Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98789 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98789 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
“Nah.” He leaned back in the booth, stretched one arm along the top. “Those things are a myth, like dragons or comfortable dress shoes.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Because sooner or later, one of you starts to feel things. If you’re so into someone that you want to sleep with them again and again, there’s good chemistry there. And in my experience, it’s impossible to keep that chemistry from changing things.”
I considered that. “Even if you both agreed at the beginning it was all in fun and there were no strings attached?”
“Yes. Because somehow, strings get created. And people get attached.”
I nodded, watching Ari appear from behind the counter and greet some people at a table up front. She looked so happy. Was it selfish of me to hope the light in her eyes had at least something to do with last night?
“Are you listening to me?”
Realizing Xander had said a few things I hadn’t heard, I refocused on him. “Sorry. I got distracted for a second. I’m listening.”
“Look, I’m not trying to tell you what to do,” Xander said. “But let me tell you what not to do.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?”
My brother leaned forward and spoke quietly. “Don’t sleep with Ari unless you’re prepared for one or both of you to get attached.”
“I won’t,” I said.
Sitting back again, Xander studied me shrewdly. “Yeah, you will. But at least I warned you.”
A few minutes later, she made it back to our booth, her face glowing with excitement. Without hesitation, I jumped up and threw my arms around her, lifting her right off the ground. “I heard the news—congratulations!”
She clung to me, and I probably held her for a moment too long before setting her down. When she looked up at me, her expression was a mix of pride and rapture. “Dash,” she said breathlessly. “This is the craziest thing.”
“Do you have a minute to sit and tell us about it?”
“Maybe a couple,” she said. When I slid into the booth again, she dropped down next to me and shook her head. “I still can’t believe it.”
“So who’s the guy?” Xander asked. “A food critic?”
“His name is Hugo Martin,” Ari said. “He’s originally from New Orleans, and his restaurants have at least a dozen Michelin stars between them. He’s written like five cookbooks, had a show on Culinary Central, and now he’s considered a major food influencer—he’s got millions of social media followers. He loves traveling around and finding out-of-the-way places with great food.”
“How did he hear about Moe’s?” I asked.
“He’s got a cousin who bought a summer place up here, and he’s in town visiting. He came in on Wednesday and didn’t say anything, of course, so I had no idea who I was serving!”
“It’s probably better that you didn’t.”
“Totally. I’d have been so nervous.” Ari laughed. “I probably would have hidden in the kitchen.”
I smiled at her flushed cheeks. “So he came back today to meet you?”
“Yes. Well, first he ate,” she said with a grin. “I thought it was kind of weird that he was sitting alone at the counter and ordered two lunch specials, but after he introduced himself, it made sense.”
“What did he order?”
“The chicken pot pie and the grilled cheese.”
“And he loved them?”
She nodded, her eyes bright with happiness. “He loved them. Or at least he said he did.”
“How did the interview go?” Xander asked.
“Great. He said he’s going to write something up and post it in the next couple weeks.” She shook her head. “I still can’t believe it. It just goes to show you never know what opportunity might be around the corner. One moment can change everything.”
Beneath the table, I found her hand and squeezed it.
NINE
ari
All day, I felt like I was floating.
First there was the insane thing with Dash that happened last night on the phone. From the second we hung up, I’d been on cloud nine. All through the night, I’d wake up and check my phone, just to see those text messages again.
Naked.
In bed with me.
Begging for my cock.
Every single time, my toes would curl beneath the covers. And when I got to the part where he’d told me to touch myself like he wanted to touch me, my insides whooshed all over again. I’d done everything he’d told me to. I wanted to please him, even if he wasn’t there.
Then he’d called me—good God. That low, sexy voice right in my ear saying all those filthy things, telling me he was hard, instructing me. I’d never been so turned on in my life. The orgasm I’d given myself with his encouragement had been better than any I’d ever experienced. It had loosened up all my inhibitions and my tongue, and I heard myself saying things to him I’d never said to anyone. Describing my hottest fantasy about him. Telling him every little thing I’d do.