Chapter Twenty-Four
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Eugene looked in the dining room mirror and adjusted his tie. The blue suit looked good. And the watch? Still a damn shock.
He’d gotten birthday and Christmas presents, sure. But an out-of-the-blue gift from a woman? He had to admit that was a first. That Natalie thought enough about him to choose something so personal made him feel…
Hell, he didn’t exactly know how he felt other than really good.
“You look amazing.”
He looked up and caught sight of Natalie in the mirror.
Whoa. He turned around and saw her coming toward him, wearing a short, cream-colored dress that showcased every single one of her incredible assets.
“Wow. You look…stunning.”
“Well, thank you.” She turned and reached for her bag before moving in front of him. Eugene didn’t know whether to look at her amazing legs, the way that dress showed tantalizing hints of cleavage, or the way it cupped her incredible ass. But her knowing smile? The one that said she knew she looked damn fine? That was the killer, especially with her lips painted that irresistible shade of hot pink.
He teased his fingers along the column of her throat, down her arm, and took hold of her hand. “You sure about going out for dinner? Because I could get that dress off of you in about ten seconds.”
Her lips curved. “Oh, we’re definitely going out, and you can wait for…dessert…until later.”
He heaved in a breath, let it out, and said, “If you insist.”
They took a car to the restaurant. He’d made reservations at Le CouCou. He’d eaten there before on previous trips and the food and atmosphere were excellent.
“This place looks really nice,” Natalie said as they were seated at a table against the wall. The server came over and offered up the wine list, asking if they wanted something else to drink. Eugene looked to Natalie.
“I’ll have water for now, but I think I’ll definitely want some wine.” She looked to Eugene, who asked for the same.
He perused the wine list, then handed it over to Natalie.
“Choose something that looks good to you,” he said.
“Okay.”
She studied it for a few minutes, then sild the list back to him. “The zinfandel looks good. What do you think?”
He nodded and closed the list, ordering a bottle when their server returned with their water.
They looked over their menus and talked about all the items, whether they wanted appetizers or salads, and what they might be in the mood for.
“I’m thinking the Dover sole,” Natalie said. “Or maybe the halibut. Though the sea bass looks good, too.”
“So, you’re ordering all three?”
She laughed. “No. I’ll figure it out. What are you having?”
“The filet. Or the duck. Maybe the lamb.”
“Now who’s having trouble deciding?”
Their server returned, opened and poured their wine, then asked if they had any questions about the menu. Natalie surprised Eugene by deciding immediately on the sea bass, while Eugene went an entirely different direction and ordered the lobster. They agreed on an appetizer, and the server left to place their order.
Eugene lifted his glass. “To us, and this trip together.”
She tipped her glass to his, her gaze locked to his. “To us.”
She sipped her wine and licked her lips, and his gaze tracked her tongue, his stomach tightening as he thought about how warm and wet her tongue felt wrapped around his.
“This is really nice, Eugene,” she said. “You didn’t have to go so fancy.”
“You deserve fancy. And a whole lot more.”
“You’ve already given me a lot. Just being able to get away for a few days is so incredibly fun and relaxing. You have no idea.”
“I’m glad you’re having a good time so far.” He picked up his wineglass and took a swallow, then set it down. “So. What are the plans for tomorrow?”
“I’m going to storm the fashion district.”
“Uh-oh. Should I warn them in advance?”
“It’s best they don’t know I’m coming.”
He let out a short laugh. “Okay, then. But, seriously, did you bring an empty suitcase for fabric?”
She shrugged and swirled the liquid around in her glass. “Everything can be shipped.”
“You’re very smart.”
She took a sip of her wine and smiled at him over the rim. “Yes. I am.”
“That means you have a list of what you want.”
“Not really. I want to explore, see what’s out there, what strikes me and I just have to have it. I’ve been meaning to reupholster one of my favorite chairs that my grandmother gave me, and I’m looking for fabric for it. I just haven’t found anything that hits the mark yet.”
“Mmm. So sometimes you look at a fabric and it just grabs you by the gut, and then you’ll know it’s exactly what you need?”
Her lips curved at his understanding. “Yes. That’s it exactly.”
He couldn’t really appreciate the whole fabric thing, but what he did get was knowing when a thing was meant to be, that it just fit. It was a lot like his job, when he was designing a game and bits and pieces fell into place. That sense of rightness, of satisfaction, really hit his happy meter. Maybe it wasn’t exactly the same as what Natalie was talking about, but he understood where she was coming from.
They enjoyed their appetizer and chatted about the kids. Eugene talked about his brothers, and he was struck by how easily conversation flowed with Natalie. Throughout their dinner, they never ran out of things to talk about, from family to work to their varied interests. He liked that they weren’t exactly the same. That meant he had things to learn from her. It also didn’t hurt that he could sit and watch her for hours, because she was so beautiful and animated and passionate when she talked.
“So then Mariah had the audacity to tell me that Cammie couldn’t be in the same ballet class as her daughter because Bellamy had been dancing since she was six months old, which was the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard.”
Eugene swallowed the bite of lobster he had taken, then frowned. “Wait. Babies can’t walk that early, can they?”
“Of course not. Bellamy might have been wiggling her butt then, but ballet? Please.”
“Wow. Some moms are really…something, huh?”
She stabbed fish onto her fork and nodded. “Understatement.”
“I can’t imagine the bullshit you have to deal with being a parent. Not just arguing with your ex, but the one-upmanship from other moms, too?”
“Everything’s a competition these days. It’s exhausting. I feel bad for the kids who have friends with shitty overly competitive parents. Instead of letting them just have fun, it’s a constant requirement that they be the best.”
Eugene had no idea. “That sets them up for failure. Or at the very least resentment.”
“Right? There’s plenty of time for vigorous competition when they get older. Why not just let them have fun and make friends when they’re little?”
“I don’t disagree. So what’s your solution to the ballet competition?”
“I talked to Cheryl, the owner of the ballet studio, to make sure she wasn’t on the same wavelength as Mariah. She definitely wasn’t. There are no tryouts, and they all go in the same classes by age group. They aren’t separated by skill level until they reach middle school age, and even then, there are still beginner level classes for kids who are just starting out.”
“Seems fair.”
“It does, and I was relieved to hear that Cammie wasn’t going to have to get competitive. Not yet, anyway. Not that my daughter isn’t competitive. She’s very fierce in that regard.”
Eugene laughed and lifted his glass for a sip. “Hey, nothing wrong with wanting to win or be the best at what you do.”
“True. And I’m fine with that. I just don’t want either of my kids to be forced into something if they’re not ready.”
“I understand that. How about Christopher?”
“He’s ready to tear it all down at a moment’s notice.”
Eugene laughed. “So, a little competitive, huh?”
“Very. He’s looking forward to soccer season.”
“I loved playing soccer. I wanna see Christopher play.”
She gave him a curious look. “You would? I know he’d enjoy that.”
“Good. Let me know when his games start.”
“He’s little, you know. They’re not exactly what I’d call official games.”
“I know,” he said with a laugh. “More like bees buzzing around each other.”
“Yes. Exactly like that.”
After dinner, they headed outside and Eugene called for the car, which had been parked nearby.
“Feel good?” Eugene asked.
Natalie inhaled and let it out on a sigh. “I feel great. Thank you for a fantastic dinner. I’ve had a wonderful night.”
He slid his hand over hers, entwining his fingers with hers, giving her a secretive smile. “Night’s not over yet.”