Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 66134 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66134 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Valerie tucked the card into her purse and grinned. “Very.”
A member of the waitstaff walked up to us, a silver tray in hand that he extended our way. “Would either of you care for an oyster on the half shell with a simple mignonette?” he offered.
I tried not to gag at the gross-looking mollusk. I knew that this particular hors d’oeuvre was a high-end delicacy, of course, and Remy had spared no expense for this lavish affair for his wife, but I wasn’t about to indulge.
“No, thank you,” I said as politely as I could manage.
Valerie shrugged. “Sure, I’ll try one.”
I watched as my sister brought the shell to her lips, tipped it up, and the grayish blob of meat slid into her mouth. She chewed a couple of times, then swallowed, giving a thoughtful “Hmm” as she returned the now empty shell to a discard dish on the tray.
I shuddered and grimaced through the whole process, and as soon as the waiter walked away, I said, “Oh my God, that looked disgusting.”
“It really wasn’t that bad.”
A low, masculine chuckle sounded from beside me. Startled, I glanced to my left and found Caleb standing there. My pulse ricochetted in shock, and pleasure.
“Sorry,” he said, flashing one of those charming grins of his. “I came over to say hello and couldn’t help but overhear your amusing conversation.”
“There is nothing amusing about a raw oyster,” I insisted, trying not to let my little crush on this man show.
He pushed his hands into the front pockets of his slacks, which pulled his suit jacket a little tighter across his solid chest. “You should have tried one. They’re an aphrodisiac, you know.”
I laughed and shook my head. “Nope. Something that slimy has no business being an aphrodisiac.”
“Fair enough.” Mirth danced in his stunning blue eyes as they held mine, making my heart race a bit faster. “I suppose chocolate and pomegranates are more to your liking?”
“If seduction is the goal, then yes,” I said, the words leaving my mouth before I could censor them. Not that I really cared when it was the truth.
He arched a dark brow, looking intrigued. “Duly noted.”
We stared at one another, as if nothing and no one else existed around us. It was times like this, when the chemistry between us was so palpable, when the flirtations were rife with innuendos, that I wanted to throw caution to the wind and do something wild and reckless. Like press myself against his hard body, or kiss him, just to see if that restraint of his crumbled and BDE took over.
My sister cleared her throat, shattering the moment between us, and Caleb glanced at her, a friendly smile easing across his lips. “Valerie, right?” he asked, acknowledging her when I’d forgotten she even existed.
Valerie smiled back. “Correct. It’s nice to see you, Caleb. And I promise, my sister is far more adventurous than her discriminating attitude toward those oysters shows.”
I gaped at her, and she gave me a too innocent wide-eyed look, while Caleb’s low chuckle roused all my senses and slid down my spine like a warm, masculine caress.
Someone dinged a piece of silverware against a crystal glass, the loud sound cutting through the buzz of conversation out on the terrace. “Everyone, gather around. Remy is on his way up with Raven, so get ready to yell surprise when she walks through those doors.”
The guests huddled closer together, and as we did so, we got separated from Caleb, who ended up standing on the other side of the group with his younger sister, Cara. He should have been looking at the entrance to the restaurant for Raven’s arrival, but instead his eyes remained on me, that slight, sexy smile wreaking havoc with my entire body.
“That man is going to feed you chocolates and pomegranates the first chance he gets,” Valerie teased.
I finally glanced away from Caleb’s arousing stare to roll my eyes at my sister. “Trust me. The two of us are all flirt and no action.” It wasn’t the first time we’d indulged in playful, sexy banter, and it never went further than that—much to my disappointment.
Less than a minute later, Remy escorted Raven out onto the terrace. We all shouted “Surprise,” startling the shit out of my best friend, who stared at everyone in shock, then smacked her husband on the chest for pulling off such a stunt. Remy took it all in stride and merely pulled Raven into his arms. She went willingly, thanking him with a kiss and a beaming smile.
I sighed as I watched them with an undeniable amount of envy. I couldn’t help it. These two were so perfect together. Remy, normally so unflappable as a boss, was complete mush for his wife, and I couldn’t have been happier for Raven who’d been through so much and had finally found her person.