13. No Person to Person Contact
THIRTEEN
NO PERSON TO PERSON CONTACT
Rylee
Trey’s eyes darken from steely gray to almost black. His lips part as his gaze starts at the black off the shoulder relaxed upper bodice then drifts down to the fitted skirt and eventually lands on the nude pumps, all courtesy of Dessa.
“You’re absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful.”
“Thank you.” A soft smile covers my lips. His compliment, mixed with the way he can’t stop staring, makes me feel beautiful. Something Kyle rarely said to me. I shove the thought away. My date with Trey doesn’t need to be filled with thoughts of my ex. “Let me grab my wallet and we can go. So, what’s our plan?” I ask over my shoulder.
“Well, that’s entirely up to you.” He reaches inside his charcoal gray suit jacket and pulls out two plain white envelopes, fanning them out in front of him. “You get to pick our date. Pick a card and that’s what we’re doing.”
I peer at him and then at the envelopes, a smile tugging at my lips. Bending down, I examine them, hoping to discover they’re semi-transparent, but nothing. I pinch my fingers over the one on the right and pull it from his grasp. I hold it out to him, and he lifts the flap, pulls out a card, reads it, then shoves it back inside.
“What does it say?” I ask eagerly.
A boyish grin covers his face. “That’s part of the surprise.”
Once at his SUV, Trey moves a manilla folder from his passenger seat. “Can we make a quick detour before our date? I need to drop these papers off with an agent.”
“Of course.”
“It will be quick. Then we can continue with what’s really important. Our date.” He reaches across the center console and links his fingers with mine.
“Really, it’s okay.”
My stomach does somersaults as thoughts of the last time I was in Trey’s SUV flash through my mind. In the backseat to be exact, as his cock stretched me, sliding in and out. The way he sucked on my heated skin. My nipples pebble underneath my dress and I rub my legs together to release some of the tension.
From the corner of his eyes, Trey glances over at me. “Are you all right over there? You’re squirming in your seat.”
“Yeah. Fine,” I choke out. I’m not thinking about you pulling the car over and us hopping in the backseat so I can live out my thoughts. It’s not normal for me to want to ride his cock like a pogo stick every time he’s near. In need of a distraction, I force my attention out the window, so I can stop daydreaming about sex with the hot as sin guy next to me.
Trey heads south and pulls into a new housing development. Empty lots and half-built houses pass by us until he pulls onto a dirt driveway. Near the fully erect house, two cars are parked parallel to the building, but one piques my interest.
The SUV comes to a stop kiddy corner to the two vehicles. He pulls the folder off the dash. “I’ll be right back.”
I nod.
After the door closes behind him, I squint hoping for a better look at the older dark blue truck. It’s eerily similar to the one that followed me the other night. I rise in my seat needing a better view, mostly to see if it’s missing a passenger side mirror but it’s too hard to tell. My hand rests on the door handle ready to step out and check, but Trey emerges from the house.
He climbs in and reverses out of the driveway. “Thanks for waiting.”
I chuckle. “Where was I going to go?”
“I don’t know.” He turns toward me, a grin on his face. “High tail it across the field over there.”
“If I wasn’t wearing these heels, it might be a different story.” I toy with the hem of my dress, contemplating mentioning the truck to Trey. “Do you know whose truck that was?”
“Henry Wilcox. He purchased the property. Do you know him?”
I shake my head. “No. I thought his truck looked familiar though.” I brush off any more thoughts of the truck. I’m sure it’s nothing.
During the twenty-minute drive from the housing development to downtown Harbor Highlands, we make small talk. Trey tells me about a new housing development that he’s involved with, and I tell him about a new movie I watched. Sadly, my life isn’t as exciting as his, but he hangs on to my every word and even asks questions as if he’s genuinely interested. I could talk about dirt, and it seems he’d still listen with interest.
By the time we reach downtown, the sun dips below the horizon, casting a warm, amber glow on the cityscape. Trey finds an open parking spot along the busy main street. I push open my door and Trey is already waiting for me with his elbow held out on the sidewalk. Unable to mask my smile, I link my arm in the crook of his as we stroll side by side. The air buzzes with a symphony of footsteps, laughter, and snippets of conversations. Illuminated storefronts pass by as we approach the middle of the block.
Up ahead, the awning of Tandoori, a fine dining Indian restaurant, comes into view. I’ve been there once, and the food was average at best, but it’s definitely out of my normal price range. My hand becomes clammy at the mere thought of the hefty price tag attached to dinner. I don’t want to be presumptuous about who’s paying for dinner, so I made sure to tuck a few twenties into my wallet.
Trey senses my nervousness and glances down. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes. Just a little chill in the air.”
“Do you want my jacket?”
“No. I’m okay.”
He drops my arm and takes his jacket off and throws it over my shoulders anyway.
His musky leather and spice scent surrounds me. I inhale another deep breath, wanting to savor his scent for as long as possible. “Thank you.” I smile up at him. “I thought maybe the long sleeves of the dress would be fine, but apparently not.”
As we approach Tandoori, I slow my pace, but Trey’s steps never falters.
After we pass the restaurant, I glance up at him. “Where are we going? I thought we were going to dinner?”
“Yes, but not there.”
There’s only one other restaurant within walking distance. We come to a stop at the crosswalk and wait for traffic to clear before crossing the road. Instead of following the main sidewalk, we veer left toward a side street. I press my lips together, biting back my smile because there is only one place we could be going.
“You mentioned your favorite food was Indian and the only restaurant that made sense was The Curry Kitchen.”
Now, I’m fighting my smile for an entirely different reason. “But why did you assume it was The Curry Kitchen? Because the other Indian restaurant is out of my price range?”
“No, because their food is crap and I know you have better taste than that. I’m sorry, curry foam should not be an appetizer. It’s foam.”
I laugh. Because he’s not wrong. Their food is steps below The Curry Kitchen. You definitely don’t get what you pay for with them.
When we reach the door, Trey holds it open for me. Immediately the tantalizing aroma of coriander, cumin, and cardamon invades my nostrils, creating an aromatic buffet that causes my stomach to growl.
The Curry Kitchen isn’t the usual restaurant. It’s more like the dive bar of restaurants, but they have the best Indian food that I’ve ever put in my mouth. The restaurant only holds roughly thirty customers at a time, with only a hand full of four person tables two person tables. With my hand in his, Trey leads me through the restaurant to a secluded corner to where an empty two person table is situated.
“Did you plan this out beforehand?” I ask as Trey takes his jacket from me and pulls out my chair.
“I had to if we were coming here.” He throws the jacket around the backrest of his chair and takes the seat across from me.
“But what if I picked the other card?”
“I guess you’ll never know.” A sly smirk covers his face.
Before I can ask any more questions, one of the two servers pass us each a single-sided paper menu.
As I scan the two columns, I search for any new dishes, but deep down, I know I'll end up ordering my usual. “I don’t even need to look. I already know what I’m getting.”
“And what’s that?”
“Chicken Tikka Masala.”
“I’m ordering the Tandoori Chicken and maybe some Samosas.”
“Those are so delicious. You can never go wrong with deep fried pastries filled with potatoes and peas.”
“I’ll share.”
“Wait.” I sit back in my chair, eyebrows draw together. “You want to share your food with me?”
“Sure. Why not?” He shrugs. “That way, we get a little of each.”
“That’s just... not something I’m used to.”
“Sharing?”
“Pretty much. Ugh.” I lean forward, resting my elbow on the table. “I hate talking about the ex while on a date because it’s so cliché, and I definitely don’t want him back, but he was and unfortunately still is a part of my life. Anyway, the ex was very much against sharing food. It was just weird. It’s not like I was asking him to feed me or anything.”
Trey rests his hand on mine before flipping it over and intertwining our fingers. His dark gaze lingers on mine. It’s intense. My chest rises and falls with each passing second, waiting for him to say something.
“I’ll gladly share my food with you any day.”
A soft laugh escapes me. A part of me wonders if this conversation has steered away from food and on to something else entirely.
“I’ll even feed you if you’d like.”
This time it’s a full belly laugh. “Feeding me isn’t necessary, but I appreciate the offer.”
Hanging out with Trey is just… easy. We can talk about anything and everything and he still makes me laugh, and it’s been too long since I’ve felt this way. Forget doing sit ups, my stomach muscles get a workout just from talking with Trey. But fear firmly plants itself in my gut. What if I fall for this man and he breaks my heart? I don’t know if I can survive it a second time.
Luckily, the server arrives with the samosas, and I can concentrate on the amazing food in front of me instead of everything else. Before the server leaves, Trey asks for an extra plate. A couple of minutes later, our entrees arrive, and we dish up as if we’re eating family style.
Trey holds out a fork full of chicken and rice toward me. “You have to try this. It’s so good.”
I eye the fork and then Trey before leaning over and wrapping my mouth around his fork. His heated gaze drops to my lips as they slide off the metal tines.
“Mmm.” I finish chewing, then swallow. “That is delicious.”
We continue eating while sharing bites of food with each other. As simple as dinner is for a date, this has been one of the best dates I’ve been on.
The server drops our bill off at the table and immediately Trey slides it toward him. I reach for my wallet, and he cocks his head to the side. “What are you doing?”
“Oh. Um. I don’t want to be presumptuous.”
He leans forward, his voice is deep and silky with a hit of seduction. “Know this, when you’re out with me, I fully intend to make sure you’re treated like a princess.”
His words are a direct hit to my lady bits. When I’m with him, he makes me feel exactly that, and while I love the wining and dining, all I need is his companionship. I set my elbow on the table, resting my chin on my hand, and lean forward. “What if I don’t always want to be treated like a princess?” I wink.
Trey leans forward, mimicking my pose. “How do you want me to treat you?”
I bite my lower lip before lifting my gaze to meet his. “Like a bad girl.”
“But what if I like good girls more?”
“We could get out of here and see which one you get.”
He groans. “Fuck. Don’t tease me like that.” Our server strolls past us and does a double take.
My entire body flames red hot. I drop my gaze to the table and shield my face with my hand.
He chuckles. “You’re cute when you blush. On that note, let’s get out of here.”
I nod.
“Oh, wait.” He reaches behind him and digs out two red envelopes from his suit jacket. He fans them out toward me. “You need to pick our next activity.”
A wide grin covers my face. My nose scrunches as I eenie meenie miny moe my choice. I tap the envelope on the right. Trey pulls out the card, reads it, and shoves it back inside. Again, he doesn’t tell me what it says, and I know if I ask, he’ll only tell me it’s a surprise. All he does is rise to his feet and holds out his hand to help me up. Once standing, he wraps his coat around my shoulders before leaving cash and a generous tip on the table for our bill. As he leads me out, I feel the warmth of his hand on the small of my back.
When we reach Trey’s SUV, he opens the passenger door for me and I climb in, doing my best to not flash everyone my underwear. A dress this short makes it a challenge. Trey rounds the hood and climbs in.
“So, this requires a location change?”
“It does." As he reverses out of the parking spot, he glances at me. The streetlight causes his eyes to twinkle while his lips tip up into a half smirk. Streaks of light flash past us as we drive down the street. After a left turn and then a right, he’s parking his vehicle again.
I peer out the window and a neon sign flashes above us like an old movie theater. “Arcade Palace? Are you going to play Skee Ball to win me a stuffed teddy bear?”
“No. This is even better.” He spares a glance my way, a twinkle in his eye.
I’m both nervous and excited for what he has planned. Spontaneity isn’t my normal behavior, but with Trey, I’m learning to enjoy it. Before I can ask any more questions, he’s slamming his door shut and meeting me at mine. He holds out his hand and helps me out as a breeze from the lake whisps around us. We stroll hand in hand through the wide double doors.
“But seriously, what are we doing here?” I glance up at him with pinched eyebrows.
Trey comes to a stop in front of a long counter, and I stand next to him. “Have you ever played laser tag?”
“Laser tag?”
A boyish grin covers his face as he nods.
I peer down at my dress, landing on the heels. The last time I wore heels was at my wedding and those only lasted an hour. I’ve already broken my heel wearing record. Now he expects me to run and jump in them. Peering up, I meet Trey’s gaze. “I might be at a bit of a disadvantage here.”
“The dress? Feel free to take it off.” He smirks.
I playfully smack his arm. “The shoes. I can’t run around in these.”
“Then we need a little wager. If I win, I get to pick the last activity of our date and if you win, you pick.”
Unable to turn down a challenge, I hold out my hand. “You’re on.” His long fingers wrap around mine and we shake. “Also, I failed to mention, I used to be a Duck Hunt champion.”
“I guess I’ll get to see your moves in action.”
The counter attendant greets us and gets us hooked up with all the laser tag equipment. Trey bought out the entire room so it would only be us in a five round elimination battle royale. The teenage attendant gives us the rundown on the rules.
The fluorescent overhead lights dim as yellow, red, blue, and green halogen lights fill the arena. Above us, the countdown flashes on the LCD screen.
Three.
Two.
One.
Go.
The buzzer echoes off the walls. Trey races to the left. My heels clatter on the cement as I scamper to the right and duck behind an obstacle. With my back pressed against the wall, my heart hammers in my chest. It’s been years since I’ve played any type of game like this. It’s actually exhilarating. I raise my laser gun into position with my finger on the trigger. Rising to my feet, I peer over the top, thankful that the heels at least give me a couple extra inches. Movement from my left catches my attention and I duck down and inch my way around the corner, careful not to make any noise. I peer over the edge again and I don’t see Trey, so I race across the pathway and take cover behind another large block obstacle.
From the other side of the small arena, Trey whistles “Pop! Goes the Weasel”.
“I won’t lie! That’s kind of creepy!” I yell into the air.
Trey’s laugh echoes off the walls.
“That’s creepy too.”
Shit. He probably knows where I am now.
With my back smashed against the wall, I peek around the corner and take off once I see the coast is clear. I hold my breath and keep my gaze trained to my right, hoping to hear any noise Trey might be making.
Suddenly, my vest chimes and flashes red. I glance down and spin around. Trey standing there, the smuggest smile on his lips.
“Pop! Goes the Rylee,” he sings.
I rise to my feet.
“I thought you were the Duck Hunt champion.” He holds his laser gun out.
“It’s only one round. I’ll get the next one.” I strut past him and shove the plastic gun into his chest.
“ Ooomph. Feisty. I like it.”
I offer a little extra sway in my hips because I know he’s watching me from behind.
Once we’re at the starting position, I turn to Trey and narrow my eyes. “This round is mine.”
“And you’ll be mine when I win.”
My lips split into a wide grin. “Keep dreaming.”
“I do every night.”
It didn’t take long for laser tag to turn from a fun family game to something more sexual. I wonder what kind of dreams he has? If they’re anything like mine, we might be in trouble. Right now, I don’t need the distraction of naked Trey and figuring out what this is between us. Instead, I’m going to live in the now. I slam my hand against the button and the countdown starts again, followed by the buzzer.
This time Trey goes right, and I race straight ahead and then hang a left around a big block obstacle. I know I can’t let him get me this time. I tiptoe around the corner, holding my laser gun in front of me. If James Bond and Lara Croft had a love child, that would be me right now as I inch my way along the rear wall.
When I was on the right side, I remember there was a little alcove and I can almost guarantee that’s where he’s hiding. I continue to inch my way along the wall and circle around toward the right before ducking down. With my back flat against a ramp obstacle, I crouch down and peer around the corner. A mop of dark hair peeks out from the alcove. He twists my way and I snap back to hide around the edge. After a few seconds, I dare to take a peek and sure enough, he’s moving along the wall away from me. I raise my laser gun, taking aim using the plastic center hold sight. With a steady finger, I pull back the trigger until it clicks. His vest chimes, lighting him up red. Slowly, he turns around, frowning.
I rise to my full height, holding my gun while popping my hip like a sexy Laura Croft. “I saw the duck. I shot the duck. One-One. Game on.” I strut past him, but this time, he wraps his hand around my waist, hauling me to him.
“I gave you that one. I didn’t want you to feel bad about yourself.”
“Oh, you’re so full of it.”
He bends down and presses a chaste kiss to my lips. “That was for good luck.”
“Good luck for me? Or you?”
“For both of us.”
I stand in position, gun raised for dramatic effect, ready for round three. Trey hits the button and after the buzzer sounds and we take off in opposite directions. Immediately, I hide behind the first obstacle I come across. Crouching down, my chest heaves as I plan my strategy. Footsteps to my right draw closer and closer. I jump to my heels and shuffle to my left. Within a couple of steps, an arm wraps around my waist.
“Ahhhh!”
Trey’s hand covers my mouth, then his warm breath whispers over the shell of my ear. “Shhh. They’ll hear you.”
He pushes me against one of the block obstacles and spins me around, so we’re face to face.
“What was rule six? No person to person contact.”
“That’s a dumb rule. I’m vetoing.”
“You can’t just veto the rules.”
“Watch me.” He slams his lips to mine in a searing hot and demanding kiss.
I forget where we are, that I’m wearing a laser tag vest, and hell, I forget my own name. He does this to me with only a kiss.
He drops his laser gun on a block next to us and then he does the same with mine. I moan into his mouth, and he deepens the kiss. His tongue curls over mine, slow and seductive. Goosebumps prickle my skin as he slides his hand down my rib cage and stops at my waist. Without breaking contact with my mouth, he lifts me up and sets me on top of a block obstacle. He wedges himself between my legs, causing my dress to ride up my thighs. His semihard cock grinds against my lace covered pussy, or I grind against him. At this point, I’m not even sure. Either way, I don’t want it to end. His palms cup my cheeks, holding me in place as our tongues slide and caress against each other’s. I wrap my legs around his waist and hook my ankles behind him, tugging him even closer to me.
A crackle and hiss fill the air, cutting through the silence. “Excuse me? You can’t do that here.”