16. Bree
By the time Samson stopped the limo outside an unfamiliar, upscale restaurant near the White House, my boiling anger had reduced to a simmer. I still planned to give the dragon a piece of my mind, but at least I wouldn’t sound like a crazy woman while doing it.
That was the goal, anyway. Fingers crossed I could pull it off.
Besides, I couldn’t turn down a free meal and some decent wine for once. Who knew when I’d have the opportunity again? They better be willing to box up any leftovers, too. I didn’t care how tacky that was for a place like this.
The door opened, and the driver offered his hand.
I stepped out of the limo. “Thank you, Samson. I hope he pays you well.”
His brown eyes twinkled with amusement as I tucked the borrowed clutch beneath my arm. “That he does, Ms. Johnson. Enjoy your evening.”
I took a deep breath and entered the restaurant.
A sparkling chandelier illuminated the foyer in a warm glow. Dark wood flooring stretched from the door to the lavish dining room behind the host’s podium. The murmur of conversation mostly drowned out the music playing from the speakers, and pink and white floral arrangements added a lovely scent.
A hallway opened to the right, which I assumed led to the bathrooms, and an elevator waited to the left.
The woman standing behind the podium looked up and smiled. “Good evening. Do you have a reservation?”
Talk about a stroke of luck. She had no idea who I was. Now was my chance to get away.
As I turned to escape, I bumped into a man’s massive chest. Mortified at my clumsiness, I took a step back. “Oh! Excuse me.”
“She’s dining with Mr. Sato,” the man said to the host, though his grin was directed at me.
Surprisingly, I recognized his dark tousled hair and ridiculously sculpted physique. It was the man I’d met at Dominic’s penthouse for the massage, thinking it was Dominic himself. I narrowed my eyes. “I see he just loves to get his cronies to do all his dirty work.”
The man’s dark eyes widened, and then he laughed so hard tears nearly spilled down his cheeks. “Oh, yeah, I get Nic’s interest now. Cronies. Ha!”
My cheeks flushed with heat. “If you’ll excuse me…”
As I tried to step around him toward the exit, the man blocked my way. “Trust me, nothing beats the view up there. You have to check it out before you go.”
Apparently, my fancy kidnapping hadn’t ended yet. I could probably scream and get away, but yelling at Dominic in a sophisticated, non-crazy way was still high on my priority list. Plus, my curiosity was getting the best of me. “Up where?”
The host appeared at my side and held out her hand toward the open elevator. “If you’ll follow me?”
Sighing for what was probably the hundredth time that day, I cast a final glare at the man blocking the door. He simply winked as I entered the elevator.
Eight floors up, the elevator doors slid open, and I stepped onto the restaurant’s rooftop deck. A lattice pergola covered part of the terrace’s tables and chairs, but the rest remained open to the clear night sky.
String lights draped around the perimeter, defining the seating area, and candles on each table provided just enough additional light to enjoy the meal and company without ruining the view. The White House stood across the street, its stately elegance only partially muted at night.
Near the elevator, a restaurant employee stood behind a bar, drying wine glasses. He smiled but didn’t make a move to show me where to go. He didn’t have to. There was only one other person on this rooftop terrace, and he was the real view.
Standing with his back facing me, Dominic had one hand tucked casually into the pocket of his black slacks as he gazed out into the night. He wore a red button-down shirt, though he’d rolled the sleeves up to his elbows.
“Enjoy your evening,” the host said, and the elevator door closed behind me with a ding.
When the Red Dragon turned to face me, all the angry words I’d planned to say disappeared. In the soft lighting, he took my breath away. His magnetic presence enveloped me, called me to him like the sweetest songs of the ocean.
His whiskey-colored eyes locked onto mine, and the world around us faded away. “You clean up nicely, princess. I almost didn’t recognize you without your mop.”
Whatever spell his gaze held over me popped like a bubble. He might know what I was after witnessing my magic in action, but that didn’t mean he knew who I was. If he did, then the oath-keeper better do its job and keep those very kissable lips sealed tight.
I scowled. “Don’t call me that.”
He feigned an apologetic look but amusement danced within his gorgeous eyes. “Of course. What would you like me to call you?”
“A cab to go home, please.”
His eyebrows shot up before he laughed. “So polite even when you’re angry.” He strode toward me, a confident swagger in each step, and swept his gaze over me.
My skin was on fire everywhere his gaze fell. Which was literally my entire body. “So annoying even when you’re trying to be charming. What happened to following through with our deal? Why am I here?”
“I agreed to stop harassing you.” The distance between us closed rapidly. “You never said not to take you on a date.”
Was he being obtuse on purpose? “That’s semantics.”
As he drew near, the warm scent of a campfire drifted closer, of mouthwatering cedar embers and spiced hot cocoa. I could just drown in that scent.
My heart hammered in my chest. My instincts demanded I step back, away from the dangerous dragon, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing how he affected me.
Or maybe I just wanted him that close.
“Got better plans for the evening?” He tilted his head to the side. “A new book perhaps?”
I blushed. Frankie and her big fae mouth. “A man who doesn’t read isn’t a man worth knowing.”
He grinned. “I believe you’ll find my library and fondness for reading to be an attractive quality.”
I perked up at the idea of a library, but I still had questions that needed answers. “What I don’t find attractive is you avoiding my questions. Why am I here, Dominic?”
A warm breeze ruffled my dress and teased the strands of my hair into a dance. My pulse sped up as his gaze tracked the movements like a predator does with his prey. I knew that if I tried to run, he would chase me and enjoy it.
Maybe I would, too.
“You’re here because I would like to get to know you better, Gabrielle.”
“It’s just Bree. What if I don’t want to get to know you?” I shot back.
“Something tells me you want to be here as much as I want you here, Just Bree.” Finally taking a few steps backward, he stopped beside the only set table and pulled a chair out. “Let’s find out while we eat. You must be starving.”
As if on cue, my stomach growled. I clutched my handbag tighter beneath my arm as if it would curb my hunger. “Does this whole kidnapping thing usually work for you?”
“To be honest, I’ve never had to resort to such tactics.” Smiling in a seductive way that unsettled as much as excited me, he moved another few steps back until he stood by the other chair. As if giving me distance would make me feel safe enough to sit. “One evening, that’s all I ask of you, Bree. Indulge me. Please?”
Ugh. He just had to go and say “please” like that, all sweet and innocent, and my traitorous body just had to melt as a result. But if anyone asked, I’d blame it on the opportunity for a delicious free meal. I mean, it better be free.
I held my chin up and slid onto the chair he’d pulled out. “Fine. But you better not try to split the bill. I can’t afford a single drink at a place like this.”
He scoffed as he sat across from me. “When I invite someone to dine with me, it’s always my treat.”
“Speaking of which, how often do you treat kidnapped women to spa days before dinner?” I asked.
He gave me a funny look. “Another first.”
“The kidnapping or the spa?”
“Both.”
I rolled my eyes. “Sure it was. Samson and Amy were on a first-name basis.”
His grin made my stomach flip-flop. “I may not treat women to the spa, but I certainly treat myself regularly. I’ve been a valued member at La Belle Vie for the past five years, and Samson has always accompanied me.”
Well, that made sense. Any remaining anger I held onto fizzled out. “Oh.”
“Massages are a necessity when training and fighting.”
“I wouldn’t know,” I said with a slight shrug.
His gaze continued to track my every movement. “Surely you benefit from your sister’s training?”
I let out a laugh and lifted my wine glass, glad to see it was already full and waiting for me. “I realized today she’s been cutting corners with me.”
“Is she your only sister?” He lifted his glass and tilted it slightly in my direction. “To second chances.”
“Is it a second chance if I’ve been kidnapped?” Despite my teasing words, I mirrored his gesture before taking a sip.
Oh my. Decent wine was entirely too modest of a description. This was heaven. The literal nectar of the gods. Maybe I could get a bottle to go. I wasn’t above stealing one either.
“Yes, my only sister. I’m not sure I could handle more than one like Marissa.”
His grin was contagious. “I don’t blame you.”
Although, Frankie was a bit like a sister. Which reminded me… “How did you get Frankie on board?”
“What did that fae woman do?”
“She locked me out of the gym when your driver arrived.”
His surprised laugh sent the butterflies in my stomach into a flurry. “I wish I could take credit for that ingenious move, but that was classic Frankie. As unpredictable as D.C. weather.”
Oh, she was definitely going to be in trouble now. I wasn’t so sure she thought I would win in a fight against the Red Dragon when she’d suggested it. Maybe she’d hoped I would lose and have to go on this date in the first place. Although, why she would care enough to lock me out was beyond me.
“What about you?” I asked, hoping to keep the conversation off my personal life as much as possible. “Any siblings?”
He shook his head. “Only child.”
“Ah, no wonder you’re spoiled rotten,” I said playfully.
A brief moment of pain or sadness crossed his face before he flashed his disarming grin again. “Guilty as charged.”
The momentary vulnerability was intriguing. I eyed him, trying to figure out why my comment had affected him that way. “Are your parents proud of all that you’ve accomplished in life?”
He swirled the wine in his glass and shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. They both died when I was young. My mother during childbirth.”
Crap on a sea biscuit. I’d completely forgotten reading about that during my internet stalking. Was it stalking, though, if it was public knowledge?
My heart ached for him. Without thinking, I reached across the table and placed my hand on his. “I’m so sorry if I’ve stirred up sad memories. I know what it’s like to lose a parent.”
As I started to slide my hand back, he captured my palm in his. He stroked the back of my hand with his thumb, sending wildfire racing through my body.
“It is what it is,” he said softly. “Tell me what happened to yours.”
Gulping down the immediate flood of shame and grief, I wrenched my hand free. I tried to cover up my discomfort by pretending to scratch my arm. “Just a wrong place, wrong time type of thing. But we were talking about you and your accomplishments. How’d you get into fighting?”
His gaze studied my face. “You’re very good at that.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Good at what?”
“Deflecting.”
My pulse sped up, and I smiled nervously, hoping it looked normal. Talking about my life meant lying outright or by omission, neither of which I wanted to do tonight. “I’m just polite, but should we get the elephant out of the room?”
“The elephant?”
I glanced over my shoulder to make sure the server was still behind the bar. “You know, what you saw during the fight.”
“What did I see?”
“You know, my magic.”
He tilted his head to the side, studying me. “Do you wish to discuss it?”
Well, that was hardly what I expected him to say. While I didn’t think he’d be star-struck, I did assume he’d be interested in hearing more about what I was. Sirens on land were a rarity. The fact that he was leaving the decision up to me felt…good.
“No.”
“Then we won’t.”
So matter-of-fact and so incredibly sexy. “I’m more interested in hearing more about the life of the infamous Red Dragon.” I waggled my eyebrows. “I watched you fight for years, you know.”
“I knew you were a bit of a stalker.” He grinned at my fierce blush. Obviously, he wasn’t wrong. “Try not to judge me too harshly from my fighting days. I had to win over crowds with a mostly fictitious persona.”
“So you’re saying you’re not an arrogant playboy?”
His smile practically melted me on the spot. “Not to those who matter the most.”
My heart thumped against my ribs. Like during the massage I’d given him, he was opening up to me, revealing a side I’d never expected from someone like him. I didn’t want to like the idea that I might be special to him somehow, but I did. I liked it a lot.
Of course, this could all be part of his lure to get women into bed with him. But then again, I doubted he’d ever have to go to such lengths for a one-night stand. Not that I was opposed to such an idea either. A night with the Red Dragon was sure to be…memorable.
The elevator door dinged and opened, saving me from entertaining any more of those thoughts. A server in a white polo and crisp black pencil skirt stepped out and approached our table, carrying two plates. She smiled. “Good evening, Mr. Sato, Ms. Johnson.”
Wow. I hadn’t expected them to know my name. I was a nobody.
She set the plates in front of us. “For your first course this evening, we have sous vide octopus salad with heirloom tomatoes and basil vinaigrette. Please let Scott,” she gestured to the server behind the bar, “know if you need anything before the next course.”
With that, she backed away and returned to the elevator.
My mouth watered as I stared at the food in front of me. No, not just food. This was actual art. A masterpiece. I almost didn’t want to destroy it by eating it. Almost, but my stomach won out, forcing me to pick up my knife and fork.
“Have you tried octopus before?” Dominic asked, following my lead.
“Yes, but my usual meals involve a microwave or come from a can.” I wasn’t ashamed of how we lived. We’d chosen to leave a life of luxury behind, and I worked hard to provide the little we had. He didn’t need to know I’d eaten more octopuses in my childhood than he’d have in his entire life.
“Sounds like my childhood.” He smiled. “Chef Boyardee was the only chef I knew back then. My dad wasn’t exactly talented in the kitchen.”
Chuckling, I took a bite of the salad. Immediately, my senses were overwhelmed. The chef had achieved a perfect tenderness with the octopus, and a hint of smoky flavor mixed with the vibrant tomatoes.
Even while chewing, my mouth watered.
I let out a small groan. “This is the most amazing thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.”
Dominic’s eyes narrowed into a hungry look, and a smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. “Is that right?”
As I realized the innuendo I’d unintentionally spoken, a flush crept up my neck. “Does your mind always go straight to the gutter?”
A teasing glimmer danced in his gaze. “Life’s more interesting that way. So tell me, what made you want to take up fighting?”
I took another bite and chewed, giving myself time to contemplate a response without giving too much away. “I suppose you could say it’s my way of finding strength, of proving to myself that I can overcome any challenge, you know?”
He nodded. “I understand that. I’ve always been drawn to the thrill of a challenge. It’s about pushing beyond your limits, finding your true potential.”
As we continued to learn more about each other throughout dinner, I found myself relaxing and opening up more than I ever had, other than with Frankie or Marissa. He was so easy to talk to and simply grinned at or laughed away my awkward moments, which were plenty.
Not once did he make me feel less than for my love of reading and needing time alone. I was starting to believe him when he said he’d never met anyone like me before, and for some odd reason, he liked that about me.
I liked that about him, too.
The main course was another octopus dish, this time grilled and paired with saffron risotto and roasted garlic aioli. I had never eaten such decadent foods in my life, not even at the palace. We simply couldn’t prepare foods the same way—with fire.
After the last course was cleared, Dominic scooted his chair next to mine so we were both gazing out over the city. We fell into a comfortable silence, sipping wine and taking in the beautiful night air.
I closed my eyes and smiled as the breeze curled around me, bringing with it the slightest hint of rain. When I opened my eyes again, Dominic was staring at me. I couldn’t decipher his expression, but my heart skipped a beat. “What?”
“You seem to find joy in the littlest things.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Is that bad?”
He shook his head but his gaze dipped to my lips. “The opposite. It’s incredibly attractive. Everything about you is.”
Realizing we were close enough to kiss, my breath hitched in my throat.
This was it.