Page 33 of Decoding Emma

“I’ll take your request under consideration.”She gave me a jaunty wave as she unlocked the door and slid behind the wheel of her car.

I jogged to where my vehicle was parked two rows away, only to see Emma pull out and head for the exit.Cheeky woman.Once inside my vehicle, I pulled out.Emma made all the lights, whereas I didn’t.

After Friday, I decided not to call her.What would be the point, and I’d already stepped over a line with her.If whatever this might be was going anywhere, I had to put the brakes on my protective instincts.I’d see her at the restaurant.One thing was for sure, with her fierce independence and stubbornness, any relationship we might have would never be boring.

She was waiting already at the door of the restaurant as I pulled into Tuscany’s parking lot.She waved at me while rocking a big self-satisfied grin on her face.

I shook my head as I pulled into a parking space.Okay, Emma.You win this round.I locked the vehicle and went inside to find her talking with the hostess.

“Here he is,” Emma said, looking very proud of herself.

If she were mine…

I felt a flush of anticipation.The Discussion was going to happen; I was absolutely certain of it.And the aftermath would very likely involve restraint, at least one spanking, and heat.Lots and lots of heat.Over and over again.I’d never been this attracted to a woman.I wanted to know her intimately.Inside and out.

Shit.Now I had a raging hard on.Thank goodness my suit jacket was buttoned.

“Perfect.Right this way,” the hostess said.

I cleared my throat, reminding myself that I needed to play a long game.Emma might show her sassy side on occasion, but she was a skittish woman, and I was not going to risk doing anything that might send her running for the suburbs.Still, I needed her to understand that nothing was more important than her safety.

I cupped Emma’s elbow.“You didn’t wait for me.”

“No, I didn’t.”

The hostess stopped at a table.I slipped around the pair and pulled out Emma’s chair.Her eyebrows rose, but she sat down, and I took a seat across from her.The hostess smiled.“Your waiter will be here shortly.”

Luckily, the restaurant wasn’t busy this early in the evening.I waited until the hostess was out of earshot.“Next time, you will wait for me.”

“Will I?”Emma picked up her menu.

“Emma…” I lowered my voice.

She lowered the menu enough that I could see her eyes.They danced with mischief.“Quit being an overbearing Neanderthal.”

“I’m not a Neanderthal.”That word was beginning to annoy me.

“If the shoe fits…” She lifted her menu higher.

All right, maybe I was a little overbearing.

I picked up my menu.Lots of good choices.

“Good afternoon, I’m Marco your waiter.May I get you something to drink?Wine, coffee, soft drink?”

“I’d like an iced tea please,” Emma said.

“Of course, do you want lemon with that?”

“No, thank you.”

The waiter looked at me.“Peroni, please.”

“Good choice.I’ll be right back with those drinks and some bread.”

I folded my menu and set it down.“What are you thinking about?”

“I really want the halibut fish & chips, but the cannelloni sounds so good.”