He followed behind her closely, one hand high on her bare back, so she wouldn’t shoot him with that withering glare she kept loaded specially for his bolder flirting. However, the feeling of her bare skin under with palm had him growing hard, clenching his teeth together. He gracefully sidestepped around her to pull out her chair before she could reach it. Lillian still eyed him skeptically. The hostess cleared her throat.

“I’ll let you get settled and come back to take your drink order, alright dear.” Looking only at Brayden.

Brayden never took his eyes off Lillian, who was watching the hostess with something akin to jealously on her face.

“Thank you.” Brayden dismissed the hostess. “So, what do you think? Pretty fancy, I hope the food is good.”

“Why’re you ignoring her?” Lillian quizzed over the menu.

“Ignoring who?” Brayden said innocently.

“Don’t be coy, the hostess.”

“Why would I pay any attention to her?”

“She’s pretty.” Lillian said offhandedly.

“Is she? I didn’t notice.” He said flatly.

“Oh really?” Lillian teased.

“Very really. I haven’t looked at any other women and noticed whether they’re attractive or not in months.” Brayden said baldly.

“Why not?”

“Because you exist.” Starring at his menu blankly.

He couldn’t look at her reaction, so he studied the menu without really seeing anything on it while his heart raced. He really meant it. He was so head over heels for Lillian he hadn’t spared a second look at anyone seriously in months. Sometimes, when a girl had the same hair as her, or her shoulders reminded him of Lillian’s he’d do a double take, just to find that her smile didn’t sparkle the way Lillian’s did, or her nose didn’t scrunch the same when she laughed. He tapped his menu gently.

“How’s the assorted sushi tray sound? 20 pieces of all the best? And maybe a good bottle of soju?” He asked over the menu finally reaching her eyes.

Lillian was already looking at him. Studying him more so, more seriously than he’d ever seen her assess him.

“You mean that?” Lillian asked.

“About the sushi? Yes, unless you don’t want that, I’m sure we can find something else you’ll like.”

“Brayden.” Lillian exasperated.

“Yes, I mean it. I only have eyes for you. The light of my life, yatta yatta yatta.” He sighed. “Please don’t make me repeat it.” He begged her.

He could feel the heat in his cheeks as he looked at Lillian pitifully, sincerity all over his face.

“Oh.” Was all she said.

“Yeah.” He swapped back.

The hostess approached and smiled right at him.

“What can I get you to drink sir?” the question posed only to Brayden.

He finally looked at the hostess boredly and then back at Lillian.

“The soju, right? How’s the grapefruit one sound?” All smiles and cheeky looks again for her.

“Yes, please.” Lillian mustered up with a shy smile back for him.

His heart beat harder in his chest, and he knew he was blushing. In public of all places. When he turned back to the hostess, who was clearly unaffected by him ignoring her, she just smiled brighter.

“We’ll have a bottle of grapefruit soju with some 7up in a pitcher.” His voice flat directed at the host. “Thank you.”

“Of course! Coming right up!” as she disappeared.

Lillian was staring intensely at the menu when he turned back to her.

“Hey?” He mused, his foot gently tapping her leg under the table.

Lillian jumped with a small squeak. Heat building high on her cheek bones."Hmm?” She wobbled out.

“Sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I’m just not interested in lying to you.” Brayden smiled meekly.

“Right.” Lillian nodded back her eyes darting across his face and landing on his lips before busing herself with the menu again.

She took a deep breath and set the menu down and looked at Brayden. His heart stopped beating waiting for whatever she was about to say - to crush him.

“My face is going to be permanently stained if you keep making me blush like that.” The small smile reaching her eyes with a twinkle.

“Would it really be such a shame? I think you’re rather pretty when you blush like that.” Brayden shrugged.

Lillian gasped and kicked his shin under the table playfully. Brayden laughed as his shoulders relaxed. A cheeky smile graced his face. His eyes wandered around her face this time, lingering on her lips and then her throat until he couldn’t resist the valley between her breasts, his breath hitching. He cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair. His eyes looking anywhere but her. He heard her light giggle and blushed again. The sound bringing his eyes back to hers. She was still studying him openly, but she had relaxed, leaning back in her seat. He could feel her foot bobbing under the table near his one knee.

“So, the sushi platter?” His voice catching.

He cleared his throat again and ducked his head looking up at her.

“I suppose since you’re paying, I’ll do whatever you want.” Lillian’s eyes glittering with the double meaning.

This time Brayden choked and sputtered, reaching for the waters already on the table, just as the hostess arrived again.

“Here’s those drinks for you, are you ready to order?” Still talking only to him.

He hadn’t caught his breath yet and raised one finger while he took a deep drink of the water. Humour glittered in Lillian’s eyes as she turned to the hostess.

“We’ll have the 20-piece sushi platter, with a side of dumplings please, with that peanut sauce, if you have it.” Lillian smiled without it reaching her eyes, daring the hostess to continue ignoring her.

The hostess bristled.

“Yes. Of course.” Flatly.

Lillian rolled her eyes as she stalked away, landing back on Brayden’s amused face. Brayden poured the drinks slowly.

“You know if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were jealous.” He quipped playfully.

Lillian’s eyes narrowed.

“I just don’t like being ignored. Even if you do look like that.” She huffed defensively.

“Oh? And what is it I look like?” Brayden said casually.

“Like you fuck for a living.” Lillian replied just as casually. “Like those hands know exactly what they’re doing, and like the blade on your neck isn’t that only thing you’re packing.” She winked.

Brayden’s fingers stilled on his glass, his pupils blown wide, his cock ached uncomfortably. He tilted his head towards her.

“What else do I ‘look like’ to you?” His voice like gravel.

He hooked his foot behind one leg of Lillian’s chair and pulled her closer to the table, one hand slipping under the table to grip the ankle of her bobbling foot. Lillian’s breath hitched loudly as his thumb dragged across the sensitive inside of her ankle.

“Hmm?” He asked again.

“I – I don’t…” She gasped.

He grinned back at her, gently dropping her ankle and leaning back again.

“You’re right, I don’t want to know all your little fantasies about me just yet.” He voice was still deep and rough, and slightly amused.

“I do not have fantasies about you!” She protested a little loudly.

His eyebrows lifted.

“I thought I told you not to look at me like that. We both know the truth, don’t we?” He growled across the table.

He watched her squirm in her seat. A feral smile spread across his face.

“You know I bet, when I touched you just now, the first thing you thought about, was what my fingers would feel like inside you right here under this table.”

Lillian gasped. Her eyes glassy like back at the apartment, he could hear her panting.

“What else are you thinking hmm?” He tapped his jaw quizzically.

Lillian breathed in sharply, waiting for his next words. She felt dirty hanging on every word coming out of his mouth, but she couldn’t help the soft whimper that escaped her lips when he dropped his head and groaned.

“You’re going to ruin me, Lily.” His breathing ragged.

Suddenly he was standing, shoving his hands deep in his pockets.

“Where...” Lillian started.

He stepped towards her and leaned in close to her ear to whisper, “I’m like a fucking teenager around you, and I’m going to cum in these pants in about 10 seconds thinking about fingering you in this restaurant, so I will be right back.” His breath hot and desperate in her ear.

She whimpered softly as he stalked away towards the bathroom.