Heart of The Night (The Night, #2)

2 | When one door closes

2 | when one door closes

The interior of the two-floor restaurant was a marvel to behold. Elegant chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, casting a soft, golden light over the intricately carved wooden screens that separated the dining area into intimate spaces. Splashes of vibrant red and gold adorned the walls, while traditional Chinese art mingled seamlessly with contemporary pieces, creating a luxurious and culturally rich atmosphere.

I couldn’t help but feel out of place. Casual, Jason had promised, yet this felt stiff. Very stiff. I was underdressed, wasn’t I? Well, at least William was too – for once.

Why had William told me to dress casually when I asked him at the office earlier? I knew he had been here before. Fusion, he had called the restaurant, while praising the chefs’ culinary skills as he led the way through Chinatown.

But then I looked at the nearest guests and noticed that, despite the sumptuous surroundings, they mostly wore semi-formal attire. I stood a decent chance of blending into that category, but William’s outfit was wholly casual. It brought a smile to my lips. For once, William was underdressed, and even more bizarre: it was a deliberate decision.

As William announced himself to the hostess, a voice filled with jubilation echoed throughout the stylish foyer. ‘William!’

A man sauntered toward us, his broad smile lighting up the room. Bald and roughly my height, he looked like he might be a few years older than William, his dark eyes gleaming with hard-earned experience.

I glanced at William, my heart skipping a beat as I noticed his confident poise. He was so effortlessly stunning, all the time. Even though he was only wearing jeans and a plain white T-shirt, he somehow managed to elevate the simple ensemble, lending a sophistication that would be coveted by all. It was as if he were a male model strutting down the catwalk, making even the most mundane clothing look luxurious. I couldn’t believe how exquisite he made the articles look – on him, they appeared more dressed up than down.

I made myself stand a little taller, trying my best to look worthy of him, to not fade completely into his shadow.

‘Jian,’ William greeted the man, his tone warm and fond.

‘It’s been too long, my friend,’ Jian said, taking William’s outstretched hand and squeezing it between both of his.

William reciprocated the gesture by placing his other hand atop Jian’s. ‘Indeed, it has.’ He released Jian’s hands and gestured to the surroundings. ‘But Fusion looks as marvellous as ever. You’ve expanded the place since my last visit, haven’t you?’

Jian’s smile widened, showcasing straight, bleached teeth. ‘Yes, we acquired the floor above.’

‘Fantastic. Business must be going well, I presume.’ William grinned. ‘And how’s your Xin doing? And the rest of your family?’

Jian stiffened slightly, as if the question, although perfectly polite and no doubt part of expected etiquette, reminded him of something dreadful. ‘Good, good,’ Jian said, his eyes falling on to me. ‘And who is this lovely lady?’

I flushed under his gaze as William wrapped his arm around my waist, tugging me closer to his side. ‘This is Cara Darby, my date.’

Jian’s dark eyes sparkled with approval as he put his right fist to his left palm and bowed slightly. ‘It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Darby. Welcome to Fusion.’

‘Jian’s an old friend of my family,’ William said as Jian led us to our table, discreetly inviting Jian to elaborate on how his family had known William’s for decades. It turned out that William’s maternal grandfather – a Michelin-starred chef – had assisted Jian’s grandfather in bringing Fusion to life, and Jian’s grandfather had subsequently gone on to earn several Michelin stars in his own right.

As we settled into our seats, Jian insisted on bringing a complimentary bottle of champagne to our table before presenting us with the menu. He emphasised that if we needed anything at all, we mustn’t hesitate to call for him.

The instant he was out of earshot, I said to William, ‘You said to dress casually.’

William glanced up at me from the menu he had opened, a vague smile stretching his perfect mouth. ‘Our date doesn’t end here. You’ll thank me later. Besides, who cares?’

I opened the menu, shifting in my seat. ‘Not you, clearly.’

He chuckled. ‘I’m always wearing suits. I saw an opportunity to wear jeans for once.’

‘So you decided to drag me down with you?’

A huge grin spread his lips. ‘Now we’re a pair of clowns.’

‘Twat.’

‘Are you actually annoyed?’

I shook my head. ‘No, not really.’

‘Good, because you look amazing. I’m the odd one out.’

He was definitely the odd one out, though not in the way he implied. I scanned him, deciding not to tell him that he could easily grace the cover of a men’s fashion magazine.

‘Did you notice how Jian stiffened when I asked him about his family?’ William asked then, his brows furrowing slightly as he held my gaze.

‘I did, actually.’

He looked away, thoughtful. ‘I’m wondering if he lied – because you’re here.’

I tilted my head. ‘It’s possible.’

He raised a hand to his mouth, his forefinger running across his lips. As I stared at that finger, all I could think about was how much I wanted it inside me, the sooner the better.

‘I’ll have to ask him again later,’ William said, returning his focus to the menu. ‘Now. What would you like to eat?’

We settled on a shared menu consisting of ten separate dishes. As we waited for our starters, William said, ‘The only downside to this place’ – he reached for his glass of champagne – ‘is that they haven’t got fortune cookies.’ He took a sip.

I chuckled. ‘I wasn’t aware they should.’

He set the glass back. ‘I’ve been trying to persuade Jian to add them to the menu – at least a secret one – for years, but he refuses. Says they’re too commercial.’

I shrugged. ‘He’s got a reputation to maintain.’

‘But they’re such good fun,’ William argued. ‘Thankfully,’ he folded his arms and leaned forward, ‘there’s a place just down the street that sells them, so I’ve already placed the order. We’ll stop by once we’re done here, and that way, we can skip the queue.’

Amusement danced on my lips. ‘Efficiency is your bible, isn’t it?’

‘Sounds about right.’ He nodded, grinning. ‘Why, are you religious?’

‘Yes,’ I lied.

From his astonished expression, I could tell I had surprised him. I barely managed to keep from laughing.

‘Really? Which religion?’

‘Christianity.’ Another lie.

He scrutinised my features, looking far from convinced. ‘And what does Jamie make of that, given he’s a philoso phy teacher and all? I mean, yes, there are lots of Christian philosophers. I’m just not entirely convinced that dear Mr Darby is one, and I’m even less convinced that he would raise his daughter a Christian. After all, critical thinking is at the core of philosophy. Surely he must have raised you to consider religion with an analytical eye, rather than shove it down your throat?’

I laughed. It was endearing that William remembered all these details about my father when I had only talked about him once, and many months ago at that. And, impressively, it seemed that William had accurately deduced my father’s character from that brief mention.

‘You’re right. I’m not religious at all. None of my family members are. Are you, though?’

‘Yes, of course. I’d even kiss your feet if you asked me to.’

The unexpected twist caught me off guard. As the words sank in, a rush of warmth flooded my face.

‘Foot fetish?’ My nose wrinkled. ‘We’ll have to work on that.’ I rested my cheek in my palm. ‘Not judging those who are, but I am not into that.’

‘Me neither.’ William leaned back, chuckling. ‘What about anal sex?’ he asked then.

It was tempting to grab my purse and smack him over the head with it.

‘Seriously, Will?’ I glared at him, my cheeks boiling. ‘We’re at a posh restaurant.’

He laughed. ‘You’ve definitely done it.’

Pursing my lips, I looked away from him. Yes, I had tried it, and it was actually something I enjoyed when done right. Aaron and I had explored this terrain several times, and while it had been an uncomfortable sensation initially, we eventually figured out how to make it a pleasant experience. Since then, using butt plugs during sex had been one of my favourite things because the fulfilment was unlike anything else.

The thought of Aaron and all the things we had done together made my mood plummet in the span of a mere breath.

‘I have,’ I said, pouting.

William’s eyes gleamed with lust as he leaned forward. ‘Do you like it?’

My blush was constant at this point. ‘I can’t believe we’re discussing this over dinner, in public.’

‘You do,’ he said, grinning widely.

This topic, and the excitement in his eyes, made it impossible to hold his gaze. ‘I prefer regular sex with butt plugs over anal sex,’ I murmured embarrassedly.

‘Noted.’

‘Do you like it?’ I dared to look at him.

He shrugged. ‘I don’t really have an opinion on the matter. I’m into it if my partner is, but it’s not something I desperately need to do. Regular sex is equally pleasurable in my experience.’

‘Good to know. I don’t think I could handle you entering through the backdoor anyway.’

His eyebrows twitched. ‘Are you implying I’m bigger than—’ He stopped short upon my glare.

‘Don’t compare,’ I said harshly, defensive of Aaron. I hadn’t meant to expose the truth like that, and I regretted it profusely. While he wasn’t William, Aaron was surely adequately endowed, and I hated the idea that William might gloat about this. ‘Besides,’ I continued vehemently, ‘size only matters up to a point. After that, how you use it is much more important.’

Just as William opened his mouth to speak, the waiter appeared with our first round of appetisers. I breathed a small sigh of relief, even though the thought of Aaron had already spoiled my appetite. The waiter took a small step back, asking if he could describe the dish to us: large, succulent shrimp cooked in a fiery Sichuan-style sauce made with dried chilli peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. The dish, served in a small, elegant bowl with a pair of chopsticks, was topped with a sprinkle of chopped spring onion and coriander for added freshness. It looked mouth-watering.

As the waiter walked away, William tactfully steered the conversation to music. Apparently, the string instrument I heard in the background was called Guzheng.

‘Did you know I can play the guitar?’ he asked.

My eyebrows climbed higher. ‘You can?’

He went on to explain that he started taking lessons when he was eight and had subsequently become rather proficient.

As we ate, the conversation flowed as effortlessly as ever. I found myself wondering why I had felt so nervous about this date, when talking with William was as easy as breathing. It had always been that way, so why should this evening have been any different? Though we had only known each other for a few months, I often felt like I had known him for a lifetime. His personality had always been strangely familiar, as if we had been long-time friends or even soul mates in a past life, and now we were just rediscovering one another anew.

When we finished the dessert, I ran a hand over my belly, feeling completely stuffed. ‘Are you sure about those fortune cookies? I feel like I’m about to burst.’

William emptied his glass of wine and set it down. ‘If you don’t want to eat it, I’ll do it for you, but you’ll get your fortune telling one way or another.’

Jian came over then, smiling brightly. ‘How was the food?’

‘It was delicious, as always,’ William said with a grin.

‘Yeah.’ I smiled up at Jian. ‘Will’s going to have to roll me out of here.’

Jian laughed. ‘That’s exactly what we aim for.’

‘I’d say so, especially judging by the number of guests,’ William remarked, his eyes ranging over the neighbouring screens as numerous voices blended with the comfortable Guzheng music playing in the background. ‘Have you considered expanding further, Jian? Perhaps open another restaurant?’

Jian’s expression turned sober, and his dark eyes flickered in my direction, as if contemplating whether to say what he wanted to. ‘To be honest, Will,’ he began hesitantly, ‘there’s been some trouble at Fusion, but I don’t want to burden you with the details.’

William straightened at once. ‘How do you mean?’

‘Please. I’d hate to interrupt your date,’ Jian said and gave me an apologetic look.

‘I really don’t mind,’ I said, hoping my sincerity was palpable as I shook my head. ‘Will and I work together – we see each other almost every day. You’re not ruining anything.’

Jian took a deep breath, flicking a worried glance around, before leaning in closer to William. ‘There’s… there’s a big food conglomerate that’s been laying it on thick to enforce a takeover of Fusion. They’ve been pushing hard, and I’m afraid we might be on the ropes.’

William’s jaw clenched, his protective instincts kicking in. ‘That’s why you were on edge when I asked about your family.’

Jian winced. ‘Yes. We’re all a bit worried, especially my father. He doesn’t want to forfeit my grandfather’s legacy.’

William nodded, looking contemplative. ‘Maybe I can help. This is my bread and butter, after all.’

Jian shook his head with a sigh. ‘We’re barely keeping our heads above water with the loans. We can’t foot the bill for lawyers.’

At this, William’s brow furrowed, as if he was offended. ‘What do you take me for? I’d do it pro bono, Jian.’

Jian’s eyes went wide in disbelief, his lips parting as if to argue, but no words came out. I found myself echoing Jian’s shock. William was offering to work for free? Had he forgotten he was already working on two rather considerable transactions at Day the ball trailed straight into the hole.

He looked at me, his eyes sparkling with amusement. ‘Play fair, said the hypocrite. That was dirty.’

A mischievous smile curved my lips. ‘I thought you preferred me dirty,’ I said, my voice low and sultry.

His eyes flickered over my body, and like the wind breathing life into cinders, his gaze fanned the embers of my desire into delicious, raging flames only his touch could tame.

‘Oh, I definitely do,’ he said. Lifting his club, he let it rest over his shoulder as he closed the distance between us. He stopped a few inches away, his gaze fixed on my lips. We stood there for a moment, the tension between us crackling.

He broke the spell with a low murmur, ‘Your turn. But don’t worry, I won’t be playing dirty like you.’ His sensuous mouth twisted into a crooked smile, his body language radiating a superior air. ‘I’m not one for cheap tricks.’

Smiling, I stepped closer and stretched up on my toes, inviting him to kiss me. But just when he leaned down, I backed away, grinning. ‘Nothing I do comes cheap,’ I said, running my fingers across his chest.

‘Oh, I know exactly how you come.’ His low, rough voice sent a shiver of excitement down my spine. As the words washed over me, I grew soaking wet, craving the feel of his naked body pressed against mine, forceful and demanding. But I knew the power of the tease, so I turned toward the course despite how hard it was to resist him.

When I reached the starting point, I took a quick sip of my drink and placed it on a nearby table.

‘You may win this battle, Will,’ I said, facing him again. ‘But I’ll win the war.’ I gave him a cheeky smile.

‘ Petite coquine ,’ he muttered, in what sounded like perfect French.

I frowned at him, unsure if I had just been insulted. He had obviously chosen to say it in French for a reason; I wasn’t supposed to understand.

‘What does that mean?’ I asked defensively.

He grinned devilishly. ‘You’ll never know.’

‘Well, fuck you too.’

‘No, that would be va te faire voir ,’ he said, still grinning.

I rolled my eyes. ‘Jason’s told me he did an exchange year in Paris growing up, so I assume the same applies to you… judging by your seemingly perfect accent.’

‘Yeah, during secondary school.’

‘Did you live with your grandparents, too?’ I asked, remembering Jason had done so. Their grandparents were French, having emigrated to England shortly before Daphné, William and Jason’s mother, was born. After retiring from their work at the restaurant in London, they had moved back to Paris.

William nodded. ‘I did. It was a wonderful experience. My grandparents showed me all the hidden gems of France. We travelled all over the country, from Bordeaux’s vineyards to Provence’s lavender fields.’

I pictured a young William, wide-eyed and eager, exploring the rich culture of France with his grandparents. The thought of him as a child, taking in the sights and sounds of a foreign country, was incredibly endearing.

‘That must have been amazing,’ I said.

‘It was. They’ve got a place in Cannes, too, and in Bretagne, so we used to spend summers there. Fond memories.’

I smiled. It was clear from his warm tone that his time with his grandparents had left a lasting impression on him.

‘So I suppose you speak French fluently, then,’ I said. ‘I know Jason does.’

William raised a brow and responded exclusively in the alluring language, but all I could understand was the word chérie . Jason had said it to me before, so I was aware it meant darling.

Heat flooded my face and neck. Trying to calm the rising demands of my libido, I cleared my throat and looked away. ‘I’ve no idea what you just said.’

Sweet laughter erupted from him. ‘I said Mum spoke French to us while we were growing up, and I studied French in school, too. That’s why I wanted to do an exchange year in Paris, to solidify my bilingualism. Have you been to France?’

‘I have. Paris is my favourite city.’

‘Mine too.’

I focused on the course again, realising that others were waiting for us to finish. ‘I took Spanish, though,’ I said as I positioned myself to take the shot. ‘Seemed more practical at the time, but I’ve hardly spoken it since.’

Just as I was about to swing, William spoke up, this time in perfect French. The sound caught me off guard, causing me to exert much more force than I intended. The ball flew past the hole, missing it by several feet.

‘William!’

He laughed.

‘Stop speaking French,’ I chided. ‘I can’t concentrate.’

‘You shouldn’t have exposed yourself like that. I’ll take advantage.’

I glared at him. ‘You said cheap tricks were beneath you.’

His mouth took a cunning shape. ‘An obvious lie. You play dirty, I play dirtier.’

I groaned.

§ § §

As we stepped outside after the farce of my defeat, it became apparent from our hesitation that we were both unsure about what to do next.

‘That was fun,’ I said, and my sigh betrayed how smitten I was. ‘This date has been nothing short of perfect, Will. I’ve had such a lovely time. Thank you.’

A soft smile claimed his lips. ‘I’m happy to hear that.’

The air between us was thick with unspoken words and unexpressed feelings, and I didn’t know if I should make a move or wait for him to make one first.

Looking a bit nervous, William raised a hand and rubbed his neck. ‘Listen, I’m not sure how you’d prefer to proceed from here, but, regardless, I’ve got something for you.’

He reached into his back pocket, and I watched with wide eyes as he withdrew a golden medal adorned with a red ribbon. As he dangled it before me, the light glinted off the digit 1 embossed on its face, while on the reverse side, the initials W.N. were elegantly engraved. It was a custom piece? Just how much thought had he put into this?

‘You might have lost at minigolf,’ he said, ‘but you’ve certainly won my affections.’

Overwhelmed, I stood frozen as he hung it around my neck.

‘I hope you’ll cherish that,’ he said, kissing my forehead gently. As he leaned back, I couldn’t resist the urge any longer. My hands shot up to grab his jaw, and I brought his mouth to mine.

My heart fluttered as our lips met, and I savoured the delicious taste of him. His mouth moved with such uncanny precision, expertly synchronising with mine as if we had always been meant to do this, as if we had been lovers in a past life. The sensation was electric, and I felt myself getting lost in the moment. Time seemed to slow down, and suddenly it was just the two of us, lost in the throes of passion. As the kiss deepened, I was reminded once more that this was how it was supposed to feel – all-consuming and entirely right. I just knew, because I had never experienced anything remotely similar before I met him.

Giving him a chance had indeed been the right decision, which he proved right at that moment. And I had a feeling he would continue to prove it, time and again.

But to my surprise, he suddenly pulled away, groaning. Out of breath, I watched him with worry, wondering if I had done something wrong.

‘Sorry,’ he said and discreetly wiped his mouth. ‘I can’t be doing that right now. You’ve no idea what it does to me.’

A grin bloomed on my face. Reaching for the belt loops of his jeans, I hooked my fingers into them and tugged him closer again.

‘Then we’ve got a problem,’ I said, ‘because I am desperate to feel your mouth on me.’ I stared at his tempting lips, observing the soft, full contours that whispered of undisclosed desires. I wanted them to devour the entirety of me. They looked sculpted for sin, yet imbued with a delicate hint of angelic grace.

Chuckling, he cupped my cheeks in his big, warm hands, the hard calluses gently scraping my skin. ‘How would you like to spend the night at mine, then? I’d hate to get arrested for public indecency.’

‘Dogging not your style?’ I joked, and his astonishment was obvious from his laughter.

‘Exhibitionist, Cara?’

I gripped his T-shirt, pulling him even closer. ‘It’s hard to remember my surroundings whenever I’m with you.’

He exhaled loudly and planted a hard kiss on my mouth. ‘Fuck,’ he mumbled against my lips.

I leaned away, full of glee. ‘It’s a ten-minute walk to your place.’

He took my hand. ‘Let’s go. ’