“Okay, that sounds great. I insist on splitting the check, though, since going out was my idea.”
I held the phone away from my ear as I rolled my eyes. What I really wanted to do was beat the goddamned thing against my desk.
“Like hell,” I ground out. “It’s a date, Vivian, so I’m paying. Don’t worry, I’m not broke or anything.”
“I never said–” She interrupted herself. “Wait, Vivian? Am I in trouble or something?”
Her amusement exasperated the fuck out of me.
“You’re damn close, woman. You wanna be wined and dined or not?”
She gave a low hum that sounded a lot like satisfaction. My cock stirred to life from the sound.
“By you?” she said. “I most definitely do.”
“I’ll see you Friday, Viv.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
I pulled on the collar of my shirt and grunted. This fucking thing was about to strangle me. I hadn’t worn a dress shirt since I was a kid, and this was why.
And a tie? I’d never worn one before tonight. It had taken more than an hour and four different Youtube videos to get the damn thing tied.
Stopping at Viv’s door, I took in a deep breath and let it out.
Game face, Kane. It’s only a date.
I reached up and knocked high on the deep purple steel door, avoiding the flowery wreath hanging on it.
She opened it and I swallowed hard. That smile. It made me feel something I couldn’t quite wrap my mind around. And her outfit had me shifting my hips in an effort to discreetly adjust myself. She wore a fitted black dress that skimmed over all her curves just right and bright red heels.
“Hey,” she said, stepping aside so I could walk in.
“Wow. You look . . .” Fucking hot. Sexy as hell. But I couldn’t say those things to her. “ . . . really good.”
“Thank you.”
She picked up a red fabric thing and her purse from a chair.
“Ready?” I asked.
“Yeah. Can you . . . ?” She handed me the red thing and turned around, lifting up her hair.
Oh, hell. Her neck was smooth and creamy. I fought an urge to reach out and touch it. I wanted to wrap one hand around the back of her neck, reach around her waist and just take her in. Slide my hand up into that long, dark hair and pull her back flush against my front. Let her feel how hard she’d made me.
“Uh . . . I don’t . . . what’s this?”
She looked over her shoulder at me and smiled. “It’s a wrap. Kind of like a light sweater thing. Will you wrap it around my shoulders?”
“Oh. Yeah.”
I opened the wrap and spread it out over her shoulders. My hand brushed across one of her boobs and she stiffened.
“Fuck. Sorry.”
She laughed lightly. “You’re fine. Thanks.”
When she turned to face me, I watched her fingers as she fastened a button on the wrap. Red nails, too.
Those hands would look fucking hot wrapped around my cock.
“You look really good yourself,” she said, her gaze moving up and down me.
“Uh . . . thanks.”
I opened the door and held it for her as she walked through. At least I’d gotten one thing right.
The club’s Town Car was parked in front of her brownstone. I’d been planning to open her car door, too, but Len was already standing there. He held on to the door and grinned at Viv.
She said hi to him and slid in. As soon as he closed her door, I shook my head and gave him a look.
“The fuck are you looking at her like that for?” I whispered. “It’s creepy.”
“Sorry,” he whispered back. “I’m just happy you’re going on a date. She’s beautiful.”
“Len, keep your eyes on the road and for fuck’s sake don’t let on that this is the first date I’ve ever been on.” Now my whisper was more like a hiss. Why hadn’t I covered this shit with him before we got here?
His eyes widened with surprise. “Ever? First date ever, boss?”