“I’m pleased we’re out of there,” he said, reaching over to take her hand.
The electricity from his touch took her breath away. He really was a good looking man, and she liked him. Jason was completely different from Thomas. She welcomed his touch more than she ever did Thomas’s.
“What do you fancy?”
“You said something about amazing burgers.” Her stomach rumbled, and her cheeks heated.
“I did. Here we go.” He grabbed a menu, pointing to a burger. “This is the best cheeseburger ever.”
“I can’t pass up the best burger ever.”
The waitress came to the table, taking down their orders. Crossing her arms, Sydney smiled over at him.
“I wanted to get you out of that club. I wanted you all to myself.”
“This is the strangest thing ever,” she said, chuckling. “I don’t know what to expect.”
“Don’t have any expectations. Just enjoy the night with me. I’m going to enjoy my time with you.”
She smiled. “You’re a charmer, aren’t you?”
“No, I wouldn’t call myself a charmer.”
Their burgers came, and Sydney dove in, loving the taste of the meat and the greasy cheese. “Oh my God, this is the best burger ever.”
He laughed. “I think you’re the first woman I’ve ever known who has appreciated a good burger.”
“I take it you’ve been around slender women who are always watching their weight?” She didn’t mind. Sydney was used to it. Dawn was the slender one and always seemed to be on a diet, even though she didn’t need to.
“Guilty as charged.”
“I may convert you to the chubby chasers.”
“Chubby chasers?” he asked.
“Yeah, you know. Guys who like the chubby women.”
“You’re not chubby, Sydney. You’re beautiful.”
“Charmer.”
“You better believe it.”
He was the first guy who told her she was beautiful. With the way he looked at her, she really believed what he said.
Taking another bite out of her burger, she looked back over to him. He was watching her and eating at the same time. “Will you stop looking at me?”
“No. I like looking at you. You’re a beautiful woman, and I can’t believe my lucky stars that you’re sitting in a diner with me.”
“I’m easy.”
“I don’t think you are.”
They ate their burgers while also talking about everything. The movies they liked to watch, their favorite colors, and even their favorite food. She told him about the shop where she worked that was more of an artisan shop.
The time went by, and Sydney didn’t want it to end.
After their burgers they both shared a slice of lemon pie.
“Let me walk you home,” he said.
“Okay.”
They walked side by side. Sydney was still buzzing from the night they’d spent together.
“What happened to that blonde you were talking to?” she asked.
“The blonde? She was just trying to get into my pants.”
Sydney giggled. “And you didn’t want her to?”
“No, I wanted something else tonight. I was just waiting to spot the right woman.” He took her hand. The action was so smoothly done that Sydney didn’t know what to make of it.
They walked all the way to her house, and when she was outside, she turned toward him. “This is me. Do you want me to call you a cab?”
“No, I can walk.” He didn’t let go of her hand, and she kept smiling.
“Thank you for the dance, the food, and the walk home. Believe it or not but I had a lot of fun.” This was totally awkward. She’d never been walked home before. What the hell was she supposed to do? Ask for him for his number? Kiss him? Thank him? Crap, she really was out of her comfort zone.
“I want to see you again. Can I call on you?” he asked.
“I’d really like that. I’m working tomorrow until two. You could pick me up from my work?”
“Yes.”
She gave him the address, and glanced behind her. “I’d give you my cell number, but I don’t know it, and I don’t have it on me.”
“We’ll take care of the numbers tomorrow. It was a pleasure to have met you, Sydney.” He closed the distance between them. Her heart started to pound as he sank his fingers into her hair. She didn’t pull away, and stared up the length of his body. “I’ve been wanting to do this all night.”
In the next instance, his lips were on hers, claiming a kiss that she’d been thinking about since they met at the club. Closing her eyes, she ran her hands up his chest, breathless. The kiss wasn’t a nice kiss. It was a hard one, demanding, and punishing all at the same time. She loved how hard the kiss was, and had goosebumps erupting all over her body.
When he pulled away she was gasping for breath. “Wow,” she said.
“I know, baby. Go before I don’t walk away.”
“You don’t have to walk away.”
“Yeah, I do. You’re different, and I’m not going to ruin this moment. I want more than a morning after.” He pressed another kiss to her lips. “Fuck, you’re going to bring me to my knees.”
Finally, he pulled away, and waited for her to rush up to her home. At the door, she turned to look back at him. His hands were in his pockets, but he took one out to wave at her.
Unlocking her door, she gave him a final wave before making her way through to her sitting room. She chuckled when she saw Dawn sprawled on the sofa. By the time Sydney woke up, her sister would be gone. She didn’t mind.
The last thing she wanted to do was talk to her sister about her night.
Jason, she didn’t know his last name, and she didn’t need to know. Pressing a hand to her lips, she giggled. Who would have thought she’d find exactly what she was looking for in a PA for a porn star?
“Strange.”
Chapter Three
Jason let himself into his studio apartment, throwing keys down in a tiny tray he kept on the cabinet on the door.
“How was your little date?” Richard asked, scaring Jason.
“You fucking prick. I could have hurt you.” Jason had his fists raised in the air.
“I figured seeing as I was the one to keep the sister off your back, I could crash at your place. I’m too drunk to walk home.”
“You don’t look drunk.”
“I dropped the sister off a couple of hours ago. I’ve had a couple of cups of coffee and wanted to see what’s going on.” Richard handed him a coffee, which Jason took gratefully. “Well, spill the beans.”
“There’s nothing to spill. I took her out for burgers.”
“Did she eat them, or did she complain about her weight?”
“She ate them without complaint,” he said, moving toward his sitting room.
“Did she know about you?”
“What is with the twenty questions?” Jason took a long drink, thinking about Sydney. She was such a beautiful woman and nothing like the women he’d come to know.
“What? It’s wrong for a guy to be curious?”
“She doesn’t know who I am.” He hated lying to her but he didn’t want to ruin something before it had even begun.
“What did you say?”
“That I was your PA and you were the porn star.”
“I guess that’s not a complete lie.”
“I panicked, and I didn’t want her to walk away. Fuck, my life is turning into a mess.” He ran a hand down his face.
“You’re going to have to tell the truth at some point,” Richard said.
“You were the one who told me not to tell her the truth!” He snapped the words out, angry with himself and with his friend.
Richard held his hands up. “Hey, I advised you tell a little white lie.”
“And I did that.”
“But you also took her to the diner. Your favorite place to eat. You don’t take anyone to that place. You rarely take me. You’ve only just known this woman, and yet, you’re taking her to places you wouldn’t anyone else.” Richard took the cup from Jason. “I’m simply being a realist. Something must have happened with this woman.”
“She didn’t know who I was. I dropped my bank card, and I thought she wanted an autograph. Later on, while I was dancing, she didn’t know who I was. I liked it. I wasn’t Bone Harder. I wasn’t a piece of meat she wanted to screw. I was just me, Jason.”