Chapter 22 #2
‘This is beautiful,’ Ella said, looking around as they were seated. ‘I love it already!’ Fairy lights were entwined with climbing flowers on the trellises and coloured lanterns twinkled in the trees. Candles in boldly coloured glass jars bathed the wooden tables in a warm glow.
‘Yeah, it’s cool.’ Roly picked up the drinks list. ‘What are you going to have?’
‘Well, what I’d really love is a Corpse Reviver #2, but they don’t seem to have that,’ she said teasingly.
‘Oh God,’ Roly groaned. ‘Don’t remind me of that night. I was such a tool.’
‘You were kind of a tool. But you’ve more than made up for it since.’ She looked at the drinks menu again. ‘I’ll have a margarita,’ she said decisively, licking her lips. ‘When in Mexico…’
‘I’ll have the same,’ Roly said. ‘Virgin, obviously.’
A friendly waitress took their drinks order, then left them to study the menus.
‘God, I want the whole left-hand side,’ Ella said. ‘I always prefer the starters in Mexican to the mains.’
‘Me too. Will we just get a bunch of stuff and share?’
‘Perfect! A man after my own heart.’
The waitress returned with their cocktails in thick blue glasses. Ella took a sip of her margarita. It was sharp, strong and utterly delicious.
‘We’ll have the left-hand side of the menu, please,’ Roly jokingly told the waitress when she returned. They ordered quesadillas, pork pibil tacos, chilli sizzlers, chicken tinga taquitos, and a plate of nachos to share.
‘So, have you had a nice birthday so far?’
‘Yes, I’ve had such a nice day. I got lovely presents. There were balloons and a card in work, and we had cake and champagne. And now this.’ She raised her glass to him in salute.
‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
She shrugged. ‘I thought it would sound like I was angling for a present. I mean, it’s not easy to work casually into a conversation – “by the way, it’s my birthday on Friday”.’
‘You told the people in work.’
She shook her head. ‘They had it on my CV.’
‘Ah! I should have asked for your CV before I let you move in.’
‘You should. I could have been anyone.’
‘Luckily you turned out to be you.’ His smile flooded her with warmth. Was he flirting with her?
‘Taking your tenant out for her birthday will do nothing for your evil landlord image, by the way. You’ll probably be drummed out of the business.’
‘Ah well, I didn’t have my heart set on being an evil landlord anyway.’
They had another couple of margaritas, and when the food came, they both moved on to beer – non-alcoholic for Roly.
‘I think we may have over-ordered,’ Ella laughed as the waitress struggled to squeeze all the dishes onto the table.
‘Just a little.’
The food was all delicious, however, and Ella didn’t regret one mouthful as they grazed their way through it. ‘God, I love Mexican. Have you ever been to Mexico?’
Roly nodded. ‘We were there on tour, but I never really saw it. It was the same with a lot of places. I’ve been all around the world and seen the insides of a lot of five-star hotels and concert venues.’
‘Better than not having been around the world at all, I guess.’
‘Yeah. I’m not playing poor little five-star prisoner here. We got taken to some amazing places. And the view out the window was always pretty great.’
‘Still, I get that it must have been frustrating.’ She didn’t want him to think she was criticising.
He nodded. ‘So near and yet so far. It sounds weird, I know, but I kind of felt I was missing out when Jack and some of my friends went travelling – I was envious.’
‘So you never got to woo those French girls with your awesome linguistic skills?’
‘Nope. I’ve been to Paris several times, but I’ve still never even gone up the Eiffel Tower. How about you?’
‘I’ve never been to Mexico. But I have gone up the Eiffel Tower.’
‘You’re going to tell me it’s shit, aren’t you – that I didn’t miss anything?’
She shook her head, smiling. ‘No. It’s great. Sorry!’
‘It’s fine. I hate when people tell you things you’ve missed out on are actually crap, like they’re throwing you a bone because they feel sorry for you.’
Ella nodded. ‘It’s so arrogant too, as if their opinion is the last word. I’d rather make up my own mind, thanks. Although, I’m pretty sure everyone agrees about the Mona Lisa. Now, that is shit.’
He grinned. ‘I’ve heard. Too small, right?’
‘Yeah. I mean, make an effort, Leonardo!’
‘People have walls to cover.’
She laughed. ‘It’s not that it’s shit, in fairness – just disappointing. Although, maybe it’s not any more, now that the word is out and everyone’s expecting it to be small?’
‘I’d probably be impressed because it was way bigger than I imagined.’
Ella loaded up the last nacho with sour cream, guacamole and salsa. ‘I’ll be lucky if this dress still fits me tomorrow. At least I’ve got to wear it once.’
‘You look gorgeous.’ There was something in the way his eyes lingered that made Ella’s breath catch and she was unable to look away.
‘So do you,’ she said, her heart beating faster.
Suddenly she felt hot and jittery, and very aware of the sensual curve of his mouth, the dark hairs on his tanned forearms where they rested on the table, his beautiful hands with their long, elegant fingers, the glimpse of his tongue when he laughed.
God, he was hot! She found herself imagining sucking on his plump bottom lip, touching her tongue to his, feeling his hot breath in her mouth. It had been such a long time…
Gah! It’s Roly, she told herself. She’d just had too much tequila. But then, as if he’d been thinking the same thing, his eyes dropped to her mouth. And he hadn’t had any tequila at all.
* * *