Chapter Eleven—Delani
The next time I looked up, it was quarter to twelve, and I raced to the restroom to remove my apron and fix myself.
I had cocoa powder on my cheek and sprinkles stuck to my shirt.
Good thing I had extras. Once I was dressed and refreshed, I called out to Derry that I was leaving for lunch and used the alley to walk to The Whiskey Bar.
The bartender, Buck, I remembered his name, was carrying a case of liquor at the same time I opened the door, and I almost nailed him with it.
“My bad!”
“Nah, you’re good, girl. Come in. He’s waiting for you in party room B.”
“Party room B?” I asked, confused.
“Yep, go past the stage and the second bar, and you will see four rooms with little gold plates next to them with A, B, C, and D. Go through the door for room B, and you’ll see our boy. Have fun,” he said and wagged his eyebrows.
Strange guy.
Cute, but not Sonny cute.
I thanked him and went to find Sonny, marveling at everything I saw as I walked through.
I thought the place was just a stinky, cigar -smelling, men only club, but I was obviously mistaken.
There were two actual bars inside. Both were made of natural wood with blue and gold sparkling epoxy resin and Acacia wood, beautifully crafted to create a waterfall effect that must have cost tens of thousands of dollars.
The walls were painted a matte bone color with tasteful artwork in frames every couple of feet. The ceiling was done with that industrial look, revealing beams and burnished metal accents. It was quite nice, actually.
I found party room B with little trouble, but it was dark inside. I opened the door, stepping inside slowly.
“Hello? Sonny?” I called out just as the lights turned on slowly.
What I saw inside simply took my breath away.
This man.
Sonny was standing, his arms spread wide as he revealed a spectacularly set table with a charcuterie board from a local deli featuring cured meats, cheeses, olives, and other goodies.
He’d gotten fresh bread I recognized from the bakery down the street, some sliced fruit, and chocolate.
My chocolate. Mountains of it.
Beside each offering were tiny shot glasses filled with amber liquid in varying shades.
“Sonny, wow. I mean it. Wow!” I gasped.
“Good? It looks good?” he asked twice, and I finally understood what he’d been so excited about.
“Come here, Baby,” he said, walking towards me and taking my face in his hands, kissing me deeply.
The man had this uncanny way of making me forget where I was every time he touched me. I mean, I was ready to take off my clothes and jump him after just one kiss, and judging from his lusty moan, he wasn’t that far off either.
“I can’t wait to get you home tonight, Del. Gonna make you come so hard for me, Baby. You want that, yeah?”
“Sonny, you know I do,” I answered, already wet for the blessedly insatiable man.
“Good. That’s settled. You’re coming home with me,” he said, not asked. But I was already nodding.
“Lemme show you what I did here. Then I can ask you my favor, and later I’ll give you what you want, what you need, and what I fucking crave,” he growled.
“Blackmail?” I teased, eyeing him up and down.
“Nah, Baby. I’d never withhold my body from you. I’m yours anytime you want me. And if you don’t like my ask, you can say no, Del. I’ll figure it out. But I think maybe you’ll like this idea, too. I hope so,” he said, looking adorable.
Sonny grinned and kissed me again, and I opened for him like a flower that’d been missing the sunlight.
This was ridiculous. How could I miss him when we’d spent the night together? Besides, I just saw him a couple of hours ago.
After another moment of just holding on to each other, I eased my grip and wiggled to move back and he allowed it, brows furrowed and dark eyes churning with need. I knew how he felt.
Sonny led me to the table, and my stomach growled. But I wasn’t embarrassed.
Not anymore. Not after what we’d done to and with each other.
“Sorry, Baby, I didn’t mean to make you wait so long to eat.”
“Oh, that’s okay. This looks great,” I said, laughing it off.
Sonny frowned and fed me an apple slice, grabbing a small dish as he explained what everything was and the drinks beside them.
“I can’t believe you did all this,” I said, chewing on a cube of cheese next.
“It was you. You’re my inspiration. Now here, sip this,” he instructed.
I could practically feel his excitement growing. It was contagious, but I had one minor issue I had never discussed with him.
It was embarrassing, but I had to let him know the truth of it.
“Oh, um, I’m sorry,” I began, not knowing how to tell him this and feeling kind of silly. “Um, I don’t like whiskey, Sonny.”
He just grinned widely and grabbed my cheeks, kissing me on the lips and smiling the whole time like he couldn’t get enough of me.
God, I didn’t know how he did it, but when Sonny Delgado looked at me like that, I felt like the most beautiful woman in the world.
“I figured as much, Baby, and that’s why I made this just for you. Okay, well,” he added, eyes sparkling with mischief. “It’s something I’ve been contemplating lately. How to get women interested in my label. Just try it for me, and if you don’t like it, you never have to take another sip.”
“Okay. For you, I’ll try it,” I said, magnanimously.
Of course, I ruined the effect by giggle-snorting, but he just grinned and kissed my cheek. He put one hand on my hip as he grabbed the drink with the other.
“Thank you, Baby. Now, this isn’t straight whiskey. It’s a cocktail I made with you in mind,” he said, grinning at me as he held the glass to my lips.
I tipped it back, taking a healthy swig, and was shocked at the delightful flavors bursting across my palate.
The cocktail was light and fruity with a spicy sort of bite that was the whiskey itself.
I’d always thought of that particular liquor as a man’s drink, but this was actually quite refreshing.
“It’s good!”
“You sound surprised,” he teased, and pulled me closer.
He nuzzled my nose and dropped a quick kiss on my lips before moving on to the next drink and pairing.
“Now, of course, I’d want something a little more sophisticated for the actual day, but I think I can manage something like this. The thing is Del, I couldn’t have done this without you,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously as I took the next nibble.
“What?” I asked, almost choking on the bit of prosciutto and melon I’d chosen as my next bite.
“Delani, I know it is fast and you and I have a long way to go yet, but I think this is big. My feelings for you, I mean, and I was wondering if maybe, well, if you wouldn’t consider being my date for Valentine’s Day?”
I swallowed without actually choking. Barely. My pulse raced as I stared into Sonny’s deep brown eyes.
“Are you serious?”
“About you, Del? Always,” he said, and hope glimmered in his gaze so bright it warmed me like a fire.
“Please Delani. I have feelings for you I never thought I would have for another person. I want to be with you, Baby. I’m sorry our date has to be here for the tasting, and if you don’t want to spend Valentine’s here, I mean, I swear I will make it up to you?—”
“Oh no! Sonny, that isn’t it. I think this place is great. I’m just surprised you asked me,” I replied, biting my lower lip.
“Surprised? Why?” he asked, tipping my face up with his forefinger on my chin so I had to look at him when I answered.
“It’s just, well, I haven’t had a date for Valentine’s Day in a really long time,” I confessed, my cheeks blazing with embarrassment.
Sonny stayed silent for a moment. Then, his face broke out in a wide, panty-melting grin.
“I promise to make this a Valentine’s Day you won’t forget, Delani Whitman. Just say yes.”
I already knew my answer. I didn’t have to think about it. Without hesitation, I launched myself at him, trusting Sonny to catch me.
And he did. Hell yes, he did.
Maybe this man really was special. Maybe we were as good together as he said we were.
It was early days yet, but I was willing to give it a try. To give us a try.
“Is that what you wanted to ask me?”
“Yeah,” he confirmed, canting his head to the side.
“Sonny,” I whispered, biting my lip as my pulse ran away with me. “Yes, I will be your date for Valentine’s Day, but on one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“You let me help for the tasting,” I said, my own mind churning with a dozen ideas on how to add the right touches to his very important event.
“Baby, you don’t have to do that.”
“I know that. That’s why I want to. What do you say?”
He pulled me into his hard body, and I wrapped my hands around his neck, watching that smile I was starting to really, really like tug at the corner of his lips.
“To you? Baby, my answer is always yes. Come here and kiss me, Del.”
I smiled so wide my cheeks hurt. Sonny was responsible for that. I could only hope I made him happy as well.
The rumbling growl coming from his throat as he spread biting kisses along my neck told me I did.
Looked like I was getting everything I always wanted.
Business was good. My neighbor problems handled. And I had Sonny.
For the first time, I think I was gonna have a good Valentine’s Day.