NOVGO.NET Chapter 54: WILL YOU EAT ME
Chapter 54: WILL YOU EAT ME
LAURA
The first course was served by the sous chef who explained the meal on the platter and the production process with a sugary smile.
Tuna tartare, avocado and yuzu.
It was delicious to look at, but there was only one thing I truly wanted to eat right now. One thing my body craved...
But instead of eating, I was staring at him, making a conscious effort to tone down my hunger.
After the chef left, Tristan picked up his napkin and spread it out before him. "So, what are your rules?"
Rules. They were very necessary between Tristan and I, because if he kept stealing those glances at me and there’s no kind of restraint between us, this would escalate before we even began.
And even if things did escalate...I would be the one to decide when, where and how.
I cleared my throat and picked up my glass of wine. "You broke one rule already."
He looked at me. "I did?"
I nodded. "We’re not allowed to compliment each other." I paused and took a long sip of the wine, watching his reaction over the rim of the glass.
"Ever?" he asked calmly.
"Business hours, strictly. We must keep things professional."
He set down his fork and lasered me with his blue gaze. "Compliments don’t always have to be vocal. My eyes could compliment you all night long. Is that a problem?"
My cheeks heated up and I took another sip of the wine.
Too much wine already, and we were just starting.
My head grew lighter by the minute, but I did not hesitate to grab the bottle and refill my glass. My hand trembled with the effort. Or maybe it was just these fucking nerves.
Why was it so hard to control myself around him?
"You mustn’t say everything on your mind, Mr. Pierce."
Tristan leaned forward without warning and steadied my hand. Heat jolted through my veins, and my heart swooped into my stomach.
"But why? I want to hear your thoughts too."
I snatched my hand away, glaring at him. "Second rule," my voice went a notch higher. "No physical contact on any account."
He lifted his brow to that. "We have to shake hands on most occasions."
"If we must, that we can do. But anything beyond that and we might have to look at terminating this partnership."
He nodded slowly, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Got any more rules?"
"Rule number 3: we must never discuss personal matters. Again, strictly business."
He leaned back and observed me with a cool gaze. "You really don’t want me in your life, do you?"
I scoffed and leaned my elbow against the table. Then I rested my cheek against my arm and fixed a drunken gaze on him. "I told you. No personal questions."
"Is that why you hid your son away that day? You don’t need me getting to meet him, or know him?"
I heaved a sigh and shook my head. "Godd! You’re hardheaded most of the time." I laughed, wagging a finger at him. "But you don’t know it, do you?"
He stared at me seriously for the next few seconds. It was easier to bear because honestly, I thought I was a little drunk and nothing really mattered but the lightness in my head.
Now I could just...feel. I didn’t have to think long and hard about how wrong it was.
I picked up my fork and stabbed at the tuna. Then I dipped it in the sauce and took a bite in, keeping my gaze fixed on Tristan. "So, shall we talk about this partnership now? What’s our first gig?"
He watched me for a beat of two seconds, then he leaned across the table and wiped the corner of my lip without warning. He was slow enough for me to pull away before the contact, but the alcohol made me slower. Annoyingly slow.
Heat sparked against the part of my skin his fingers brushed, quickly spreading like lightning to every part of my body.
Fuck. The alcohol seemed to make me hypersensitive too.
Tristan’s gaze dropped to my lips and he seemed to forget how to think for a moment. I did too, breath hot and heavy.
Heart pounding like a sledgehammer’s being taken to it, I slapped his hand away. "Keep breaking the rules like this and we’re not going to have much of these dinners left."
His eyes moved back to mine and crinkled at the corners, and he flashed me a shockingly charming smile. "Our first gig is in Milan. A commercial shoot for one of Pierce’s fashion brands. It’ll be a week long."
"What? I can’t stay away for a whole week!"
He lifted his shoulders in a careless shrug. "It’s what you signed up for. You have nothing to worry about. I’ll be there with you."
I scoffed in disbelief. "You think that makes it any better? I’ll be away from my son, Tristan! Even my work doesn’t have that privilege."
He watched me carefully for a moment, both hands set on the table. "I see you love your son."
"No personal talk!"
He lifted his hands in surrender. "Fine. Let’s eat while we talk. I wouldn’t want to keep you."
I huffed angrily. "Now you sound pissed."
He sighed. "What do you want, Laura? Talk to me."
I leaned my elbows against the table and dropped my chin against the back of my hands. "I want to eat, Tristan."
His eyes sparkled with mischief as he leaned forward. "Well, there’s food staring at you right there."
"It’s not what I want."
He studied me for a beat of five seconds. Then, he said in the lowest, huskiest voice, "will you eat me, then?"
The growing bundle of nerves between my legs screamed for release. I licked my lips subconsciously. "What if I want to be eaten?"
His jaw ticked so hard at my question, blue eyes transitioning to almost black in the dim lighting.
"Then you get eaten." His gaze dropped to my cleavage in the burgundy dress, and a vein in his neck throbbed hard. "Say the word, Laura. Your wish is—"
"Don’t!" I jumped up, scraping the chair backwards. "Don’t say it."
Tristan looked amused. The asshole was enjoying himself. He was enjoying my discomfort, my struggle, my denial.
Cursing under my breath, I grabbed a bottle of water and moved towards the window. The air conditioning in the room didn’t seem to be doing any more good.
As I chugged the water down, I felt Tristan’s presence behind me.
"We can’t fight this any longer. Look at us. We’re losing it because we deny ourselves the very primal instincts we need to survive."
I scoffed and turned slowly to face him. "Look at you go. Do you think you can handle the heat?"
His eyes burned hot. "Why don’t we see how much you can handle?"
My cheeks flushed hot at his words.
Did he just...challenge me?