A Silken Thread - Brenda Jackson [63]
The thought that it bothered him touched her deeper than he would ever know. “I don’t like the thought of sneaking around, either, but for now it’s for the best.”
He looked doubtful but said, “Fine, I’ll keep things between us for now, but after Erica marries then all bets are off and we won’t sneak around again. Understood?”
She nodded, not only understanding but in full agreement.
Chapter Sixteen
“Hello, Rita. Thanks for agreeing to meet with me tonight.”
Rita took the chair Wilson slid out for her, not sure agreeing to see him had been the right thing. “Wilson,” she responded in a whispered breath. And the moment their eyes connected she felt it. The heat and sizzle belonging to people who had once been intimate.
Her mouth opened to form a word but no sound came out so she closed her lips. It was as if the moment their gazes met and he smiled at her, she’d become lost in his entire presence. What she remembered most about him was his smile. It was so arresting it was causing heat to thrum all through her.
“I’m not sure your coming to Dallas was the right thing to do,” she finally found her voice to say.
“And I believe coming here was the only thing I could do, Rita.”
“Why?”
“Because I knew you would be feeling guilty about everything.”
She leaned closer to him and whispered, “And I shouldn’t?”
“No, you shouldn’t.”
Instead of responding to his statement she sat back and glanced around. At that moment she needed to focus her gaze on anything but Wilson while she allowed her brain to make sense of what he’d said.
The one thing he hadn’t come across as was callous, a man who would have no regard for the woman he’d married. From the first she’d read him as being a loyal man, a man who would not hurt anyone. A man who would put others ahead of himself. A man who would love deeply.
But now she didn’t know what to think about him. He was sitting here, a married man, telling the woman he’d slept with that she shouldn’t feel guilty about the part she’d played in his infidelity. She couldn’t help but glance back at him. Their gazes latched together immediately and she felt a pull in the pit of her stomach that she’d never felt before.
“Would you like to order now, sir?”
The waiter’s voice had them breaking an intense connection as Wilson responded. “Give us a few more minutes, however, I’d like a scotch and she would like a glass of red wine.”
“Yes, sir.”
She didn’t have to ask how he knew her drink of choice. A part of her wished she could blame her actions that night on the wine she’d drunk. Although she had consumed more glasses than usual, she had been in full control of her senses. What she hadn’t been able to control was her body.
And she was having trouble doing that very thing now.
To distract herself, she glanced around the restaurant again. Wilson had chosen a location close to the airport, on the other side of town from where she lived. Glancing at the other patrons she was glad there wasn’t a familiar face.
“This is my first time in Dallas in over five years. I can’t believe how much things have changed.”
She glanced back at Wilson. Why did he appear more hand some than she remembered? More manly? Why did the salt-and-pepper hair around his temples give him such a sexy look? And why was she thinking such things? An even better question was, why was she here?
Knowing he expected a response, she said, “Yes, we’re growing by leaps and bounds.” She didn’t say anything else for a minute, then broached the unspoken subject. “You wanted us to meet and talk, Wilson.”
“Yes, but can we enjoy a meal together first?”
She looked away. She didn’t know how long she could resist him while in his presence. “Rita?”
She glanced up at him. “Yes?”
“I don’t bite, you know.”
She wasn’t so sure about that. There had been passion marks left all over her body from their prior encounter. But she didn’t want to remember that. She swallowed thickly, feeling anxiety at the back of her throat. “All right, we’ll share dinner and then we’ll talk, although I doubt there