Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
NATE
We're shown to our table by the host, led through the busy restaurant until we're at our table towards the back of the restaurant. The young man goes to pull James' chair for her but I beat him to it, there was no way he was getting the satisfaction of pulling my wife's chair out. I give him a snarky smile as I tuck her into the table and then take my own seat.
“May I get you a wine menu?” he glares at me, clearly a little put out by my interruption, but fuck him.
“That would be great,” I widen my grin as he turns away and disappears to the front of the restaurant.
James sits a little taller, hands placed on the table in front of her, fingers drumming softly against the table clothed surface.
“Are you okay?” I lean in, my voice a little louder over the soft sounds of music and the loud chatter that rolls through the restaurant.
She nods, eyes all glassy as the host returns with the wine menus, handing one to James before myself.
I have royally fucked him off.
“What are you fancying? Is there a wine in particular that you like?” I ask her, her eyes batted down as they scan across the menu page.
“I like a white, kind of on the sweeter side,” she blinks at me, “but if you don't like that, I will go with what you would like,” she smiles sweetly at me and fuck she makes my heart ache.
“A sweet white sounds perfect,” my lip pulls at one side as I close the menu just as my little friend reappears.
“We will take a bottle of the white Moscato and a bottle of still water for the table,” I hand him the menu and James turns to him before he takes it from her, a warm smile radiating across his face, holding her gaze a little longer than I may have liked.
I clear my throat, and he scarpers away back towards the front.
“So,” James smiles at me, her eyes glistening under the dim lights, “have you been here before?”
I shake my head softly, “Nope, my buddy Kaleb told me about this amazing restaurant called Cucina 8⒈／⒉ .” I trail off for just a moment. “Then his fiancée told me that they filmed a scene from Sex and The City here, but it used to be called something else...”
“Oh wow,” she looks around the restaurant, kind of in awe maybe?
“Have you watched it?” I ask, my fingers playing with a piece of thread that has pulled on the tablecloth, my fingers edging closer to hers.
“Only once, I need to watch it again really, I loved Carrie and Big,” she sighs, but a ghost of a smile creeps onto her lips.
“I preferred Aiden,” I wink, running my spare hand through my hair and letting out a rumble of a laugh just as our wine is placed in a chiller next to us and our glasses turned over.
He hovers for a moment before popping the cork and filling my glass up before James' for me to taste.
Hate this part, there’s no need.
Sure, I know they have to do it to make sure it's been corked correctly but I am no connoisseur, I had no idea if a bloody wine tasted off or not.
I swirled the glass like I have seen so many people do and took a taste... tastes great. I give a heavy nod for him to fill up James' glass then he returns the bottle over my glass and fills it. Placing it back in the chiller, he stands for a moment.
“Do you know what you would like to order?” he asks, eyes slicing from me to James and she shakes her head.
“We haven't even had a chance to look yet,” she replies softly, eyes widening on him before they're back on me, where they belong.
He nods then turns on his heel.
“Persistent isn't he,” I chuckle quietly and shuffle in my seat before curling my fingers around the stem of the wine glass and bringing it to my lips.
“He is,” she agrees, mirroring my own actions and lifting her glass to her full, pouty lips and taking a small mouthful. I watch the way her expression changes as the wine coats her tongue, the way her throat bobs as she swallows the silky alcohol down her pretty throat.
“Nice?” I ask, swirling my wine glass but not really sure why.
“Delicious,” she licks her lips and places the glass back on the table and next to the bottle of water that sits there.
I give a small smile and my eyes skate down for just a moment.
“So, Nate, or is it Nathaniel?” she teases my name on her tongue almost and it sounds heavenly.
“Nate,” My eyes connect with hers and the air shifts between us ever so slightly, kind of catching me off guard.
Nathaniel .
“Have you always lived in New York?” she asks me, playing with the edge of her menu as she speaks.
“I have, I’ve never left the states,” and my brows furrow for just a moment as her lips part, eyes widening for a split second.
“Really?” she seems taken aback by my answer.
“Really,” I half shrug and she smiles.
“Well maybe we need to have a little honeymoon in Europe, what do you think? Paris, Rome, London...” she trails off just as my friend appears with a notepad this time.
“Why are you hovering?” I turn to look up at him because honestly, he is getting on my last nerve. “Plus, are you not the host?”
“I have been assigned your table,” he stands a little taller, puffing his chest out trying to make himself feel better, clearly.
“That's convenient isn't it,” I roll my eyes and pick the menu up. “Baby,” I tease the word on my tongue, her cheeks turn that pretty pink I have become very quickly fond of, and she blinks a couple of times at me. “Can we pause our conversation for just a moment, because...” and I trail off, looking at his name badge, “Tyler here can't seem to wait to take our order,” I give her a playful wink as my eyes cast down again to browse the menu.
“Of course not,” her voice floats around me, wrapping me up in pure silk and my heart jolts in my chest.
“Can we have a fatta in casa? ” my eyes dart to hers and she gives a soft nod.
“And for mains?” he asks, a little snappier.
There goes his tip.
Cunt.
“I'll take the shrimp tortellini,” James closes her menu and hovers it in his direction.
“And I'll have the lobster cavatelli,” I beam widely at him as I shove the menu under his nose which he takes, then turns to James and bows his head ever so softly.
My lips twitch as her eyes land on me.
“What?” she whispers as she leans in over the table, a glint of playfulness in her blue sapphire eyes.
“I think our waiter has a little crush on you,” and my brows wiggle but also saying those words aloud has a burning rage simmering in my veins.
“Don't be silly,” she shakes her head, face falling down slightly as she looks into her lap.
“Just telling the truth...” I trail off and slip my hand a little closer to where hers are resting. The tip of my pinkie brushes against hers.
“But you're mine, wife .” my heart jackhammers in my chest, “you're my Little Ember.”
She looks up at me, her lips slowly curling into a smile.
“Yours,” she whispers, and pride blooms in my chest.
We spoke quietly over our dinner, I found myself asking her questions that I didn't really need answering, I knew all there was to know.
Her parents died.
She moved here for college.
Met Rune.
She pushes her plate away, exhaling a heavy breath.
“I am so full,” she whispers, and I smile sitting back in my chair as I signal for the waiter to bring another bottle of white.
“Want to take your leftovers home?” I tilt my head to the side as she shakes hers. “Okay cool, now the important question...” I trail off and drum my fingers on the table, “do you have room for dessert?”
“One thing you should know about me, husband ...” her tone is playful, her lips pulling into a smile, “I always have room for dessert.”
Another bottle of wine down and she's giggling, cheeks all rosy and eyes glistening like the stars.
“Okay, okay, so tell me about your childhood. Mine is tragic so I would rather learn about yours,” she says and I don't miss the hint of sadness that washes across her face, but she soon masks it.
“Not a lot to tell really, born into a family where I didn't fit, wasn't really loved...” I pause for a moment and catch the way she stares at me. She pities me.
I hate being pitied.
There are so many more people that deserve pity, I am not one of them.
“Don't feel sorry for me,” I nod, my tone a little cold and I can see how it catches her off guard. “I'm okay, I'm doing well,” and it isn't a lie, far from one. I am doing well. “I've built an empire with my three best friends, and now...” and this time I do reach across and cover her hand with mine, my thumb brushing against the gold band on her wedding finger, “I have you. A wife. Sure, we didn't fall in love, but we like each other...” my brows raise, “well, I know I like you... I can't say how you feel,” and I laugh softly.
“I like you,” she rolls her lips, and her cheeks turn blossom pink.
“Well then, I have everything I need.” I retract my hand and the tingles that were once strong were now fading into nothing, I missed it.
“Do you want kids?” her question kind of catches me off guard.
“Honestly?” I return a question to her question.
“Honestly,” she nods, dragging her hands into her lap.
“I don't think so,” I pause for a moment, eyes burning into hers, “do you?”
“I don't think so?” but her answer is a question, which means she is open to changing it.
“What are your reasons?” I lean across the table, fingers linked together.
“Most likely the same as yours,” her eyes shift before they're locked with mine.
“Shitty childhood.”
“Mmm.”
“I mean, it makes sense doesn't it.” I half ask, half tell.
“But does it? When I speak to Heidi and Brooke, they don't get it. If anything they think that I should have kids to know what it is like for that unconditional love, to be able to give my children a childhood I never had, but...” she pauses for a moment and wets her tongue with a mouthful of wine, “it wasn't that my parents were horrible, from what I can remember, they were the best parents a kid could ask for. But to go through the pain of losing them both? To be an orphan? Well... it hits a little differently. How could I parent children when I can't remember what it was like to be parented...” she trails off and looks me dead in the eye.
“I get that completely. My childhood was different, I was just left to it, kind of brought myself up in a way... but it made me the man I am today, and I can't be mad at them for that, so in a weird, fucked up, twisted version of fate, they helped me.”
“I never thought of it like that, for someone who had an upbringing like you...”
“It never made me sad, I just knew I was born into a family that didn't deserve me, but they made me want so much more than what they had to offer,” and the breath catches at the back of my throat. I have never said that out loud. Always thought about it, but never have I told anyone in my forty-seven years of life. Not even Kaleb. He was my best friend out of them all; maybe, probably.
Her eyes glisten a little, but she blinks it away quickly in hopes that I didn't notice, but I did.
“You deserve to be loved Nate,” and she nods a few times, “whether that’s by a partner or a child.”
Or whether it's you .
I want to say it, but I don't.
I just nod at her and reach for my wine glass.
“I feel like this has all got a little heavy...” she pauses and her lips curl into a smile.
“What's your favorite color?” I ask her randomly and she blinks a couple of times, as if trying to think.
“Orange, maybe?”
“Yours?”
Orange.
“I'm not ready to tell yet,” I scoff a soft laugh, but I am desperate to tell her, just not yet. Before it was orange, during her it will be orange, and after her... it'll still forever be orange.
“Favorite music?” she fires at me.
“Country, you?”
“Hmmm,” she taps her fingers against her chin, “I'm going to be one of those really annoying people that say a bit of everything.”
I tip my head back before my eyes are on hers.
“You can't say everything, there must be one genre you like more than others.”
She rolls her eyes, “Fine, errrr, eighties, maybe... with a sprinkling of nineties R&B.”
“You're too young for that to be your favorite,” I laugh, “you weren't even born.” She crosses her arms across her chest and pouts, and I find myself laughing deeply at her. “I am just being honest.”
“Sorry old man, I am surprised war time music wasn't your favorite,” and she scrunches her nose up.
“Ouch,” I cover my heart with my hand and sink into the chair and she giggles and fuck, it's the most beautiful sound.
“Only joking,” and she sighs playfully before she drains her wine.
“Did you want to head off? We can dip into a bar, or go home...”
I wanted more to drink, but I drove and had to stop after my second glass. James on the other hand... well she had sunk a bottle and half to herself and was very much still holding her own.
“How about we go home and you can drink with me... I still have questions I want to ask,” she flutters her lashes at me and my stomach knots.
I needed to get home.
Needed to be closer to her somehow.
Not that I think anything will happen between us. This is just an arrangement.
“Plus, the contract,” she teases and I am so close to just replying ‘fuck the contract’.
Because in that contract, it is there in black and white that this relationship is purposely for business and not pleasure, in any form.
And the thought of not being able to ever touch her through this arrangement is killing me. The burn in my gut at the thought of it is unbearable, but I need to put my business head on, I need to push any feelings for James away for as long as I can until this is done. Until the deal has been struck. I needed to focus on taking down Secure Corp, and if she was still around once she learns the truth... then maybe I’ll be able to touch her in the way I am so desperate to.
I give her a knowing nod and signal the waiter over. Lucky for me, James' admirer seems to have crawled back into the hole he came from.
“Can I get the check?” and he nods, disappearing to the front of the house to ring it up.
“May I get this?” she offers, fiddling in her purse and I shake my head from side to side.
“No Little Ember, this is on me,” and I slide my black AmEx across the table, “but how about you treat me to a coffee tomorrow morning?” Confusion laces her face for just a moment. “I want a James coffee... I want to see what is so special with the way you make it.”
Her cheeks redden as her smile deepens, small dimples presenting themselves in her cheeks and fuck, my heart.
“Okay mister, I can do that for you,” she closes her purse back up just as the check is placed in front of me, but I don't even look at it, just hand him my AmEx and he disappears.
“Are you sure I can't give you a little something towards it?” and I can see the way guilt consumes her.
“Your company is enough, James... and what you've done for me... well, dinner is the last thing I would expect you to pay for,” the waiter returns and hands me my card which I tuck into my wallet before throwing some notes down that I make sure our new waiter gets.
“Are you ready?” I stand, holding my hand out for which she takes and that ripple is back, slowly turning into a tingle.
Leading her through the restaurant, many eyes are on her and I can't say I blame them.
She is flawless.
They're probably thinking what the hell is she doing with a guy like him... but I don't care, because right about now I feel like the luckiest man in the world.
And it's all because of her.