The Winemaker's Dinner: Entrée (28 page)

Two pairs of unpleasant eyebrows aimed in his direction.

“Oh r
eeeeallly?”
Jaden asked.

“Actually we were talking about a lovely dinner tonight at your old stomping ground,” Micky said.

She smiled and greeted him with a big hug. “You’re such a gentleman, Micky.” She winked at Ivan over his shoulder. “You should take notes.”

“I’ll give you notes…” he teased.

“Stop it! I’m busy being indignant.”

“All right, let’s get this show on the road.” Micky exclaimed.

They hopped into the SUV and headed back across the causeway to Miami Beach. In no time, Ivan’s building rose up in front of them, and Micky pulled to a stop out front.

“Ah, home sweet home. Ready for that back rub?” Ivan asked, wiggling his eyebrows at Jaden.

“Why, yes, I am! My shoulders are killing me.”

“Very funny.” He pulled their luggage out of the back with Micky’s help. “So we’ll catch you guys tonight, right?”

“Oh yeah! You’re buying, right?” Micky teased.

“For sure. It’s the least I can do for the most accommodating car service in Miami Beach.” Ivan shut the car door and snagged the luggage from the sidewalk as the SUV drove away.

A bag slung over her shoulder, Jaden followed him through the lobby, past the doorman, who called out a pleasant hello, and down the hallway to the elevator bank. They entered the elevator and Ivan pressed twelve. He turned to find a huge grin on Jaden’s face.

“What are you giggle-pussin’ about?”

“Tasha. She has no clue. She’s going to be so happy. I’m excited for her.”

“Me too. Micky seems good. Excited, but not too anxious.”

“As long as he’s confident, he’ll be fine,” she said.

Ping!
The doors opened, and she continued to smile as she backed out of the elevator.

Ivan dropped the bags in front of his door and fished his keys out of his pocket.

After a moment Jaden stepped across the threshold and took a deep breath.

“Air conditioning ASAP!” he called from behind her.

“Okay, okay! Hold your horses.” She trotted to the thermostat. “What is this? Good Lord.”

“That’s Bob the bear,” he explained, chuckling. “I sleep with him every night. You have BoBo, and I have Bob.”

“BoBo is a twelve-inch stuffed animal. This is a full-fledged, six-foot bearskin rug.”

“Yeah, but he’s good company, and he reminds me of you.”

“Are you saying I’m hairy?”

“No, baby girl. You’re soft and something I love lying on top of.”

“Oh, slick willy, huh?”

“Isn’t it every woman’s dream to make love on a bearskin rug?” he asked with an impish grin.

“Uh, no,” she said. “It’s every
man’s
dream.”

“Hmmm, you may be right about that.” He stepped behind her and wound his arms around her waist, kissing her neck as she looked out his window across the water at Miami. Between kisses, he yawned.

She ran her hands over his forearms. “You really didn’t sleep last night?”

His kisses stopped. “No.”

“Why not?”

“Just had a few remaining details for tomorrow night. I promised Micky I’d help.”

“Poor baby,” she said. “Lay down, and I’ll give you that massa—”

Before she could finish, he’d shucked his pants and shirt and dove face down on Bob.

“Okay, that was fast.”

He waved his hands impatiently.

Jaden laughed and moved to straddle him. The warmth and weight of her thighs caused him to moan in pleasure.

As she worked every muscle in his back, Ivan felt himself slipping away. Gorgeous woman nearby or no, within minutes it had all faded to black.

“Higher”

T
HE
S
MELL
O
F
S
EARING
C
HICKEN
drenched in soy sauce tickled Ivan’s innermost hunger center and enticed him out of sleep. He rolled out of bed and, as if he were a cartoon character, floated toward the source of such a delectable smell.

When he turned the corner, his appetite for food was replaced with an appetite for sex. Jaden stood in the kitchen wearing the Mario Lemieux jersey she’d worn the first time she spent the night—and seemingly nothing else. Her rhythmic movements were almost sexual as she danced around the kitchen. As she reached for things and turned the chicken, the curves of her ass were blatantly visible, and just perfect.

“Fuck me, you look gorgeous,” he said, his voice thick with sleep.

She smiled. “Thank you, baby. Are you hungry?”

“Yes…”

“Hmmm…For food?”

He smiled at her, rubbed his eye with his fist, and shook his head.

“Hold up there, Tiger. You need to eat. This is just a snack because we’re late already. We have to be there in twenty-five minutes.” ‘

“You’re kidding me. Because you look too good not to fool around with.”

“There will be more chances,” she said with a wink as she flashed him a shot of her shaved pussy.

“Dammit! Now I’m hard!” He nearly ran into the wall as he retreated to the shower.

“My bad!” she called.

Once in the shower, he flew through a soap and a scrub. He couldn’t quite shake the thought of Jaden in his favorite jersey, so his dick remained hard, proving to be quite the inconvenience. He laughed at the spectacle of it all: running around the bathroom with a hard-on, shaving, doing his hair, trying to put his suit on.

“You okay?” Jaden asked, appearing at the bathroom door. She now wore a dress instead of his jersey.

“Don’t you start with me, young lady! You’re the reason for this,” he grumbled, motioning at the bulge tucked away in his dress pants.

“Hmmm…” was all she said as she ducked out. He could hear her laugh as she returned to his bedroom.

A short time later they’d finished getting ready, munched their snack, and rushed out the door. Downstairs they hopped into a waiting taxi and sped off to meet their friends at Bianca.

Ivan could sense the excitement and anxiety swirling around Jaden. This was the first time she’d been back to the restaurant since she left. The taxi pulled up near the massive shrubs outside, and a doorman opened the door for them. Jaden stepped out and looked all around. “Still looks the same,” she noted. Once they entered, however, she seemed to notice something new. “New hostess.” She snickered. The snooty French maître d had been replaced with a young blonde in pressed white clothing.

“May I help you?”

“Rusilko for four.”

“Ah, yes. The other two guests have already been seated at your table.”

As they followed her to the table, Ivan watched Jaden’s eyes dart around the room. He squeezed her hand and smiled. She quickly returned the gesture.

Tasha and Micky glowered at them as they sat. “Jeez, how late are we?” Jaden asked as the hostess disappeared. “It isn’t what you think. He overslept and—”

“Ahh, don’t worry. We had a few drinks. Ivan’s paying so it’s not a problem.” Tasha burst into a smile.

“Yes, drink up! Let’s have some fun!” Ivan enthused.

Everyone picked up a menu, and Ivan pretended to study it while sneaking glances to see what Jaden’s reaction would be.

“Well, I’m getting the tuna,” she announced. “I’m curious to see how they make it now.”

“Excellent choice.” He leaned over to give her a quick kiss.

A dark haired girl approached and asked to take their drink order.

“Excuse me, does Susan still work here? Or Bert?” Jaden asked as they requested a bottle of wine.

“Actually no. Susan moved, and Bert got a job as a chef in downtown Miami.”

Jaden smiled. “How fantastic for him. And Geoff?”

“He’s in the back. Would you like me to get him?”

“Could you just let him know Jaden is here and would love to say hi?”

“Will do,” she replied. “And I’ll also get you that wine.”

Making up for lost time, the couples laughed, shared stories, and drank. As the main courses arrived, Jaden made sure to study each one and mentally critique it before she allowed anyone to eat. “Okay,” she finally announced. “Proceed. But I may need a bite.”

Ivan watched as she tasted her tuna and let it sit on her tongue. “Well, what are your thoughts? Satisfactory?”

“It’s very good. They did a great job.”

He breathed a sigh of relief, and the evening continued. As their dinner wound down, he noticed a man approaching their table from behind Jaden.

Catching Ivan’s eye, he winked and tapped her on the shoulder. “Can I interest you in some desserts?”

She shot up and gave him a huge hug and kiss on the cheek.

“How are you, darling? I’m so happy I get to follow your progress each week on TV!”

“I’m doing great. And you look amazing, Geoff! How is everything?”

“Very good. When I heard you were coming, I couldn’t help myself.” He motioned to the kitchen door, which now opened to display a chocolate soufflé with fiery sparkles dancing around it. “Thank you so much for always being you, Jaden.” He hugged her again.

“Geoff, thank you. This is so special.”

With a smile, he turned his attention to Ivan. “Thank you for bringing this little lady back home—even if it’s only for tonight.”

“It’s my pleasure. How are you feeling?”

“Like I’m twenty again. Thank you so much!” He extended his hand for a shake.

“Wait,” said Jaden. “You’re a patient?”

“A very happy one,” Geoff said with a smile. “Your boyfriend does wonders. I haven’t felt this good in years.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“That, my lady, is illegal,” Ivan noted.

“Well, it was so nice seeing you, but duty calls so I must get back to work.” Geoff smiled. “I’m taking care of the check. The tip’s on you.”

“Thank you,” Ivan and Jaden said together as Micky’s mouth fell open.

Once Geoff had gone, Ivan smiled back at Micky and winked. “Don’t worry. I got it.”

“You slick son of a bitch!” Micky said. “You can swim in shit and come out smelling like a rose, can’t you?”

He just shrugged.

Jaden hugged him. “Next time you play doctor, it had better be with me,” she whispered before turning back to the soufflé.

He gave her a look to let her know he was filing that one away for later.

After topping off their five-star meal with chocolate soufflé and too much wine, eyes all around the table grew heavy and the inevitable time to call it a night swept over them. Ivan pushed away from the table and tossed down the money for the tip before helping Jaden to her feet. “Let’s hit it.”

They exchanged sleepy hugs, and Tasha and Micky insisted Jaden and Ivan take the first cab available. Snuggled together, they seemed content to wait for another.

As the cab drove them through crowded Miami Beach streets, Ivan watched Jaden, thrilled all over again to have her with him—and back in Miami no less. Her head bobbed and rolled as she fought against the dreaded food coma, with a lack-of-sleep chaser.

“See, you needed a nap too!” He chuckled.

A hum of acknowledgement was all she could muster.

Minutes later, the cab rolled to a stop in the horseshoe drive at his apartment building. He shuffled her upstairs and helped her to bed. She was fast asleep before her head hit the pillow.

Dead tired, he lay down next to her, but sleep wouldn’t come. Instead he just looked, admiring her in the dark as she slept. This would be the last time they slept together as boyfriend and girlfriend. He could hardly imagine what tomorrow would bring.

“Crash Into Me”

A M
IAMI
B
EACH
S
UNRISE
cast rays of light and color across the blue sky, and they bounced off clouds, water, and the distant Miami skyline. Thin beams filtered through the blinds and warmed the room where Jaden and Ivan lay snuggled together in bed.

Jaden blinked as her eyes adjusted to the morning light. Ivan’s heavy arm draped over her middle, and his warm body pressed against her backside. She ran her hand over his forearm and snuggled closer into him, matching his posture curve for curve. He was the perfect spooning partner. He was the perfect lover. He was—well, good morning to you too!—completely dependable. Even his morning hard-on was like clockwork. How amazing to wake up and find everything right, everything familiar. She closed her eyes for a moment as the horrid feeling of disorientation and isolating fear from that morning not so long ago shot through her.

Forward
, she reminded herself.
Move forward
. Forcing a smile, she wiggled her ass against his erection and stifled a laugh. His breath in her ear told her he was still asleep, but she knew he wouldn’t be for long. She glanced around the room and noticed a lab coat hanging from a freestanding mirror in the corner. A very erotic thought came to mind, surprising her.