She Was Your Wife, Right?

Tara Blakewood POV

I think I’ll go back to Italy. I’m tired... Weak willpower... I looked around the restaurant, waiting for the waiter to come.

Then I saw Kaiden Draven enter. He scanned the room as if searching for someone. I lowered my gaze to my phone on the table at the last second, hoping he wouldn’t notice me staring. I couldn’t look into his eyes.. his wife probably thinks he’s cheating on her with me right now.

I heard a chair being pulled nearb no, in front of me. It was him. He sat down comfortably, leaning back, legs apart. I guessed that’s his relaxed position.

“Look at me.”

As always, his voice had this strange effect on me. I obeyed, but my eyes wandered everywhere except at him.

The waiter came to take our orders.

“Spicy Samyang chicken noodles,” I said, pointing to the first picture that caught my attention on the menu.

“You like spicy food?” he asked, and I looked at him. Damn it. I couldn’t even look at him because of what happened last night. I actually never like spicy food. Was what I picked spicy? It would be stupid to tell him I chose it because of the picture, right?

“Yes, I like it,” I said.

I lifted my eyes to sneak a glance, but he was staring at my neck specifically my left collarbone, where my tattoo adorned.

“You still don’t remember that you are the girl I played for in the Maldives?”

I focused on every word, frowning slightly. I remembered the last time I went to the Maldives. It was a month and a half ago, when Ethan invited me there to spend some time with him. He wanted to touch me, cross boundaries I set, but I recoiled every time.

“Are you the man I asked to play Carol Of The Bells for me?” I asked lightly, trying to hide the excitement. The memory of his playing had stuck in my mind, and I couldn’t deny it.

“Oh, Mr. Kaiden, your playing was so beautiful. It’s stuck in my mind…”

I stopped talking when the waiter placed the food in front of us and walked away.

“I thought you were in a band!”

“You’re the only person who ever heard me play, Tara. I thought you’d remember my face when you met me, but you didn’t!”

I wanted to tell him I was in a bad mental state, getting therapy, and that when I saw him that night, it was dark, and I barely focused on his face. I tried to change the topic.

“Mr. Kaiden, don’t you like your food?”

He just lowered his head as he filled his chopsticks, but all his glances were on me.

“Why?” he replied with a question of his own.

“Just a guess,” I muttered.

“I like my food.” I gave a small “oh,” meaning I understood.

I picked up my chopsticks, grabbed a few noodles. I didn’t practice much with chopsticks, hoping I wouldn’t mess up. And I did, under his gaze.

I didn’t like that. I followed his movement with my eyes as he placed his chopsticks on the table and reached for mine. He held my hand, adjusting it while saying:

“You need to place this finger here, and move it with your thumb.”

I tried grabbing some noodles and succeeded. I put them in my mouth and swallowed. I said this, feeling the heat of the food.. it was very spicy.

“Oh, Mr. Kaiden, I managed to control it with my fingers.”

“You’re learning fast. It’ll be good to control something else too.”

His words were correct, but I sensed a hint of something more erotic in his tone. I ignored it.

“How did you know I was the girl you played for?” I asked, taking a piece of chicken and putting it in my mouth, chewing. The heat burned my lips. I took a sip of water.

“I couldn’t forget you since that night, especially your tattoo.”

“Observant, Mr. Kaiden.” I noted. The tattoo is simple, nothing remarkable, especially after almost two months.

I lifted my head from my food, looking at Kaiden in front of me. I saw him lick his lower lip while staring at mine.

“You said you like spicy food, Tara.”

He gestured for the waiter to come, and he did, quickly.

“A milkshake, fast.”

Then he noticed my surprised look.

“A milkshake, your favorite drink, right?”

I nodded with a smile. I couldn’t speak, feeling something tickle my memory about the drink I liked. The waiter brought the milk and left.

“Mr. Kaiden, she was your wife, right?” I asked, staring at my fingers fidgeting on the glass.

“Who do you mean?”

“The one who…”

I thought about it a lot last night, considered the possibility she wasn’t his wife, but the truth would be in his answer. I noticed his expression darken, changing to annoyance.

“Yes, she is. And don’t think about what happened yesterday. It’s not important.”

His words answered many questions, but the ending shocked me.

“Mr. Kaiden, she saw you in your office with another girl. What will she think?”

“It doesn’t matter what she thinks. What matters is she didn’t see your face. That’s what matters to you.”

His tone was harsh, but I ignored it and said: “I guess I’m slowly irritating you.”

“A fierce little cat, it seems.” I gave him my full attention when he said this.

“Mr. Kaiden, sometimes a female’s fierceness is useful.” I replied, with extra confidence.