Chapter 24: Chapter 24

Though there was a slight chill in the air, it wasn't enough to deter Ana from choosing to walk to the restaurant. It was only a fifteen minute stroll from her apartment, and it would give her some time to think. And if there was one thing she'd learned, it was that clearing her head was a sensible thing to do before she was in Eric's company; it certainly wasn't going to happen once he was near. She may not have seen him much over the last month, but she at least remembered that much.

In the few times they'd interacted at work, he'd been nothing but courteous and professional. It was evident he'd decided to heed his lawyers' advice and abandon his pursuit of her. And why shouldn't he? If it had been her billion dollar empire on the line, she'd likely have done the same.

She wasn't naïve enough to think she no longer wanted him—her dreams were enough to dispel that theory—but she'd never speak it aloud. As long as Kate thought she was over him, and as long as Eric thought she was no longer interested, that was all she needed. But the fact of the matter was that Kate was her best friend, and she was dating Elliot. Ana was bound to come into contact with him on occasion outside of work. And on those occasions, there was no reason they couldn't be friendly.

And so with that in mind, she stepped into the restaurant determined to have a good time tonight.

Eric was convinced he was seeing things until Kate turned around and greeted her friend with a screech and an enthusiastic hug. "Ana!"

When her voice lowered to a normal tone, their conversation was lost to him. Despite the fact that they were having a late dinner, the lobby of the Japanese Steakhouse was crowded and the noise was enough to drown out everything around them. Instead of trying to eavesdrop, he turned to his brother and quirked a brow.

Elliot shook his head in confusion. "I'm just as surprised to see her as you are," he admitted.

Eric took a deep breath and tried to prepare himself for the next hour or so in Ana's company. Knowing he could see her anytime he wanted to while she was working for him but choosing to stay away from her had been damn near excruciating. He'd attended two of her staff meetings—as he did with all of his new hotel managers—and though he'd sat at the other end of the table, he'd still been able to smell her. Her scent was so damn intoxicating it had almost been enough to knock the breath from him.

He'd bitten his tongue—and drawn blood in the process—to keep from ordering everyone but her from the room. His desire to lay her down on the conference table and seduce her until she was mad for him, begging him to take her, had nearly overcome him. And he could have done it; he knew he could have. She'd have given into him. But she'd have hated herself afterwards. She'd have hated him afterwards, and he couldn't stand the thought of her hating him.

"Elliot. Eric." Kate interrupted his musing as she turned around. "I hope you don't mind. I invited Ana to join us tonight. I didn't want her to have to spend another Friday night alone," she said brightly.

"Gee, thanks, Kate," Ana muttered.

Eric held back a grin at her dry response, clearing his throat instead. "Ana," he said with a nod. "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you, too," she said with a smile.

"Miller!" someone shouted from a few feet away.

"That was quick," Kate said as she led the way to the hostess.

The woman frowned as they approached. "I'm sorry," she said. "The reservation said three?"

"Oh, our friend is joining us," Kate replied. "Is that a problem?"

"I'm afraid we don't have room for four."

"Can't you just add a chair to the end of the table?" Eric asked.

The woman shook her head. "Each grill sits only ten people," she explained. "I…I do have another section where I can seat two of you if you wouldn't mind splitting off into pairs."

Ana looked at her friend apologetically. She'd been specifically invited so that Kate could spend more time with Elliot, but it looked as though her plan had been foiled—until Kate wrapped both of her arms around one of Elliot's. "That sounds great!" she said enthusiastically.

Ana's eyes widened as understanding dawned. Kate was going to leave her alone with Eric! She tried to say something…anything, but Kate looked so damn desperate to spend some time alone with her boyfriend that Ana just didn't have the heart.

"It looks like you're stuck with me." Ana jumped as Eric whispered the words in her ear, then turned and gave him a nervous grin.

"So…I imagine that spending a Friday night home alone doesn't seem like a bad idea now, does it?" Eric asked with a grin as the hostess led them inside the Hibachi room.

Ana laughed. "It's fine," she insisted as flames from the grill they were passing stretched toward the ceiling. "Just think-I could have been stuck with your brother. All we'd have had to talk about was Kate, and I'd have had to endure the Katherine Kavanagh Inquisition later."

Eric chuckled at her response.

"Here you are," the hostess said as she waved toward the only empty chairs surrounding the grill. "Enjoy your meal!"

"Thank you," Ana said as she scanned the area. Kate and Elliot were seated at a grill on the other side of the room.

"Here. Let me help you with that," Eric offered as she reached for her coat.

"Oh, thank you," Ana said as she turned around. He pulled her coat off and placed it on the back of her chair before reaching for his own. She was almost sorry to see him take it off; he looked exceptionally handsome in his brown leather bomber jacket.

The waitress was already waiting as they took their seats. "What can I get you to drink?" she asked with a smile.

"I'll have a beer," Ana answered.

"The same," Eric replied.

"One check?"

"Please," Eric answered before Ana could utter a word. She started to decline when he turned to her with a heart stopping grin. "We'll discuss business. I'll write it off."

"Oh…OK," Ana agreed hesitantly. The only thing separating them from the grill in front of them was their table. There were six chairs placed along the length of it, and then two on each end. Ana and Eric were placed on one end, and she watched as the waitress moved onto the man on Eric's left.

"Callie tells me you're doing an excellent job," he commented.

"I'm glad to hear that," Ana said. "I really like—"

"Now that business is out of the way, how have you been, Ana?" he interrupted.

"I…I'm fine," she said in surprise. "Now that business is out of the way? Isn't there more you want to discuss?"

"Is all the linen accounted for?" he asked with a grin.

"Of course," she answered.

"Excellent. That's been gnawing at me," he teased.

Ana laughed. "You can—" Her voice died off as she cleared her throat.

"I can what?" he pressed as he poured them each a glass of water from the pitcher that had been waiting for them when they'd been seated.

You can be quite charming when you want to be, had been on the tip of her tongue. But instead she responded with, "You can discuss business if you want."

"You are more than capable of running The Lux, Ana," he said as he took a sip of his water. "There's nothing more I need to know."

"Thank you," she said sincerely. Eric was a shrewd businessman, and Ana had no doubt that any compliment was high praise coming from him.

Eric kept up a steady stream of conversation, and Ana found herself more relaxed with each passing moment. They'd placed their order a little while ago, and Eric was in the middle of a sentence when his words came to an abrupt halt.

"Eric?" she prompted.

He tilted his head toward the cook, who Ana hadn't even realized was there. "I believe he's talking to you," he informed her.

"Oh," she said, turning her attention on the man standing behind the grill. "I'm sorry?"

The man grinned widely. "Sake?" he asked enthusiastically.

"I don't…I'm not sure—"

The left side of her body felt an instant warmth as Eric leaned toward her. "Just nod your head, Ana," he advised, his breath warm on her ear. Ana held back a shiver as she nodded uncertainly.

Eric grinned. "Now open wide."

"Wha—"

Ana turned her head back just in time to see the waiter lift a clear plastic bottle in front of her. Her jaw dropped when he squeezed it, and a steady stream of fluid made its way to the back of her throat. She was taken by surprise as the entire table started counting. "One…two…"

She felt the liquid—it tasted like it was fermented—start to trickle down her chin.

"Swallow, Ana," Eric coached huskily.

An unbidden image from last night's dream of her kneeling before him assaulted her senses, and she promptly choked on the liquid.

"Oh!" the cook said as he stopped the steady stream from coming at her. He turned to Eric. "Sake?!"

Eric held up a finger as he took a quick drink of water, and then nodded and dropped his jaw. Ana swiped at her chin as she watched him in action. He did much better than she had—the table had counted to fourteen now, and she couldn't help but join in. "Fifteen! Sixteen! Seventeen!" He was putting her to shame, swallowing greedily as the cook moved closer until he was holding it so high that Eric had to tilt his head back so it spilled into his mouth.

"Thirty-eight!" Eric's coughing brought the cook to a halt and the people surrounding the grill all cheered.

"Thirty-eight!" Ana exclaimed animatedly as the cook moved onto the man beside Eric. "What did I make it to?"

Eric grinned as he dabbed at his chin. "Four," he answered, eyes dancing.

Ana groaned.

He'd thought this platonic thing was going well, but then Ana had groaned and inevitably, parts below his waist had awakened. Though he had to admit, the light blue, long sleeved t-shirt she was wearing probably hadn't helped matters. It was molded to her chest like a second skin, accentuating the lush curve of her breasts. Memories from that first night with her-at The Lux-flashed through his mind...the taste of her skin...the image of her nipples straining eagerly toward the ceiling as he kissed his way up her belly.

He tried to think of something—anything—to tamp down his desire, even joining Ana in chanting with the other patrons as the cook made his way around the table with the sake. To his amusement, no one around the table had made it to thirty-eight. In fact, the closest anyone else had come was twenty-nine.

The cook obviously realized it, too, because he turned to Eric with a wide grin. "You are winna!" he announced.

"What do I win?" Eric asked, playing along.

The cook pointed the tip of the sake bottle at Ana, his grin broadening. "Kiss from the lady!"