Something Unexpected by Vi Keeland
CHAPTER 21
Beck
“N?”
Nora squinted at me. “Why do I think you’re guessing wrong just so I’ll keep doing this?”
Because you’re a smart lady.
Her tracing a word on my back had become a new game we played. Well, it was her version of a game I’d started a week ago when I held her down and spelled out DELICIOUS with licks of my tongue on her pussy. She’d tried to return the favor by licking a word on my cock, but I could never get past the first letter without shoving my dick down her throat. So she’d started spelling words on my back with her nail. It felt great, but that wasn’t why I pretended not to be able to identify the letters. It was because I knew after we were finished, she’d run out the damn door. I had to take whatever I could get with Nora.
“I’m too competitive to let you win. Do it again.”
It didn’t look like she believed me, yet she traced the letter M on my back a third time.
“O?” I said.
She slapped my back and laughed. “Now I know you’re full of shit. There’s no way you could mistake an M for an O.”
I hooked an arm around her waist and rolled us so she was on top. Nora yelped, but there was a smile on her face. I wiped a lock of hair from her cheek. “I want to see you tomorrow.”
“I’ll be in Utah.”
“You know what I meant.” It was after midnight, so technically she and Gram were leaving tomorrow. But I wanted to see her again before she left. “Tonight then.”
“I have to pack. We have an early flight and have to be at the airport at five AM.”
“Packing takes an hour or less. I want to take you out.”
Nora tried to wiggle away from me. “I have too much to do.”
“I’ll send Gwen over to pack for you.”
“Gwen? Your assistant?”
I nodded. “She can run whatever errands you need, too. We can go to that French place you went to with your dad that you liked so much.”
“Beck…”
I knew that tone. Knew the face, too. It was what I got anytime I tried to push the rules an inch or two—have her spend the night at my place instead of rushing out before my dick was even fully flaccid, meet me for a lunch that involved food and not just a quickie, exchange texts for no reason.
“One dinner. You’re leaving tomorrow for two weeks. When you get back, there’s not that much time before you move to California.”
Fuck…there went that heartburn again. I needed to get to the doctor for a checkup. It had been hitting pretty frequently lately.
Nora nibbled on her bottom lip. For the first time, it seemed like she was actually considering breaking her dumb rules. “I did love that restaurant. Though you’ll never be able to get a reservation. I had to make the one I got almost three months in advance.”
“If I can get us a table, will you go?”
“Is the owner a client or something and you already know you can get us in?”
“Nope. No idea who the owner is.”
“Fine. But I’m only saying yes because you’re never going to be able to get a table.”
I’d buy the fucking restaurant if I had to. I smiled. “I’ll pick you up at eight.”
“You didn’t even try to get the reservation yet.”
“It won’t be a problem.”
Nora rolled her eyes. “So cocky.”
“Confident, not cocky.”
“Whatever. You’ll be eating those words when you can’t get a table. I’m telling you, it’s impossible to get in. And our dinner deal is only for that restaurant. No Chez Coucou, no dinner sharing.”
I grinned. “The only thing I’ll be eating later is a seven-course meal and you for dessert.”
***
“I just spoke to John Morlin.” Gwen shook her head. “No luck. He doesn’t have a connection at Chez Coucou to get you a table, either.”
“Jesus Christ. Try Alan Fortunato. He owns a shitload of clubs. He has to have connections.”
“I actually did. And I tried Trey Peterson, too. He can get you a table at La Mer. It’s Michelin starred. One of the owners is a silent partner in one of his clubs.”
I raked a hand through my hair and looked at the time in the corner of my computer. It was already almost four. “La Mer won’t work. Go through all of our old clients. See if there’s someone I’m not thinking of with a connection.”
Gwen shrugged. “Okay. Do you want me to make the reservation at La Mer, just in case?”
I frowned. “No. It needs to be Chez Coucou.”
“Who’s going to Chez Coucou?” My brother Jake walked into my office as my assistant was walking out.
I shook my head. “No one. I’m busy. What’s up?”
As per usual, my brother planted his ass in one of my guest chairs. He leaned back, lifting the front two legs off the floor. “Do you know you tell me you’re busy every time I come into your office?”
“That’s because I’m always busy.”
“You’re going to give yourself a heart attack if you don’t learn how to relax. I just joined a new meditation class. You should come.”
That reminded me, I needed to make a cardiologist appointment for my heartburn. “I don’t need meditation. What I need is for you to tell me why you walked in here so I can get back to work. I relax by getting shit done, not closing my eyes while some hippy hits a gong.”
“Did you know Gram was going to see some old boyfriend of hers?”
I sighed. He wasn’t getting out of my office. “Yes, I did.”
“Nora said he lives near Bryce Canyon. I skied Utah and saw it from the plane once. Looked gorgeous.”
My eyes narrowed. “When did you talk to Nora?”
“At lunch.”
“You went to lunch with Nora? With Gram and Nora, you mean?”
Jake grinned and pointed. “I really want to say it was just Nora. But I think you might jump over the desk and beat the crap out of me, so I won’t fuck with you. Yes, I had lunch with Gram and Nora today.”
Am I the only person Nora won’t eat with in the damn family?
“You really like her, huh?” Jake said.
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to. I can see it on your face.”
My phone buzzed on the desk. It was a client I’d called earlier this morning to see if he could get me into Chez Coucou. His assistant had said he was overseas. I swiped to answer. “Hey, Robert. Thanks for calling me back.”
“No problem. I’m just about to board a flight, so I don’t have long.”
“It’s not that important. But since I have you, any chance you have a connection at Chez Coucou? I’m trying to get a reservation, but the place is locked down like damn Fort Knox.”
“I don’t. But have you tried Alan Fortunato?”
“Yeah, no luck.”
“Sorry, man.”
“Alright. I appreciate you calling back from the road.”
“If you wind up getting into that place, let me know if it’s worth the hype.”
“I will.”
I tossed my phone on my desk and sighed.
Jake still hadn’t left. “Why do you need to get into Chez Coucou tonight?”
“None of your business.”
Jake shrugged. “Alright. But I can probably get you in.”
My eyes narrowed. “How?”
“I went to college with the manager, Brett Sumner.” He tapped his fist to his chest. “Phi Sigma Kappa brothers. He’ll do anything for me.”
“Why the hell didn’t you say so? Didn’t you hear me talking to Gwen about it when you walked in?” I pointed to the cell perpetually in Jake’s hand. “Call and see if I can get a table for eight thirty.”
“For how many people?”
“Two.”
“What’s the name of the other person you’ll be dining with?”
“Just put the reservation under my name.”
Jake grinned. “I’m going to need to know the name of the other person if you want me to make the call.”
“What the fuck for?”
“Because you seem pretty desperate to get this reservation. You turn away clients these days, so I know you’re not desperate to impress one. I’m guessing it’s a woman. And I’m curious to know who’s under your skin.”
I jabbed my finger in the direction of his cell. “Just make the fucking call.”
His grin widened. “Not without telling me who you’re trying to impress.”
“I’m not trying to impress anyone. I just… I need the reservation. Can you do that for me?”
“It’s Nora, isn’t it?”
I didn’t have time for my brother’s shit. “Yes, it’s Nora. Now make the fucking call.”
“She told me at lunch that she might be going there for dinner with a friend.”
“So why the hell did you make me tell you who it was?”
His smile spread to a full-blown grin. “I just wanted to hear you admit it.”
“Make the damn call.”
Jake picked up the phone and swiped around for a few seconds before bringing his cell to his ear. “Hey, Brett. What’s up, man?”
I listened to one side of a dumbass conversation for a few minutes before he finally got around to asking about my reservation.
“Listen, my big bro is trying to impress a woman. He needs a resy at your place tonight at eight thirty. Think you can make that happen for me?”
I was waaaayyy too anxious waiting to hear.
Jake grinned. “You’re the best, man. I owe you one.” He listened and then chuckled. “You got it. I’ll make that happen soon.”
My brother swiped his phone off and flashed a smug smile. “Done-zito.”
“Thank you.”
“So I take it you two are keeping whatever is going on between you on the downlow? Since Nora didn’t mention her friend was you, and you were trying to keep your dinner date’s name top secret. Things have progressed from casual, I take it?”
I didn’t answer, not verbally anyway.
Jake read my face. “Oh. Sorry. That sucks.”
My brother was the last person I usually talked to about women. But in a moment of weakness, I let my guard down. “Yeah, it does.”
“She’s moving at the end of the summer, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Some people can make long distance work.”
“It’s a little more than that.”
Jake nodded. He finally set all four of the chair legs on the floor. “I’ll let you get back to work.”
I stopped him at the door. “Hey, Jake?”
He turned.
“Thanks for getting the reservation.”
“No problem. Have a good time.”
I nodded. “Hey. What did you come into my office for anyway?”
He flashed his boyish smile. “To rub your nose in the fact that I had lunch with Nora. I know how bad you have it for her—knew it even before you did.”
