It was the way he intended to always treat her, Cortez thought. Like a queen. “So, are you open to taking a chance on love?”
She shrugged. “Maybe one day. However, I will admit it’s hard for me to fully trust a man. That’s something I need to work on.”
And he intended to help her do just that. “What type of wine do you suggest for dinner?” he asked, deciding to change the subject. He had purchased several bottles while they’d been out.
“I think a white will be fine.”
He nodded and then moved to the cabinet to select a bottle. “White, it is.”
“And right on time. I’m about to set the table for dinner.”
“Not yet. After you left to take your shower, I realized there was something I hadn’t done yet.”
She lifted a brow. “Oh? What?”
He moved to stand in front of her. “Something to set the mood for our time here together.”
Then he reached out and pulled her into his arms.
Victoria didn’t even think about resisting. And when his lips captured hers, she got lost in the same whirlwind of desire she hadn’t felt since the last time they’d kissed. Only this was different. This was the kiss of a mature man, an utterly confident man. One who knew what he wanted and who went after it.
He was deliberately arousing her with this kiss, and she was beginning to feel greedy with pleasure. Her skin felt over-stimulated. She wanted more, and she was going to take it, even if doing so made her appear needy. Because in essence, she was.
Over the next forty-eight hours, she would be getting all the passion she could handle, and it was starting now. He was doing more than setting the mood, he was priming her for what was to come later. Suddenly, he deepened the kiss and she gave back, demanding as much of him as he was of her. The more he gave the more, she gave back.
He suddenly broke away, allowing her to draw air into her lungs. Victoria suddenly felt hot all over. His arms were around her waist, and he was staring at her with an intensity that made her even hotter.
“I’ve missed your taste, Victoria.”
She’d missed his, as well. “Did you?”
“Every night. Remember those dreams and fantasies I told you about?”
“Yes. And do you remember mine?” she boldly asked him.
“Yes.”
“Good.” She took a step back. “Now, if you’d let me put dinner on the table we can sit down and eat.”
He gave her a rakish smile. “I don’t have a problem lying down and eating.”
She immediately knew what he meant, and the thought of him doing that very thing flooded her mind, causing her sex to tingle with desire at the thought of his tongue invading there.
“Later?” she asked, anticipating making her shiver
His smile broadened. “Definitely. You, Victoria, will be my dessert.”
“Oh, my.”
“Oh, yes, sweetheart.”
Less than fifteen minutes later, they were sitting across from each other at the dining room table. “This food is delicious, Victoria.”
She couldn’t help the smile that curved her lips. “I’m glad you like it. I appreciate your help in setting things up.” Without her asking, he’d immediately pitched in and set the table. They’d worked well together, which made her wonder how things would be for them if they were to…
“You okay?” he asked, breaking into her thoughts.
“I’m fine, Cortez. Just thinking.”
He lifted a brow. “About what.”
She decided to be honest. “Us. Although I know there’s not really an us… Have you given any thought as to what happens after we leave here?”
He shrugged. “Why? Have you?”
She released a deep sigh. “Yes.”
“Is it something we need to talk about?”
Was it? Yes, she thought so. She nodded. “To be honest, I’ve been so looking forward to spending these two nights with you, that I hadn’t considered the fallout.” Too late she’d realized what she’d done, basically confessing that she’d looked forward to spending time with him.
“The fallout?” he asked.
She glanced at him over the rim of her wineglass. “Like what happens when we leave here? What will be our reaction to each other when we meet again in public? Will our family members, those not privy to our personal business already, know about our time together here? Will they suspect something is going on between us?”
He shrugged. “Does it honestly matter what people think? Last time I checked, I was a grown-ass man and you’re a grown-ass woman. What we do is our business.”
She nodded as she placed her glass down. “That’s true. But just so you know, if you don’t already, I have a somewhat nosey family.”
He grinned. “You’re not alone. Most people do.”
She picked up her glass again and took another sip of her wine. “Tell me about yours.”
He grinned. “With two Masters already married to two Bennetts, are you honestly saying your family didn’t do a thorough background check to make sure Grey and Quinn were worthy?”
She laughed, then leaned in close to him. “For your information, Cortez Masters, I was too young to consider checking your family out. And Alexia and Brandy’s family were probably all too happy that they were getting married to ask questions. I heard they used to be a handful back in the day. Especially Brandy.”
He’d heard that, too. “Well, just in case you want to vet me, I’ll tell you about my family,” he said. “The Masters have deep roots in Savannah. My grandfather had four sons. Quinn’s father was the oldest and my father is the youngest.”
She nodded. “I’ve met your parents. They’re nice.”
“Thanks. They worked hard to give us the things we needed growing up, and I appreciate them for it.”
“How did you decide to work for…I mean, work with Quinn?”
For a brief moment, he wondered if perhaps she was trying to piece together the timeline for his decision to join Quinn’s firm after discovering her true identity. If she studied it really closely, she would find the connection. Although she didn’t live in Los Angeles, he knew she had business interests there and frequented the city a lot.
“Quinn and his brothers were great role models for me and my brothers. When Quinn left Savannah to attend college in California, he didn’t come back, but would make frequent trips home to check on the family. In fact, he’s the reason I became an attorney. I guess you can say I followed in his footsteps.”
After taking a sip of his wine, he continued, “After passing the bar, finding a job with a firm wasn’t hard. I was lucky and got hired on with a well-known firm in Savannah within a couple of months after my Paris trip.”
“Did you not like working for that firm?”
“I loved it. But I didn’t see myself growing in Savannah. Everyone knew me. Neighbors, church members, school friends would call on me to handle their legal issues. Unfortunately, since they grew up with me or knew me before I became an attorney, they figured my services were pro bono.”
She shook her head. “Didn’t they know you worked for a firm and not for yourself?”