helped her into the carriage, Alec snapped the reins, and they were off.
“So cool. I’ve always wanted to take a carriage ride, but I never got around to trying it. No one I’ve ever dated wanted to try either.” She set a hand on his forearm and squeezed gently. “Thanks, Alec.”
“This is only the beginning of our date.” He winked. “You can save your gratitude for later.”
She rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. “Boy, don’t even get excited. I am not rewarding you like that!”
He laughed. “I would never imply such a thing.”
“Whatever.”
The carriage took them through the park along lighted paths. He had to hand it to the city in keeping up with safety measures for its residents. Of course, nothing would happen to Whisper while he was at her side. He could guarantee it.
When the way opened to an area just off the path, Whisper leaned forward. “What is that?”
Alec said nothing. He let her discover the table and chairs, the soft music, a waiter preparing glasses of chilled wine. Alec helped her down from the carriage and couldn’t resist a slight caress at her waist as he guided her to their table.
“Did you get special permission for this?”
He pulled out her chair and seated her. Bending over behind her, he spoke into her ear. “Don’t worry. I want you to enjoy yourself.”
While she still appeared nervous, her eyes did reflect enjoyment at the scene he had laid out before her. Two dozen roses and candlelight set the mood. Alec planned to take her into his arms after dinner to dance under the stars.
“Mm, this wine is delicious. Will you try to get me drunk?”
“Never,” he answered. “I want you sober when I hold you.”
She sucked her teeth but giggled.
The dinner progressed as he expected with them chatting. Alec kept conversation light about nothing in particular. He did discuss her relationship with her sister and why it was so strained, but when he saw her becoming upset, he steered it away to gentler topics. Something told him Whisper’s sister considered her a failure and that the woman had little patience for her. He felt the offense. Even while he and Max had their differences and his brother pissed him off regularly, he couldn’t imagine not running with his brother. They were close, and he had no doubt they always would be.
“So, do you dance?” he asked when they had finished eating for almost half an hour. Her eyebrows went up.
“Um?”
He extended a hand. “Come on.”
“Where? Here?”
Again he felt the tremble, but she hid her nervousness well. The sweet smile got to him. He liked the crooked tooth at the topside of her pretty mouth. How he wanted to kiss her again, but he’d promised to behave himself. Already he’d broken their agreement about her selecting where she wanted to go. He had planned the entire evening without her input, so he would settle for holding her in his arms for the time being. Keeping his hands to himself didn’t include what they were about to do, which was why he made sure they danced in the first place.
“Okay, fine, but don’t get grabby.” She laughed, and he joined her.
Alec pulled her against him. He thought she’d protest at the close proximity, but she didn’t utter a word when her breasts pressed into him. Of course if she knew how hard she’d just made him, she might run. He shifted away to keep her from finding out and then rocked her to the beat of the music. At the same time, a breeze stirred her hair, and a tendril blew across her cheek. He brushed it away. She smiled her gratitude with an upturned chin. The invitation seemed clear, but he fought the impulse.
He whipped her away from him, guiding her movements with his hand in hers. He enjoyed the chance to watch her hips moving to the rhythm that only black women seemed to have, a hypnotic twist and dip that felt like his doom.
Her lips had been
“So cool. I’ve always wanted to take a carriage ride, but I never got around to trying it. No one I’ve ever dated wanted to try either.” She set a hand on his forearm and squeezed gently. “Thanks, Alec.”
“This is only the beginning of our date.” He winked. “You can save your gratitude for later.”
She rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. “Boy, don’t even get excited. I am not rewarding you like that!”
He laughed. “I would never imply such a thing.”
“Whatever.”
The carriage took them through the park along lighted paths. He had to hand it to the city in keeping up with safety measures for its residents. Of course, nothing would happen to Whisper while he was at her side. He could guarantee it.
When the way opened to an area just off the path, Whisper leaned forward. “What is that?”
Alec said nothing. He let her discover the table and chairs, the soft music, a waiter preparing glasses of chilled wine. Alec helped her down from the carriage and couldn’t resist a slight caress at her waist as he guided her to their table.
“Did you get special permission for this?”
He pulled out her chair and seated her. Bending over behind her, he spoke into her ear. “Don’t worry. I want you to enjoy yourself.”
While she still appeared nervous, her eyes did reflect enjoyment at the scene he had laid out before her. Two dozen roses and candlelight set the mood. Alec planned to take her into his arms after dinner to dance under the stars.
“Mm, this wine is delicious. Will you try to get me drunk?”
“Never,” he answered. “I want you sober when I hold you.”
She sucked her teeth but giggled.
The dinner progressed as he expected with them chatting. Alec kept conversation light about nothing in particular. He did discuss her relationship with her sister and why it was so strained, but when he saw her becoming upset, he steered it away to gentler topics. Something told him Whisper’s sister considered her a failure and that the woman had little patience for her. He felt the offense. Even while he and Max had their differences and his brother pissed him off regularly, he couldn’t imagine not running with his brother. They were close, and he had no doubt they always would be.
“So, do you dance?” he asked when they had finished eating for almost half an hour. Her eyebrows went up.
“Um?”
He extended a hand. “Come on.”
“Where? Here?”
Again he felt the tremble, but she hid her nervousness well. The sweet smile got to him. He liked the crooked tooth at the topside of her pretty mouth. How he wanted to kiss her again, but he’d promised to behave himself. Already he’d broken their agreement about her selecting where she wanted to go. He had planned the entire evening without her input, so he would settle for holding her in his arms for the time being. Keeping his hands to himself didn’t include what they were about to do, which was why he made sure they danced in the first place.
“Okay, fine, but don’t get grabby.” She laughed, and he joined her.
Alec pulled her against him. He thought she’d protest at the close proximity, but she didn’t utter a word when her breasts pressed into him. Of course if she knew how hard she’d just made him, she might run. He shifted away to keep her from finding out and then rocked her to the beat of the music. At the same time, a breeze stirred her hair, and a tendril blew across her cheek. He brushed it away. She smiled her gratitude with an upturned chin. The invitation seemed clear, but he fought the impulse.
He whipped her away from him, guiding her movements with his hand in hers. He enjoyed the chance to watch her hips moving to the rhythm that only black women seemed to have, a hypnotic twist and dip that felt like his doom.
Her lips had been
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