Read Online Insipid by Christine Brae - Free Book Online Page B

kisses me on both cheeks.
    “Hi.”
    “You look gorgeous. Your hair is longer.” His face is close to mine, just staring into my eyes and holding his gaze frozen on me. His right hand carefully reaches out to touch the side of my head and he takes a lock of hair and twirls them between his fingers.
    “Old,” I state, suddenly very conscious of the lines on my face, the wrinkles around my eyes. Maybe I shouldn’t have smiled so much when I was younger. I’m certainly paying for that now. I try to deflect his attention by looking away.
    “You’re timeless. Ravishing,” he whispers as he brushes his nose against mine.
    “You look great too,” I say, meaning it more than anything I’ve said so far. He’s still as gorgeous as ever. I suddenly feel inadequate, small and insignificant next to someone like him.
    He laces his fingers in mine and leads me through a labyrinth of booths full of people as he searches for an empty space.
    “I thought we were going to go somewhere else?” I ask nervously.
    “I can’t wait to sit next to you and catch up. Don’t worry, it’s dark. No one will see us. And to be honest with you, it’s too fucking cold to walk outside,” he rebuts confidently, pulling me to sit at the last booth by the corner.
    The view of the city from this rooftop is mesmerizing. He hunkers down next to me and we both shed our coats. He immediately holds me by the waist and pulls me closer to him.
    “Hi,” he murmurs, skimming his nose against my neck. I close my eyes and take the time to feel his lips against my skin. “Take this off, it’s in the way,” he commands as he tugs on my scarf.
    “No. I’m freezing. And Luke, there are people from work here!” I stiffen up and pull away slightly.
    He gives me a bothered look. “Let’s order some wine. That might relax you a bit.” He motions for the server to approach us.
    She’s blonde and young and perky. She hands him the wine list and he takes forever to look it over.
    “Their wine is shit here,” he grumbles. “They’re cheap.”
    “Just pick one, Luke. It doesn’t make a difference to me. Let’s order some appetizers too. I’m starving,” I say, a bit impatient about the way he’s taking the menu so seriously.
    He hands it back to the server immediately. “Your Spanish wines are limited. Please just bring us the best bottle of Rioja that you have and one of each of the dishes on the list of the small hot plates.” He turns away from her dismissively and snatches my hand.
    Our server doesn’t leave. She continues to stand at the same spot, gaping at him. “Oh! Are you Spanish? I love that accent of yours! It sounds so sexy.”
    He completely ignores her and strikes up a conversation with me until she walks away. I don’t even have time to roll my eyes at him before she’s back. And this time she brings a friend with her.
    “My friend here speaks Spanish,” she says in her high-pitched cutesy voice. “She can translate for you if you need her to.” Her friend nods in agreement and giggles at the same time.
    “As you can see, I speak perfect English,” he responds tersely. “And we’re kind of in a hurry, so can you please just get us our order? You’re both making my girlfriend here feel very uncomfortable. She’s about to fly at both of you and scratch your eyes out.”
    “Luke!” I squeak, delivering a light swat on his thigh. He covers my hand, brings it to his lips, kisses it, and returns it back to where he wants it. I keep it there. The tension between us is so evident that it frightens the servers away. They disappear in a matter of seconds and soon they’re nowhere to be found.
    “Jealous?” he teases.
    “No. Why should I be?” I joke back. “But I do want to warn you that those two aren’t going to be getting a tip from us tonight.”
    He laughs heartily at my comment. There go those lopsided lips and that sexy, husky laugh.
    “I knew it! God help those who mess with Jade Richmond!” he declares as