The Assassin’s Billionaire Bodyguard
Chapter 14

Joanie stepped back into their private conversation carrying two plates which she set in front of them.

"Your first entrée tonight is black truffle stuffed ravioli. One dish is tossed with a light olive oil drizzle and the other a gentle red wine rosé. Truffles have been linked to sexuality and aphrodisia since ancient Roman and Greek times. It is said the aroma of a truffle compares to pheromones thus encouraging couples to be drawn to each other when they share the dish. It also is alleged to have stamina inducing properties," she waved to the dish in front of them, "while the dishes are separate, we encourage you to share the plates. There is a degree of sensuality and intimacy about sharing a plate and we urge you to let go of your individuality and embrace the familiarity and informality of dining as one." She lifted the wine bottle and topped off their glasses and then stepped out of the space.

Isabella looked at the plates, each plate holding three palm sized raviolis. "How do we do this?"

She watched as Cam used the edge of his fork to cut a piece of the ravioli in front of him and put it on his fork and held it up to her mouth. She hesitated for a moment and noted his eyes challenging her to give in, she opened her mouth and let him slide the soft and fluffy pasta onto her tongue. She closed her eyes as the pasta melted away and the earthy flavor of the truffles rolled over her palate. She covered her mouth with her hand, "oh my god Cam, you need to try this."

He made no comment as he realized at some point during the evening, she had stopped calling him by his last name and was no longer constantly verbally sparring with him. He allowed her to put a piece of the ravioli in his mouth and nodded his agreement. They took turns feeding each other the luscious pastas, alternating from the plates in front of them, discussing which of the two sauces they preferred and found themselves edging closer and closer to each other until Cam's arm was behind Isabella's back and she was resting against his shoulder as the finished off the entrée.

She leaned her head back and groaned, reaching for her wine glass, "how the hell are there still three more courses?"

"How the hell do I get through any more of this and be able to walk away from the table and not clearly display how turned on I am," he growled in her ear. His thumb was rubbing small circles on her hip and his breath was warm on her cheek. "I may never be able to eat ravioli again without getting an erection."

"You don't," she made a face and then gasped when he boldly grabbed her hand and set it high on his thigh. "Oh," her eyes flew to his and her breath caught at the desire there. "Damn."

"Indeed," he leaned closer, his lips a breath from hers and then the sound of Joanie approaching made him grumble and rest his forehead against hers.

She giggled as she moved her hand back to her own thigh, "get it together Cam. You set this date up, you have to get through the whole thing."

He whispered a four-letter word in her ear just as Joanie stepped in to clear their plates and pass them to a waiting attendant. She then set down another pair of perfectly plated dishes, "this is coffee crusted beef filet with parsnip purée. Coffee is a stimulant, well known around the world to increase blood flow and heart rate. It is also the number one drink of choice for first daters around the world," she joked as she adjusted the plates. "Bon Appetit."

Isabella didn't want to move from where she was sitting but there was no way she could cut a piece of steak with a knife and stay in her position.

Cam seemed to sense her reluctance and he kissed her temple, "put the fork in my meat."

"Said no man ever," she chortled at his words.

"The steak woman, the steak," he chided her laughing lowly. He lifted his knife and then cut the meat.

"I could sit up and cut my own food like a big girl," she protested half-heartedly.

"Or you could you play along and eat with me," he spoke softly.

He grinned as she lifted the meat he'd cut to his lips. "A guy could get used to this."

"Don't," she teased, "this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime situations. Dates like this don't happen very often."

"You're right they don't," he watched as she forked a chunk of meat into her mouth. "I could watch you put things in your mouth all day."

She felt the heat of his gaze as she swallowed the bite. "Cam, stop looking at me like that."

"I'm imagining you naked with your mouth full of me," he admitted and laughed as she blushed. "I have been thinking of those legs since I saw you in the deli last week."

"Ah," she jumped on the opportunity to change the subject, "you're a leg guy."

"Yes I am. Seeing them running on the treadmill Friday night has given me two sleepless nights."

"Am I keeping you awake at night?"

"Yes."

"Good."

"Good?"

"Yes," she smiled as she swirled the meat through the purée and then put it in his mouth, "it's nice to know I wasn't the only one awake the last two nights. Misery likes company."

He chewed thoughtfully as he watched her facial expressions. "Tell me what kept you awake?"

"Curiosity." She didn't back away from his gaze.

"What are you curious about?"

"You are an enigma," she said seriously. "You present as very buttoned-up and I bet you run your business with no room for error and with ruthless precision." She saw he twisted his lips in agreement of her assessment, "but I'd bet my last dollar, when you cut loose and lose control a bit, it's a remarkable sight. I'm curious to know what it's like when you let go."

He loomed over her, pinning her to the back of their shared bench, his mouth almost touching hers, "Isabella, I am always in control, a control freak if you will. However, I will hold my control until you tell me I can let go."

His meaning wasn't lost on her as she swallowed deeply at his promise. She uttered a curse at his words and her eyes fluttered closed as he finally kissed her. His lips moved over her, sliding softly, drawing her bottom lip between his as he sucked gently on the fullness of her mouth. When she moaned lowly at the way his teeth nipped at her lips, he slid his tongue deep into her mouth. He tasted of red wine, aged beef, and coffee, and he wrapped his arm around her neck, drawing her closer to him, deepening their kiss. He was masculine and heady, and she craved more of him.

Isabella lifted her hand into his hair and returned his kiss, her tongue tracing the edge of his lips, savoring the intimacy as her fingers trailed through the short cut of his hair. Every nerve ending in her body hummed as he kissed her, taking her breath and when his palm slid down her arm to move to cup her breast in a brazen move she gasped as his fingers pushed the loose collar of the top of her pantsuit away and exposed her skin to the air.

Suddenly he thrust her away, pushed her shirt closed, sat up straight and lifted his wine glass. At her puzzled glance, his smile was sinfully delicious as she realized Joanie was stepping back into their private circle. She looked down at the plates and fought the heat rising on her cheeks. Good grief he'd been groping her in a restaurant, and she had been all in. Sabine would analyze her to hell if she knew she'd been so carefree.

Joanie collected the plates quietly as if she could sense the s****l tension in the space. "I'll be back in a moment."

"s**t," Isabella whispered and put her hands to her face.

"Hey," he pulled her hands away and forced her to look at him. "Why are you angry?"

"Angry?" she looked at him, her brown eyes huge and luminous, "I'm not angry. My panties are soaked and I'm ready to slide under the table for you. This is by far the furthest from angry I can be."

She watched as he swallowed at her words.

"We need to leave," he said quickly.

"No." She refused.

"No?"

"No." she insisted. "We aren't leaving until we have dessert. I'm guessing chocolate is involved. I want my chocolate."

"I will buy you an entire chocolate factory," he offered with sincerity.

She laughed at his suggestion, "eager much?"

"Yes," he didn't dispute her allegation. "I want you."

"I want you too," she admitted, "but I want chocolate more."

"You're kidding right?"

"Yes," at his relieved hiss of breath, she exasperated him further, "but no. I'm really enjoying myself Cam and well if six courses with you can have me this wound up, what does eight do to me? I want to see this to the finish. I want my dessert. Then," she met his gaze seriously, "you can have your dessert."

He kissed her lips quickly and stroked her cheek, "deal. We will finish our dinner and then I will drive you home."

"You better," she quipped and waited for him to catch her meaning and then grinned when he threw his head back and laughed.

Isabella admitted she barely remembered the cheese and nuts Joanie had brought to their table and the s****l tension between her and Cam was blistering. Every touch, intentional or accidental, had her skin longing for more. The kisses he stole between bites and sips of wine were excruciatingly steamy and she was vastly aware, while she wasn't a shy virgin, she was assuredly far out of her depths with this man in terms of experience. Camden Torres was lethal in his pursuit to get her to bed, and she was dangerously close to spontaneous combustion.

As he ended another searing kiss, a full-on assault of every single nerve in her body, she was breathless, her hair was tousled, and her heart was thundering painfully against her ribs.

She also knew his hearing was far better than hers because he knew when to end a kiss mere moments before Joanie entered their booth. He was always collected before the woman stepped in, but Isabella was always struggling for her composure. "Well," Joanie spoke seductively, "we are now approaching your final course. A gift from the Gods, or at least according to the Aztecs and the Mayans. In front of you is a variety of fresh fruit, pay special attention to the strawberries. Strawberries are heart shaped and are linked to feelings of love and adoration. The little fondue pot in the center of the dish is a creamy warm fudgy dark chocolate, thin enough to dip the fruit, thick enough to linger on the palate." She turned and accepted a small platter, "also to accompany your dessert, a Café Granit, which is a hot coffee flavored with a mocha liqueur. It is the perfect pairing to your dessert. Enjoy!"

Isabella met Cam's eyes earnestly, "I've been waiting on this damn chocolate for ages."

She watched attentively as he lifted a skewer and stuck a slice of strawberry with precision and dunked it in the dark confection and then lifted it to her lips. When the chocolate fell over her lips, he leaned forward and licked it off. Eventually Isabella realized he was dripping chocolate on her mouth purposefully just so he could lick her lips and she stopped him from using the skewer, stuck her finger into the pot and rubbed it along her bottom lip in invitation.

She groaned as his tongue swiped along her lower lip before drawing it between his teeth and sucking gently. His tongue then swirled beyond her teeth deepening the kiss and toying with her tongue. He tasted of wine, coffee, chocolate, and desire. "Damn Isabella, we need to get out of here soon or I'm going to have to carry the privacy screen in front of me to the car," he whispered against her lips.

"I never knew food could be so bloody erotic."

"It's not the food, it's what you do with the food," he shook his head as he reached with his fingers and dunked a small ball of melon into the sauce and plunked it in his own mouth, evidently trying to distract himself. "You have absolutely ruined dining for me. I'll never be able to eat a bowl of soup without getting hard again."

She laughed lowly as she stroked his thigh under the table. "Then perhaps we need to get out of here."

"Your place or mine?"

"Mine doesn't have a teenager in it," she commented quickly.

"True," he nodded, "but I also have an apartment two blocks from here where I stay when I'm working late. It's a hell of lot closer than your place in Queens."

"Your apartment then," she met his eyes, feeling her heartrate increasing dramatically.

He paused, "Isabella, I know tonight has been erotic, but I do want to reassure you, if at any point, you change your mind and s*x is off the table, I will take you home no questions asked."

"Torres," she was serious, "it works both ways. No pressure from me either. If you do want me naked though, you better hurry up."

"Now you're in a hurry?" he teased

She leaned forward, aware Joanie was approaching and whispered in his ear, "when I said my panties were wet earlier?" she saw his eyes darken, "I lied, I'm not wearing any."