Free Bound With Pearls by Sidney Bristol Page A

a fluke.
    He kissed her frown. “You look beautiful.” He cupped her breast and gently squeezed. “Sore?”
    She squirmed. “A bit,” she admitted reluctantly.
    He pressed a kiss to the swell of each breast. Stepping back, he surveyed her flushed cheeks, kiss-swollen lips and sexy attire. He didn’t know if he’d make it through dinner. “All better now?”
    She smothered a laugh and nodded, twisting her hand in his to thread their fingers.
    “Good, let’s go.”
    He helped her put on her coat and escorted her down to where he’d parked. He was glad to see the building she lived in was secure, even if she wasn’t cautious about sharing where she lived.
    “Why did you let me pick you up at your place?” He merged into traffic, glancing at the GPS on the dash.
    “You said you were picking me up.”
    He could see her out of the corner of his eye, regarding him with a wide-eyed expression. He tightened his grasp on the wheel. “You shouldn’t let just anyone know where you live. It’s not safe.”
    “Are you saying you aren’t to be trusted?”
    He glanced at her and curled his lips in a slight smile. He liked her spunk. “No, but you don’t know that. You will be more careful.”
    “Is that an order or a suggestion?” Her brow wrinkled.
    Reaching over, he grasped her hand and held it. Her long, artistic fingers curled around his much larger hand. “Both. What kind of music do you listen to?” He adjusted the volume so a little music spilled through the speakers.
    She shrugged, the movement punctuated by squeaking leather upholstery. “Whatever’s on the Top 40. I’m not picky. You?”
    “I’m a classic rock man.” At a red light he twisted around to look at her. “How old are you?”
    She tossed her curls over a shoulder and gave him a mock gasp. “It’s rude to ask a lady her age.”
    He chuckled and reached over to squeeze her knee. He slid his hand up her thigh, pushing the skirt higher. She let her legs relax and open slightly. It was tempting to see what kind of panties she was wearing, if she wore any at all, but this was about getting to know each other.
    “I know your other secrets,” he countered.
    Her head fell back against the headrest. “I’m about to be twenty-nine.”
    When his hand didn’t move, she shifted in the seat.
    A horn blasted behind them. He slapped his hand back on the gearshift and gassed it.
    “How old are you?” she asked a few moments later.
    He bit his cheek. “Thirty-four. Is that too old for you?”
    “Five years isn’t that much of a difference. I kind of like older guys. Why? Do have something against twenty-somethings?”
    He hit his head on the back of the headrest and laughed. Her sass was refreshing. “Not at all.”
    She propped an elbow on the armrest and leaned toward him. “Are we playing twenty questions?”
    “Maybe. Here we are.”
    He maneuvered the car to the valet, waiting for pedestrians to move out of the way and stealing glances at Chris. She ducked her head to look up at the flame-lit sign. Typically he didn’t splurge on first dates, but this wasn’t really their first time out of the gate. He wanted her to feel special, especially since their introduction had been somewhat forced. In his own way, he was trying to make it up to her. Putting the car in park, he turned to her. Her eyebrows were trying to crawl off her face as the valet opened her door.
    He planted a kiss on her cheek. “Wait for me.”
    She did as requested, waiting for him to circle the car and take her hand while the valet was left to wish for a woman as beautiful as her. There was already a crowd forming at the door, probably those without reservations since this particular restaurant was regularly booked to capacity. The throng of people didn’t allow for comfortable conversation. Besides, it was fun to watch her eyes steadily grow larger as she looked around at the décor. It was an over-the-top place, but he could forgive the flashy exterior because the