

  “Good choice. I usually get the spaghetti and meatballs. I’m pretty simple.”

  “Simple but with good taste.”

  The waitress returned with our bottle and poured the wine. Celeste swirled it before she smelled it and took a drink. “That’s good.”

  I did the same and savored the bold flavor on my tongue. “I like it.”

  She took another drink before she set her glass on the table.

  I didn’t want to ask her anything too serious. That made first dates feel like an interrogation. “So, did you make that slab pie yourself?”

  She smiled. “The one you bought this morning?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Not personally. But we make it in-house.”

  “It was amazing. But I wish I hadn’t tried it because now I want to eat it every day.”

  “You only live once, right? Eat pie every day. Who cares?”

  She was definitely my kind of woman. “I think Gandhi said something like that.”

  “Yeah,” she said with a laugh. “He was a big pie eater.”

  I chuckled, feeling a little more relaxed now that the date was going well. “How long have you been working there?”

  “I opened the coffee shop three years ago. I usually come around in the summer and fall to keep an eye on things. Besides, France and all of Europe is overrun by tourists then, so it’s nice to get away.”

  She owned the place? “That’s awesome. Do you use French recipes for everything?”

  “Yep. My nana taught me about baking and her love of coffee. It’s been ingrained in my blood. I was here over the summer for college one year, and I decided to open a place of my own. It’s been doing well for years now.”

  “That’s really cool. I own a few restaurants too.”

  “You do?” Her eyes lit up in excitement. “Which ones?”

  “Amelia’s Place—”

  “Oh my god, I love that place. Best pancakes ever.”

  “Thanks,” I said with a smile. “I try not to eat there too often because it makes me fat.”

  “What other places?”

  “Hippopotamus Café.”

  “I love that place too.”

  “And Olives. It’s a Mediterranean place—”

  “I know what you’re talking about. That place is awesome too. How do you manage so many places?”

  “Well, I work with a group of friends. We own everything together. It can be chaotic, but at the same time, it would be impossible to handle all of that on my own. Plus, it’s a lot of fun to do as a group. Makes us spend a lot of time together.”

  “That’s so cool.” Her slender fingers were wrapped around the stem of her wineglass, and there was already a lipstick mark from where her mouth had been. “Really impressive. Good for you.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Looks like we have a lot in common.”

  “I guess so. But I’m not French, unfortunately. I grew up in Monterey.”

  “I love Monterey, especially the aquarium.”

  “What part of France are you from?”

  “Paris,” she answered. “One of the most beautiful cities in the world. Carmel reminds me a lot of home, actually. I think that’s why I like it so much.”

  “So you’re only here for the season, and then you go back?”

  “Yeah.”

  I hardly knew this woman, and I was already disappointed that she was leaving. There was still a few months of autumn left, but that would pass in the blink of an eye. We hadn’t even ordered our food yet, and I was thinking months into the future.

  What was wrong with me?

  I finally forced myself to say something. “That’s cool. Do you have any friends or family here?”

  “Just people that I’ve met here. In France, everything is so busy because tourists come from all over the world. The streets are crowded and restaurants are overrun. It’s very hectic. A lot of Europeans travel elsewhere for the holidays because it’s so saturated. It’s pretty normal.”

  I didn’t let the sadness sink into my gut. All I could have with Celeste was a few months of good sex and nice conversation until she returned the following summer. Normally, I would be ecstatic at the thought of a no-strings-attached relationship, but now I was just bummed out. There was something special about her. I knew it the first time I laid eyes on her. “It gets crowded here in the summer too, but not to that extent.”

  “Because it’s a small town,” she said. “Not enough parking for hundreds of thousands of people, thankfully.”

  I was grateful the waitress returned to take our orders, giving me a second to process what I’d just learned about Celeste. This relationship had a deadline, so it could never really be a relationship, just a fling.

  Whatever. I’d take what I could get.

  The waitress left, leaving us to our quiet table with a singl
e white candle burning on the surface. Celeste swirled her wine before she took another drink, innately sexy with the slightest movements. Sometimes a strand of hair fell to her cheek, and I wanted to pull it away with my fingers.

  “Have you ever traveled to France?” she asked.

  “Actually, no. I’ve never been to Europe at all.”

  “You should take a trip sometime. If I’m around, I’m happy to give you a tour.”

  I smiled. “Maybe someday. I’m always so busy with work I rarely travel anywhere, as sad as that is.”

  “Well, you have the rest of your life. Don’t worry about it too much.”

  It was easy not to have a conversation when I was entertained just looking at her. She had a natural light in her eyes that reminded me of a heavenly glow. It was probably just the candle reflecting in her eyes, but it seemed like a lot more to me.

  I found it brave that a beautiful woman could travel to another country alone for months at a time and run a business. The cities along the coast were perfectly safe, but it was still dangerous. I respected her for that and knew I wasn’t dealing with the average woman. It was already obvious she was extraordinary. I didn’t start my businesses on my own. I needed help because it was very complicated. She must be a natural.

  We sat at the table in silence for a few minutes, and I knew I needed to say something and take control of the conversation. I was normally a lot better at this sort of thing, but she was a whole different kind of woman. She had killer looks, killer style, and killer intelligence. “Does your family live in Paris?”

  “My father and my stepmother do. My brother is in Italy right now, working on graphic design for a wine company. He’s a few years older than I am.”

  She didn’t mention her mother, so I didn’t ask.

  “My father and I aren’t very close. We just happen to live in the same city, and never see each other. But I see my brother all the time. We’re really close.”

  “Has he ever visited you in Carmel before?”

  “No, but he’s thinking about it. I’ve been pressuring him to do it for a while. Hopefully, he comes around.”

  “What do you do you in France? Do you own another business there?”

  “Yeah, I have a café in Paris. It’s similar to the one here, but much smaller. It’s not a big tourist location, so it’s mostly locals, which I like. I have a lot of regulars who enjoy their coffee in the morning while they read their newspaper. It’s nice getting to know people and having a sense of community even though you have nothing in common except for the love of a beautiful morning.”

  “That’s cool. You have someone oversee it while you’re gone?”

  “Yeah, I have a manager. All of the regulars disappear when the tourists arrive, so it doesn’t feel the same. No matter how many tourists there are here, the locals always stay put, I’ve noticed.”

  Her life was fascinating to me. “Anything else back at home?” I wondered if she had a boyfriend, but I doubted she would be on a date with me right now if she did.

  “I have a lot of friends in the city. That’s usually who I spend time with. Of course, they go visit family in other places on the holidays.”

  “If everyone leaves France every summer, how do businesses stay open?” I asked with a laugh.

  “They don’t,” she said seriously. “Lots of executive places close down. Or employees work remotely.”

  “Wow. I can’t even imagine what that would be like here.” Everyone was always moving at the speed of light here and barely took the time to take a breath.

  “Do you have family nearby?”

  “My parents are in Monterey. My brother is too.”

  “That’s nice. So they’re just down the street.”

  “Unfortunately,” I said with a chuckle. “My mom still calls me almost every day like I live in a different country. When I moved to Carmel, she cried.” I rolled my eyes because it was ridiculous. We were less than ten minutes apart.

  A distinct sadness came into Celeste’s eyes that she couldn’t hide. The candle didn’t reflect in her gaze anymore. Like a draft had come into the restaurant, it was extinguished.

  Did I say the wrong thing? “I’m sorry. Did I offend you?”

  “No, of course not.” She brushed it off and drank her wine. “My mom and I used to be really close. She used to call me all the time and drive me nuts. But the second she stopped calling me…I missed it.”

  Now I felt like an ass, not appreciating what I had. “Did she pass away?”

  “A few years ago. My dad remarried overnight. It was the summer I came to Carmel and opened my café. I just needed a break from everything, so I got on a plane and took off.”

  Even though I barely knew her, I was genuinely sad for her. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “It’s okay,” she said. “It’s been a few years now. But when you lose a parent, you never really get over it.”

  And I had two of them who still loved each other as much as the day they got married. I felt like an idiot for complaining about my mother’s clinginess. I loved her to death, of course. She just suffocated me sometimes, but at least she was there.

  I’d have to watch what I said for the rest of the night if I wanted this to end well. I didn’t care about hooking up with her when dinner was over. All I wanted was a second date.

  And hopefully a third.

  We got ice cream on Ocean Street and walked along the white lights as we licked our cones. The mood picked up noticeably once we had food in our bellies, and we didn’t mention her family again.

  She got French vanilla and I got chocolate, polar opposites. But she looked cute when she ate, swiping her tongue across the cold ice cream before pulling the goodness into her mouth. Since I was a dude, I couldn’t stop picturing her tongue moving across the head of my dick in the exact same way.

  Don’t judge me; I’m a guy. That’s the kind of stuff we think about.

  We walked along, passing a few couples who were out to dinner together and standing outside restaurants waiting for their tables. It was a warm night, and a breeze was nonexistent. I would have asked if she wanted to walk along the beach, but it was too dark for that.

  We passed Olives, seeing the packed restaurant and the workers bustling around.

  “Hey, that’s your place.” She looked through the window as she continued licking her ice cream cone.

  “Yep. And I’m glad I’m not inside.”

  She chuckled. “Looks like it’s packed.”

  “Which is great for me.” I finished my cone and tossed the waxed paper into the garbage.

  She finished hers a few moments later and threw her napkin into the trash. “That was good. I haven’t had ice cream in a long time.”

  “Because you’re eating pie all the time,” I teased.

  “Guilty,” she said with a chuckle.

  We reached the next corner and were running out of places to go. I wasn’t going to be forward and invite her over to my place. She seemed to be having a good time with me, but I was going to blow it by making a reckless assumption. “I had a great time tonight. Thanks for having dinner with me.”

  “I had a great time too.” She faced me, her clutch tucked under her arm. She was over a foot shorter than me, and that added to her distinct cuteness. I liked short women. Something about their petiteness revved my engine.

  My natural instinct was to slide my hand into her hair and kiss her right here on the corner. If people passed on the sidewalk, so be it. I wanted to circle my other arm around her waist and pull her into my chest, feeling the soft skin she was bound to have. I wanted this woman to take my breath away, to leave me hot and bothered so I would think about her for the rest of the night.

  But I didn’t do that. She hadn’t given me a clear sign that she wanted to be kissed, and I didn’t want to cross a line if one had been drawn. “I hope we can go out again.”

  “Me too.”

  Yes. “I’ll see you soon, then.” I purposely kept it c
ool, not wanting to be too forward with her. Women as beautiful as her got more attention than they wanted, and the last thing I wanted to do was suffocate her. I’d stop by her café sometime during the week and ask her out, but I’d definitely wait a little while. She was only in the city for a few more months, but I couldn’t rush it. “Good night.”

  “Good night.” She continued to stand in place, like she had more to say.

  I leaned in and gave her a hug, feeling the warmth move directly into my cock. I couldn’t touch her without getting hard, so I quickly pulled away before she could feel my length through my jeans. The embrace ended a lot sooner than I wanted it to, but it was necessary. I turned away and walked the opposite direction.

  “Blade?”

  I turned around, hoping she couldn’t see my hard-on in the front of my jeans. “What’s up?”

  She closed the gap between us then circled her arms around my neck. She rose on her tiptoes and kissed me, her luscious body pressed right against mine.

  Now I didn’t give a damn what she felt.

  I gripped her hips and pulled her into me, deepening the kiss and feeling her just the way I imagined. My mouth caressed hers, and I even gave her my tongue, escalating the kiss to R-rated even though we were in public.

  She breathed into my mouth, her desire matching mine. Her tits felt perfect against my chest, and I wanted to squeeze them both in my large hands. She relied on my stance to support herself since she was still on the tips of her toes.

  I wanted her to feel me, to know how much I wanted her. And I wanted her to know I could rock her world if she let me.

  The kiss went on longer than it should, and it was a stroke of luck that no one was nearby. She was the first one to pull away, licking her lips as she moved back. A haze was in her eyes, just like I knew she’d see in mine. “I’m sorry…I just wanted a kiss. Didn’t know it would turn into that.”

  “I did.” I pressed my forehead to hers, my hands still on her hips. I felt a surge of attraction the second I laid eyes on her. It was no surprise our chemistry was combustible.

  “I should go,” she whispered. “Before I do anything else.”