Eric’s grip emitted strength and power. Warmth spread through her, heating her skin from her fingers down to her toes. Ignoring the sultriness blanketing her body, she pretended to be interested in the quaint paintings as she allowed him to lead her out of the lodge.
They walked a block before Cassandra found her voice. “Where are we going?”
“Boatyard Grill.”
He'd done it again. Read her mind. The Boatyard Grill was her favorite restaurant in Frisco. How did he know these little bits of information about her? Was it a coincidence or something else? Had he been following her on the internet or stalking her back home? He’d be hard to miss. Eric wasn’t the kind of man who could blend in with the masses, not with his striking looks.
The Boatyard Grill was only a few blocks from the Inn, but cold gripped her and too stubborn to move closer to Eric to get warm, she tightened her arms around her waist. His slightest touch flamed her body and she didn’t trust herself.
Eric opened the door for her, and she strolled inside. Warmth at last. She dropped her arms and uncurled her frozen fingers. Her stomach growled as she inhaled the aroma of basil, garlic, sausage and French fries.
The brunette hostess smiled and took a step back when Eric entered the room.
His grim stance and dark presence radiated danger and sexiness at the same time—a deadly combination.
Tossing her hair behind her, the hostess wet her lips. “Hello, sir. Can I help you?”
Cassandra clenched her fist. She itched to ram it into the woman’s angelic face—not something she considered on a regular basis. Squeezing her hand, Eric glanced at her and gave her a secret smile. She jerked away from him. Was she transparent?
“A table for two,” Eric ordered.
Her high heels clicking on the hardwood floors, the hostess led them to a black veneer table, sitting in front of a large six-pane window, looking out onto a quiet alley covered in snow. Eric pulled out an oak chair for Cassandra. His fingers brushed her back, melting the last of the remaining mountain chill.
Eric sat across from her, staring at her. “You have such a light inside you, Cassandra.”
“Light? What do you mean?”
Eric clasped her hand and caressed her. Soft strokes monopolized her.
“Are you listening?” he whispered.
“What? I’m sorry. What did you say?”
He smiled. “I said not everyone possesses this light, but it radiates from you. Pure, simple, clean.”
“You make it sound like I’m a saint.”
He released her hand and cold seized her skin where he had been.
“So you’re not?”
“No!”
A male waiter approached the table. “Good evening, I’m Troy and will be—”
Before the man could finish speaking, Cassandra blurted. “I’d like a Pinot Noir, please.”
“Okay,” the waiter said. “And you, sir?”
Mischief shown in Eric’s eyes and a slow grin appeared on his lips. “A Guinness.”
Cassandra snatched the menu on the table.
Eric chuckled.
The blood drained from her face. Damn the man! His kiss and touch could turn her into molten lava while his teasing infuriated her. Hunger pains demanded Cassandra’s attention. The words on the menu blurred until she spotted what she wanted “What are you going to have?”
Eric put his menu down. “Steak. And you?”
Her taste buds salivated at sinking her teeth into applewood smoked bacon on top of a medium cooked blue cheese burger, but she’d be damned if she told him. “What do you think I’m going to have?”
He leaned back in his chair.
She squirmed under his heated gaze.
The waiter returned with the wine and stout. “Are you ready to order?”
“I’ll have steak. Rare. She wants the bacon and blue cheeseburger, cooked medium rare with French fries.”
“Very well,” the waiter slightly bowed.
“No wait,” Cassandra sputtered. “I changed my mind. I want fish.”
Eric smirked.
She glared.
He reached for his glass and sipped his stout as if she couldn’t see
They walked a block before Cassandra found her voice. “Where are we going?”
“Boatyard Grill.”
He'd done it again. Read her mind. The Boatyard Grill was her favorite restaurant in Frisco. How did he know these little bits of information about her? Was it a coincidence or something else? Had he been following her on the internet or stalking her back home? He’d be hard to miss. Eric wasn’t the kind of man who could blend in with the masses, not with his striking looks.
The Boatyard Grill was only a few blocks from the Inn, but cold gripped her and too stubborn to move closer to Eric to get warm, she tightened her arms around her waist. His slightest touch flamed her body and she didn’t trust herself.
Eric opened the door for her, and she strolled inside. Warmth at last. She dropped her arms and uncurled her frozen fingers. Her stomach growled as she inhaled the aroma of basil, garlic, sausage and French fries.
The brunette hostess smiled and took a step back when Eric entered the room.
His grim stance and dark presence radiated danger and sexiness at the same time—a deadly combination.
Tossing her hair behind her, the hostess wet her lips. “Hello, sir. Can I help you?”
Cassandra clenched her fist. She itched to ram it into the woman’s angelic face—not something she considered on a regular basis. Squeezing her hand, Eric glanced at her and gave her a secret smile. She jerked away from him. Was she transparent?
“A table for two,” Eric ordered.
Her high heels clicking on the hardwood floors, the hostess led them to a black veneer table, sitting in front of a large six-pane window, looking out onto a quiet alley covered in snow. Eric pulled out an oak chair for Cassandra. His fingers brushed her back, melting the last of the remaining mountain chill.
Eric sat across from her, staring at her. “You have such a light inside you, Cassandra.”
“Light? What do you mean?”
Eric clasped her hand and caressed her. Soft strokes monopolized her.
“Are you listening?” he whispered.
“What? I’m sorry. What did you say?”
He smiled. “I said not everyone possesses this light, but it radiates from you. Pure, simple, clean.”
“You make it sound like I’m a saint.”
He released her hand and cold seized her skin where he had been.
“So you’re not?”
“No!”
A male waiter approached the table. “Good evening, I’m Troy and will be—”
Before the man could finish speaking, Cassandra blurted. “I’d like a Pinot Noir, please.”
“Okay,” the waiter said. “And you, sir?”
Mischief shown in Eric’s eyes and a slow grin appeared on his lips. “A Guinness.”
Cassandra snatched the menu on the table.
Eric chuckled.
The blood drained from her face. Damn the man! His kiss and touch could turn her into molten lava while his teasing infuriated her. Hunger pains demanded Cassandra’s attention. The words on the menu blurred until she spotted what she wanted “What are you going to have?”
Eric put his menu down. “Steak. And you?”
Her taste buds salivated at sinking her teeth into applewood smoked bacon on top of a medium cooked blue cheese burger, but she’d be damned if she told him. “What do you think I’m going to have?”
He leaned back in his chair.
She squirmed under his heated gaze.
The waiter returned with the wine and stout. “Are you ready to order?”
“I’ll have steak. Rare. She wants the bacon and blue cheeseburger, cooked medium rare with French fries.”
“Very well,” the waiter slightly bowed.
“No wait,” Cassandra sputtered. “I changed my mind. I want fish.”
Eric smirked.
She glared.
He reached for his glass and sipped his stout as if she couldn’t see
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