"You're right. I'm behaving like an idiot." He helped himself to the tub of ice cream. "This isn't a date. It's two friends having a nice dinner."
Half an hour later, he'd flipped on the TV but not even sport could soothe his anxiety. Last night had been an embarrassment, a blow to his ego. He thought he'd ruined everything with his smartass comment about the kiss being part of her training. He regretted saying it and he wanted to make it up to her. But he'd been worried all day about how she'd react. It had been an enormous relief to hear her voice on his answering machine that afternoon. Now all he had to do was explain why he'd kissed her in the first place. That wouldn't be easy.
Finally, the bedroom door opened and Annie made her entrance. Zack released his breath and stood.
Her strapless black dress, flecked with gold, shimmered in the waning light. It hugged her petite frame, enhancing the nip of her tiny waist and the gentle roundness of her hips. Her br**sts swelled over the top of the dress and he wished he could place his lips on the exposed flesh. She wore her hair up with sexy tendrils falling from her temples down her cheeks. Her makeup was subtle yet perfect for her naturally pretty features.
She was, by far, the most stunning woman he'd ever seen.
"You look incredible," he said quietly, his voice sounding unnatural to his ears.
"Thanks to the dress," she said in that self-deprecating way of hers. Why did she do that? What made her think she wasn't good enough?
"No. The dress is just a piece of material. But you..." He took her jacket and placed it around her shoulders. He caught a whiff of her perfume and had to hold himself back from burying his face in the hollow of her throat.
"Ready?" His voice caught. He coughed to hide it, but she'd noticed.
A small smile crept across her lips and he was damned if he didn't feel himself blushing. He must be, because her intense blue eyes sparkled with laughter.
"The bike's parked outside," he said.
The sparkle disappeared. "The bike! You don't expect me to—"
He grinned. "No, I've brought the Aston Martin."
"I didn't know you owned a Aston Martin."
"There's a lot of things you don't know about me."
"I'm beginning to realize that."
Annie told Snoopy not to wait up then closed the door behind them. Zack opened the car door for her then got into the driver's seat.
"So where are we going?" she asked.
"Jacques. It's a nice little restaurant—"
"I know where it is."
"You've been there?"
"Not recently." Like never. She couldn't even afford the hors d'oeuvres. "So what's the big occasion? Is this part of the curriculum?"
He shrugged. "Sort of. Our kiss last night got me thinking. I suppose it was part of your training. All eighteen-year-old guys love it when an older woman comes onto them."
"But I don't want to come onto him! He's a kid and he's annoying." And she didn't like Zack encouraging her to kiss other men...er, boys. Besides, there'd been more to that kiss than he'd let on. She was sure of it.
"Don't do anything with him, Annie! He's a kid. Just flirt with him a little, nothing more than that."
She shook her head to clear it. "I'm confused. What's this got to do with going to dinner tonight?"
"You need to learn to flirt."
"But why a classy place? Why not a bar or a fast food restaurant?"
"We have to eat, so why not eat somewhere nice? Men are the same no matter where you go. Anyway," he flashed a smile, "I wanted to see you in that dress."
His words warmed her. His reaction to her entrance had been extremely satisfying and worth the pain of the hairpins digging into her scalp.
Jacques restaurant had a perfect view of the sunset over the water. It was a favorite haunt of Hollywood producers and actors with recent box office success and the occasional wealthy industrialist or investor. Annie wasn't exactly sure which of these last categories Zack fit into, or if he did at all, but he seemed at home in the understated style of the restaurant. Even the snooty waiters smiled and greeted him by name.
"Your usual table, Mr. DiMarco?" asked a young waiter who obviously hadn't learned the art of waiting in exclusive restaurants because his smile seemed genuine. They were led to a table by the window with a spectacular view.
The waiter held Annie's seat out for her then discretely disappeared.
"Seems you come here often," she said, studying the menu that had no prices.
"Don't get excited about the table. Everyone in LA has their own table at one restaurant or another."
"But what if someone had been sitting here?"
He hadn't bothered picking up the menu. "Jacques charge a fortune so they can afford to have a favorite table free on any night. It's the way the system works."
She made a clicking sound with her tongue. "So cynical. Especially for someone who thrives on this."
"Thrives?" He leaned forward and studied her. "What gave you that impression?"
"The fact that the waiters know you. The fact that you're always attending one function or another." The fact that he dated publicity-seeking starlets.
He frowned and his eyelids lowered, glaring. "I attend only the things that are necessary for a man in my position. A few charity functions, the occasional movie premier to keep in touch with some people. Nothing outrageous." His eyes narrowed and she picked up vibrations of annoyance from his side of the table. "Let's get one thing straight, Annie. I don't like the limelight. And I hate being pigeon-holed even more."
Oh-kay.
CHAPTER 11
Annie nodded quickly and studied the ocean. Night had descended while she wasn't looking, but she could still make out bobbing boats on the water and the occasional seagull searching for scraps. It seemed like a totally different world compared to the cool air-conditioned environment of the restaurant.
She turned back to Zack. His eyes smoldered. Maybe they needed to discuss something safer.
"What is it you actually do, Zack?"
"I'm an investor."
"What do you invest in?"
"Whatever I think is going to make money. New companies, poorly managed companies with potential, sometimes movies if a good one comes my way." He chuckled, his recent simmering anger now dispersed. "I thought you knew. The curiosity must have nearly killed you."
"Nearly."
The waiter brought a bottle of wine, which was amazing because Annie didn't remember ordering any. He poured a small amount in Zack's glass, waited while he did the ritual tasting and nodding thing, then filled both glasses to a fashionably low level before leaving.