BumpnGrind Read Free Page B

something to concentrate on rather than the poor chef’s crestfallen face.
Just then a couple at a table across the room stood up and started toward them.
The woman was young, gorgeous, and draped all over her date. The man with her
was Felicia’s dancer, from the club.
    Felicia sucked a minute particle of roll into her windpipe
and choked. She bent, red-faced over the table, covering her mouth with one
hand and wishing she could climb under the linen-covered table and disappear.
    Alas, it wasn’t to be.
    She barely heard the poor chef trying to hold his temper in
check as Dave continued to berate him.
    As she choked and sputtered, earning only a glare from her
“date” before he returned to abusing the chef, Felicia wished she could run to
the bathroom. But she couldn’t get out of that chair and risk coming
face-to-face with her sexy dancer. He was moving directly toward her.
    A moment later the situation was taken out of her hands when
a firm hand clapped her on the back and a deep, concerned voice inquired, “Are
you okay, miss? Maybe you should drink some water?”
    Felicia lowered her head and tried to shake off the warm
hand on her back. She thought if she didn’t look up he might not recognize her.
But the hand on her back slid upward, squeezing the back of her neck before
dropping away.
    Dave frowned at her. He really didn’t like scenes, unless he
was the one making them. “Maybe you should go to the ladies’ room, Felicia, and
get yourself under control.”
    Felicia stood up, hurrying toward the elegant restrooms at
the back of the restaurant. Still coughing violently, she nearly dived into the
ladies’ room and dropped onto one of the elegant couches in the outer room.
    She laid her head on her knees and sucked in a breath as the
coughing began to subside. The door opened again but she didn’t look up.
    “So your name is Felicia.”
    Felicia’s head flew up and she gasped. He was just standing
there. Her beautiful dancer. Wearing fashionably faded jeans and a crisp white
dress shirt…and he looked amazing.
    She gave him an embarrassed smile. “We have to stop meeting
like this. I mean…really.”
    “Why?” His eyes sparkled with humor.
    Felicia dragged the linen napkin she’d carried into the
bathroom under her eyes and stood. She took a deep, shuddering breath, trying
to regain some speck of dignity after she’d nearly coughed out a spleen just
from seeing him across the room. “I’m sorry. Don’t let me interrupt your date.
I’m fine now.”
    “It’s okay. I wanted to talk to you.”
    Felicia cocked her head in surprise. “You did? Why?”
    He moved a step closer. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”
    Felicia laughed.
    “It’s true.”
    She stopped laughing. She was at a loss. What could she say
to him that wouldn’t sound rude? When she finally managed to form some words
they came out all wrong. “You’re so young.”
    He frowned and so did she. She’d meant to say she was too
old for him. Now she’d just insulted him.
    “Trust me, I’m plenty old enough.”
    Felicia blinked and he closed the distance between them
before she could backtrack.
    Suddenly she was in his arms, his lips mere inches from her
own. “And I still think you’re damn sexy.”
    Felicia made a little mewling sound but didn’t try to stop
him when he kissed her. Instead she dragged him closer, wrapping her arms
around his neck and returning the kiss hungrily. Self-respect be damned. The
man was offering her everything she wanted on a silver platter.
    After spending two hours with a man society would expect her
to choose, she was more than ready to go after what she really wanted.
    And she really wanted this man. Felicia pulled her lips away
from his. “What about your date?”
    “It’s okay. We’re just friends. We work together.”
    Felicia was thrilled by his response. “Oh, well, that’s good
anyway.”
    He chuckled as her face turned red again and leaned in,
taking her bottom lip between