JК
Burnt Offerings :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 37 из 286"Go sit on your side of the table. You've been here long enough to know what you want."
He moved his chair dutifully back to his place setting. "I have what I want, ma petite ."
I had to look down and not meet his eyes. Heat crept up my neck into my face, and I couldn't stop it.
"If you mean what do I want for dinner, that is a different question," he said.
"You are a pain in the ass," I said.
"And so many other places," he said.
I didn't think I could blush more. I was wrong. "Stop it."
"I love the fact that I can make you blush. It is charming."
The tone in his voice made me smile in spite of myself. "This is not a dress to be charming in. I was trying for sexy and sophisticated."
"Can you not be charming as well as sexy and sophisticated? Is there some rule about being all three?"
"Slick, very slick," I said.
He widened his eyes, trying for innocent and failing. He was many things, but innocent wasn't one of them.
"Now, let's start negotiating on dinner," I said.
"You make it sound like a chore."
I sighed. "Before you came along, I thought food was something you ate so you wouldn't die. I will never be as enamored of food as you are. It's almost a fetish with you."
"Hardly a fetish, ma petite ."
"A hobby, then."
He nodded. "Perhaps."
"So just tell me what you like on the menu, and we'll negotiate."
"All that is required is that you taste what is ordered. You do not have to eat it."
"No, no more of this tasting shit. I've gained weight. I never gain weight."
"You have gained four pounds, so I am told. Though I have searched diligently for this phantom four pounds and cannot find them. It brings your weight up to a grand total of one hundred and ten pounds, correct?"
"That's right."
"Oh, ma petite , you are growing gargantuan."
I looked at him, and it was not a friendly look. "Never tease a woman about her weight, Jean-Claude. At least not an American twentieth-century one."
He spread his hands wide. "My deepest apologies."
"When you apologize, try not to smile at the same time. It ruins the effect," I said.
His smile widened until a hint of fang peeked out. "I will try to remember that for the future."
The waiter returned with my drinks. "Would you like to order, or do you need a few minutes?"
Jean-Claude looked at me.
"A few minutes."
The negotiation began.
He moved his chair dutifully back to his place setting. "I have what I want, ma petite ."
I had to look down and not meet his eyes. Heat crept up my neck into my face, and I couldn't stop it.
"If you mean what do I want for dinner, that is a different question," he said.
"You are a pain in the ass," I said.
"And so many other places," he said.
I didn't think I could blush more. I was wrong. "Stop it."
"I love the fact that I can make you blush. It is charming."
The tone in his voice made me smile in spite of myself. "This is not a dress to be charming in. I was trying for sexy and sophisticated."
"Can you not be charming as well as sexy and sophisticated? Is there some rule about being all three?"
"Slick, very slick," I said.
He widened his eyes, trying for innocent and failing. He was many things, but innocent wasn't one of them.
"Now, let's start negotiating on dinner," I said.
"You make it sound like a chore."
I sighed. "Before you came along, I thought food was something you ate so you wouldn't die. I will never be as enamored of food as you are. It's almost a fetish with you."
"Hardly a fetish, ma petite ."
"A hobby, then."
He nodded. "Perhaps."
"So just tell me what you like on the menu, and we'll negotiate."
"All that is required is that you taste what is ordered. You do not have to eat it."
"No, no more of this tasting shit. I've gained weight. I never gain weight."
"You have gained four pounds, so I am told. Though I have searched diligently for this phantom four pounds and cannot find them. It brings your weight up to a grand total of one hundred and ten pounds, correct?"
"That's right."
"Oh, ma petite , you are growing gargantuan."
I looked at him, and it was not a friendly look. "Never tease a woman about her weight, Jean-Claude. At least not an American twentieth-century one."
He spread his hands wide. "My deepest apologies."
"When you apologize, try not to smile at the same time. It ruins the effect," I said.
His smile widened until a hint of fang peeked out. "I will try to remember that for the future."
The waiter returned with my drinks. "Would you like to order, or do you need a few minutes?"
Jean-Claude looked at me.
"A few minutes."
The negotiation began.