After Thought Read online

  Adam had decided to time the meal preparation so that it would be about halfway done when Maddie arrived. That way she could watch him prepare the meal and he could show off his culinary skills. He figured she could also help with the dinner preparation if she wanted to. Getting guests involved with the cooking always seemed to be an icebreaker. He called her earlier in the day and reminded her to bring her violin so she could play for him.

  Adam stared at the clock and tapped his fingers on the counter—6:00…6:01…6:02. He checked on the food and glanced at the clock again—6:03…6:04. He ran his fingers through his hair.

  Maybe she changed her mind and wasn’t coming. Maybe she was purposely being fashionably late.

  He jumped when he heard a knock on the door. His eyes darted to the clock—6:05. He breathed a sigh of relief. When he opened the door, he inhaled sharply at the sight of her. She looked absolutely stunning.

  He tried not to appear like a total Neanderthal as he forced his eyes to look at her face first. It lit up with that dazzling smile again, and he could tell she had spent a little extra time on her hair and makeup. Her normally straight, blond hair curled subtly and fell whimsically around her face and shoulders. She had applied more of an evening look with her makeup, a smoky gray around her eyes that brought out their brilliant blue color and gave her a sensual look. Her full lips were tinted with a shimmery gloss that made him want to kiss her deeply.

  Later. Take it slow.

  He then let his eyes drift to the tastefully sexy little black dress that showcased the curves of her voluptuous body perfectly and showed just the right amount of cleavage. He had to fight the urge to take her in his arms and take it off her. But he refrained. He wanted to savor the evening. He noticed that she held a bottle of wine in one hand and her violin case in the other.

  “Good evening, Ms. Madeline. You look absolutely stunning, as always. Welcome to Casa de Lancaster. Your table awaits you. Please allow me,” he said in mock formality.

  He reached for the wine and violin case.

  She smiled that beautiful smile that he loved so much and said, “Thank you. It smells wonderful in here. And by the way, you’re looking pretty gorgeous yourself.”

  She winked at him as she walked past.

  This is going to be an amazing night.

  She followed him to the kitchen. Along the way she said, “The place looks great. I love all the candles.”

  Thank you, Claire.

  “I know you told me not to bring anything, but I wanted to contribute something to the meal, so I brought my favorite wine for you to try.”

  “That sounds great! We can have some while I finish cooking dinner.”

  As Adam examined the wine label, it occurred to him that he didn’t have a corkscrew.

  Damn!

  After all of the planning and preparation to make the evening perfect, he couldn’t believe he had missed that important detail. The last time he had looked for a corkscrew in his utensil drawer, where he would normally keep it, he couldn’t find it.

  He was almost positive it had disappeared during one of the wilder parties he had hosted, but he decided to look one last time. He opened the drawer and dug around just in case he had missed it before. Finding nothing that even resembled a corkscrew, he leaned down for a better view, looked in the back of the drawer, shuffled things around, and looked again. No corkscrew.

  Damn!

  “You know what, Maddie, I’m sorry but I don’t think I have a corkscrew. It disappeared during one of our particularly rowdy parties and I’ve never replaced it. I hate to ask, but do you have one?”

  She stepped toward the drawer and said, “Well, let me see if I can find it,” as she began rummaging.

  Convinced that she wouldn’t find a corkscrew in the drawer, Adam started to protest, “I’m pretty sure you’re not going to find…”

  But before he could finish his sentence, she said, “Oh here we go,” as her hand emerged from the drawer holding a corkscrew.

  Adam’s eyebrows shot up as he stammered, “What the..? How did you..? Wow, am I going blind or what? I can’t believe you found that. I’ve searched that drawer a few times and I’ve never seen it. You look for a microsecond and immediately find it. How did you do that? I swear you’re a magician or something. Was that a sleight-of-hand trick? Come on, spill it. First the Shark Fin beer, then the corkscrew. What’s your secret?”

  She laughed the same way she did when she had amazed the band members with the Shark Fin beer at rehearsal and said, “I don’t know. I guess I have good searching skills.”

  Adam glanced at her sideways. He thought too many strange coincidences occurred in Maddie’s presence. But what else could explain it? He got the slightest feeling she wasn’t being truthful with him. Not in a malicious way, but in a way he couldn’t quite explain. He could have sworn there had not been a corkscrew in that drawer. Why would she lie, though? That would be a weird thing to lie about. He decided to let it go.

  He shrugged and said, “Allow me.”

  She handed him the corkscrew. As he opened the wine, he noticed that the corkscrew didn’t look like his. Maybe somebody had left one in the drawer the last time he had guests over. But he had just looked in the drawer and he didn’t see it. He scratched his head.

  Oh well. That was just strange.

  He went on about the business of opening up the wine. He poured them each a glass and she gave him a lesson in the etiquette of wine tasting. Although he didn’t normally drink wine, he was open to trying anything once, especially since she had brought it.

  She said, “This is Beringer, Cabernet Sauvignon—Private Reserve, Napa Valley 2001. I usually only buy it for special occasions.”

  Adam was definitely not a wine connoisseur, but even he could tell it was what he considered an expensive bottle of wine. Warmth spread through him, partly from the wine, but mostly because she had considered their first date to be a special occasion.

  Their eyes locked for a moment as they sipped the wine.

  She is so sexy, he thought as he tried to imagine what she would look like with her dress off.

  He would have gladly skipped dinner altogether and gone straight to bed with her. Patience, Grasshopper. Wait for it. He had definitely watched too many “Kung Fu” reruns.

  He snapped back to reality and said, “Well, I need to chop some basil to add to the pasta dish when it’s almost done. You don’t want to add the fresh herbs too soon or they’ll cook too much and wilt and you won’t get the full flavor.”

  She raised her eyebrows and nodded—the ‘A student’ at a cooking lesson.

  Adam retrieved his chef’s knife from the cutting board and started chopping rapidly, emulating the famous chefs he had seen on the Food Network.

  Maddie said, “How do you do that so quickly? I would have already chopped off a finger. If I had to chop all of that it would take me an hour.”

  He stopped and looked at her. Sometimes he took his culinary skills for granted. Chopping quickly was second nature to him now, but it often amazed other people.

  He held out the knife to her and said, “Here—you try.”

  She shook her head and said, “Not unless you want to wait an hour to eat.”

  “Come here,” he said. “It’s not as hard as you think. There’s a certain technique. I’ll show you.”

  She put down her glass and hesitantly took the knife from him. She gave him a pleading look for help. Adam stepped behind her and put his arms around her so that he could hold each of her hands in his. Something stirred deep within as his body drew closer to hers.

  She glanced over her shoulder at him and said in a sexy voice, “I like this method of chopping already.”

  He inhaled sharply as he became aroused. Her hair touched his cheek. He inhaled the crisp cleanness and a subtle hint of perfume. He closed his eyes and breat
hed in again, savoring the smell of her. He had the urge to kiss her neck. He refrained. Instead, he carefully guided her hands and spoke softly to her as she chopped.

  “Stack the basil leaves into a pile of about five leaves. Roll the stack, starting at the stem side and moving toward the tip of the leaves. Put the tip of your knife down and keep it steady so it always maintains contact with the cutting board. Now raise and lower the knife in a quick, rocking motion. A good chef’s knife will easily chop through the leaves.”

  He guided her hands for a few more chops until he thought she had the hang of it, and then he let her try it on her own. She bit her lower lip as she chopped away at the basil, awkwardly at first, but then more quickly and proficiently as she gained confidence in the technique.

  After a few minutes, she looked up at him through her lashes, handed him the knife, and said, “I think I’d better leave it up to the chef to finish this off. I’ll drink my wine and learn by observing.”

  He continued with the final dinner preparations while they talked and sipped on the wine.

  “I noticed you brought your violin,” he said. “Why don’t you play while I finish dinner?”

  “Don’t mind if I do.”

  She gingerly opened the case and removed a beautiful violin. By the looks of it, he guessed it must have been worth enough for a down payment on a Manhattan Brownstone.

  “Yeah, this is my baby,” she said. “My very special investment.”

  She took out the bow and tuned the violin for a moment.

  “This is Bach’s Chaconne,” she said as she gently pulled the bow across the strings.

  Adam stopped what he was doing and fixed his gaze on Maddie. Although he had no experience in playing the violin, he could tell that she was quite accomplished.

  “That’s amazing! You’re so talented.”

  She smiled and nodded a silent thank you while she continued to play. She was a classy lady, and it made her even more appealing to him.

  “We should feature you in one of our songs sometime,” he said.

  “When you get your recording contract and you need a violinist, I’ll be there.”

  A slight, close-lipped smile spread across Adam’s face. He liked her reference to the future. He could really get used to having her around. She played a few more songs while Adam put the finishing touches on the meal.

  When he was ready, Adam motioned for Maddie to join him at the dinner table. She carefully returned her violin to the case, and took her seat across from him. They lingered over their plates, eating and sipping wine in the dim candlelight as they made small talk. Chatting with Maddie was easy. Again, he felt as if he had known her for a long time, just like he had that night on the rooftop terrace.

  At the end of the meal, Maddie dabbed up the last bit of sauce on her plate with a piece of bread. She popped it in her mouth, leaned back, and put her hands on her stomach.

  “Can you tell I thought it was terrible?” she said, winking. “Would you be offended if I licked my plate?”

  Adam laughed. “I won’t judge. But you better save a little room for dessert.”

  “I am soooo full, but there’s always room for dessert.”

  He served the tiramisu with chocolate-covered strawberries and cappuccino.

  “That was absolutely delicious,” said Maddie as she helped him clear the table. “Who needs restaurants?”

  Adam had planned to clean up later, but she insisted on helping him. They stood side by side, laughing, joking, and flirting while they washed the dishes. She washed and he dried and put the dishes away.

  Afterward, he said, “I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty and picked out a movie. Claire recommended it. She said it’s a chick flick for the most part, but Zach liked it too. I thought we could watch it.”

  “Sure, that sounds good. I love watching movies.”

  So despite the fact that he was completely stuffed, he popped a bag of popcorn in the microwave—because that seemed like the thing to do when watching movies. He also poured them both another glass of wine.

  They moved into the living room. Adam was as nervous as a high school boy out on his first date. He found the movie on Amazon, dimmed the lights, and—while he sat on the couch with his wine in one hand and the remote in the other—wondered exactly how he was going to position himself next to Maddie. Should he motion for her to sit close to him? Give her some space? He relaxed when she solved the dilemma by sitting right next to him, the sides of their legs touching. He reached for the popcorn bowl and put it in his lap to hide his arousal.

  He started the movie and leaned back on the couch to get comfortable. He stretched his arm out across the back of the couch. Maddie leaned back as well, snuggled right up next to him, and laid her head on his shoulder. His fingers seemed to have a mind of their own as they gently stroked her soft, fine hair.

  Adam kissed the top of Maddie’s head and closed his eyes as he breathed in the scent of her hair and perfume again. He thought he would never grow tired of being close to her. He glanced at her, observed the shape of her nose, the fullness of her lips, and the light from the TV as it danced off her hair and eyes. With heightened senses, he was aware of her breathing and felt her body touch his.

  Suddenly, Maddie laughed. Adam jumped. She tilted her head and looked at him with furrowed brows, wondering why he hadn’t laughed too. When their eyes met, her smile, still lingering from the laughter, faded as he stared at her intensely.

  Adam leaned over and gently kissed her lips. A bolt of electricity ran through his entire body. He had never experienced this with any woman. He kissed her gently for a few moments. She leaned into him. As the passion ignited in him, he kissed her a little more firmly. Her lips parted and their tongues met. Deep, sensual kisses followed. Adam moaned softly. This woman made him feel like no other woman ever before, and he wanted more.

  He lost track of time as he kissed her and stroked her hair, face, and neck. Her fingers ran through his hair and her nails scraped down his neck and back. His lips moved to her neck and he heard the slightest moan of pleasure escape her lips. Encouraged by this, he laid her down on the couch as he ran his hand down her neck and side, and cupped her breast through her dress.

  She responded and pulled his body a little closer so he was almost on top of her as he kissed her passionately. Her breasts were full and soft in his hand. He wanted to taste them. He wanted her badly. They were caught up in the passion—their hands and arms moved over each other’s bodies more frantically as fingers touched, grabbed, stroked, and caressed. He felt her fingernails dig into his back and chest, scratching and massaging as their bodies pressed together.

  His hand moved slowly down her body to her upper thigh, where he felt the hem of her dress. He grabbed it and started to pull it up. He was ready to remove the dress, ready to reveal her body to him. But as he pulled her dress up past her hips, her hand stopped his. She sat up abruptly and pulled her dress back down. She breathed heavily as tears shimmered in her eyes.

  She whispered, “I’m sorry, Adam. I’m not ready for this.”

  His eyes widened as he sat up and absentmindedly straightened his shirt. One moment everything was going well—they were both into it, there was no denying that. The next moment, things had come to a screeching halt. His brow creased as he ran a hand through his hair.

  He said, “I’m sorry if I did something wrong.”

  She shook her head and said, “No. No. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m sorry. It’s me. I just…I don’t know if I’m ready for this.”

  She jumped up off the couch and made a beeline for the front door. Adam froze. He didn’t know what to do. Should he follow her? Should he let her go? Dumbfounded, he just sat there. He had never experienced anything like this before.

  When she reached the door, she turned to face him. Her bottom lip quivered as she said, “Adam, I
am truly sorry. I had a wonderful night tonight. The meal was amazing, and I really enjoy spending time with you. I’m just not ready for this. I hope this doesn’t ruin things between us.”

  He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes as he tried to understand. It made no sense to him. Still unsure of what to do or say, he stood, walked to her, took her by the hands and said, “It’s okay, Maddie.”

  She buried her face in his chest. As his arms moved to envelop her, she pulled back and looked down at the floor.

  “I really am sorry.”

  She wiped a tear off her cheek with the back of her hand, then turned and walked out. Just like that the date was over.

  Adam stood dumbfounded. He rubbed his face with his hands.

  What the hell?

  He paced as he went over it again and again in his mind, trying to figure out exactly where and why things had gone wrong. Was it something he had said? Something he had done?

  He was pretty sure she had enjoyed herself. When they were making out, she had seemed to be into it. He felt as if she had wanted him as much as he had wanted her. There must be something more to it. But what?

  What should he do now? Should he call her? Knock on her door? Leave her alone for a few days? Let her contact him?

  He recalled the last thing she had said before she walked out… I really enjoy spending time with you. I’m just not ready for this. I hope that this doesn’t ruin things between us.

  What did that mean? Maybe he should just quit overanalyzing everything. She probably got scared that they were going too far, too fast, and freaked.

  He flopped down on the chair and covered his eyes with his hands. As he sat there sulking and pondering, he glanced through his fingers and noticed her violin case across the room. Had she left it on purpose? He doubted it, but it gave him a glimmer of hope. They would definitely be in contact again. She’d have to come back to get it, or he’d have to take it to her. Either way, it gave him a reason to contact her. He decided not to do anything for the night. Just let it go for now and seek counsel from Claire in the morning.