Across Eternity (2 page)

"You seem very familiar to me."

"I understand the feeling."

"Do you?"

He nodded. His heart leapt at the way she was visually eating him up.

"But you’re not a regular here," she added as she moved to
other side of the table, stepping out of the path of a gentleman walking by.
"I would have remembered you."

"No. I don’t eat here often."

She turned her head for a split second, and then looked over her shoulder
and scanned the crowded patio. "I noticed you’ve been here for
awhile. I apologize." She looked back at him. "It’s normally
not this busy on a weeknight."

It pleased him to know that she had noticed him, even in a crowd of people.
"Yes, it does seem busy."

"I think there was a charity golf tournament in town or
something." She shook her head and looked embarrassed. "And
I’m normally not this scattered brain. I apologize for that, too."

"An apology isn’t necessary."

She smiled at him and then eyed the three empty seats. "Will someone
be joining you this evening?"

"No, it’s just me tonight," he said.

"Rachael is supposed to be your server, but it looks like she
disappeared." Again, she looked around, leaning a little so she could
into the main dining room through the large glass windows. Glancing back at him
she said, "I’ll have to do for the time being."

"I think you’ll do."

She arched a brow. "Good. We hate to inconvenience our
customers."

"Rachael disappearing is hardly an inconvenience." He looked
about the room with a slow, lingering gaze before his eyes settled back on her.
"I like to think of it as a stroke of good fortune."

"Fortune?" she repeated, with a smile and a soft laugh. "I
don’t think I’ve ever heard that one before." She reached for
the pen and pad that were tucked in the black apron that neatly hugged her
hips. "Would you like to hear the specials?"

Logan shook his head. "No, that’s fine."

"A man that knows what he wants. I like that. What can I get
you?"

"Nothing."

She looked up surprised. "When you looked my way I assumed you wanted
something. I thought you were ready to order." With the back of her hand
she pushed a strand of hair from her eyes and blinked.

"I do want something," he agreed, as he drew in a breath of
salty air.

She lifted her pad, poising her pen on the white paper. "And what
might that be?"

Logan could tell she was trying to hide her smile. She knew
good
and well she wouldn’t be writing anything.
"I want you to join me." He gestured with his hand to the chair
across from him. "Please, sit."

"That’s very kind of you, but it’s not possible."

"Anything’s possible." Logan pointed out reasonably.

"Not that."

"Really?" he questioned.

Her hair danced as she nodded.
"Really."

Logan already knew her name. In fact, he knew almost everything there was to
know about her. However, he allowed his eyes to drop to the name badge just
above her breast before he spoke. "Why can’t you join me," he
looked up. "Amber?"

Amber Lewis tapped her pen against the tablet as she tried very hard not to
grin. He was casual, not at all stuffy, like most of the men who dined here.
His flirting wasn’t insulting or discourteous. Instead it was underplayed
and rather effective she thought.

She knew the dangers of flirting with customers so she decided to end it.
But she would have a little fun as she did. "I could come up with a long
list of reasons why I can’t join you but I don’t have the time so
I’ll state the most obvious—" she puckered her lips and then
spoke. "I might get fired."

With his finger, he wiped lazily at the condensation on his glass.
"Fired? We wouldn’t want that to happen."

She shook her head in agreement. "No, we wouldn’t. I think the
bill collectors and my landlord would be very disappointed if I lost this
job." She lifted the pad again. "Would you like a cocktail or
something else to drink while you decide what you’re going to
order?"

"No, the water is fine."

"An appetizer?"

"I’ll pass."

"You’re making this very hard on me."

"I could say the same about you. I love your smile." He stared
at her lips. "Actually, I love the smile that you’re trying to
hide."

"That’s very kind of you but that could also get me
fired."

"Or a very big tip," he said truthfully.

She had no choice but to laugh. He was simply charming.

"I knew I’d be able to make you laugh."

"It sounds like you’ve been planning it."

"I have. From the moment I saw you." He watched her. "What
if I could guarantee that you won’t get fired?"

"Though I like your confidence I really don’t think that’s
possible."

"Remember, anything is possible." He lifted his water and
sipped. Looking over the rim he asked, "Would you agree to join me if
there were no repercussions for doing so?"

She was quiet for a moment and then with mock seriousness she said,
"There are always repercussions."

He shook his head. "Not always."

She pulled in her bottom lip in an attempt to hide her amusement. She was
having way too much fun with him. She couldn’t seem to resist his calm, deep
voice, his casual debonair attitude, and his good looks. Maybe it was she
simply didn’t want to. Looking back into his eyes she realized that she
had no control over the attraction. It was there and there was nothing she
could do to prevent it. Not that she had any inclination to. She was positive
she knew him from somewhere…perhaps a long time ago. But from where she
couldn’t remember.

"You know, when you bite your lip like that all the pleasure
you’re trying to hide escapes to your eyes."

"Does it?" She would add smooth to his list of irresistible
qualities, not like he needed anymore of them. But she noted it nonetheless.

He raised his shoulders.
"Just an
observation."

"And what else have you observed?" She knew the question was
shameless but she couldn’t seem to help herself. This man was like no
other. At some point and time he’d have to lose his cool—no man was
this suave…

"I could come up with a long list if I had time, but I’ll state
the most obvious—" he puckered his lips just as she had when she’d
spoken the line to him. "You’re breathtaking."

She could only stare at him. He wasn’t just saying it, he actually
meant it. The innocent flirting was still there but it was shadowed by how
serious he was. He actually meant that she was taking his breath away. The
notion startled her.

He smiled as he sat forward and gestured with his hands. "Look at me,
please, except my apology. I’ve invited you to join me and I
haven’t even introduced myself." He raised his hand. "My name
is Logan Richards."

"Mr. Richards—"

"Logan," he insisted.

Amber didn’t take the hand that was offered to her. "Logan, my
boss would fire me on the spot if he knew I was even considering—"
She paused and her eyes widened. "Oh, God, here he comes."

"Who?"

"Mr. Hendricks, my boss. He’s the manager. Please, order
something fast."

Logan turned and glanced over his shoulder to see a serious man of about
fifty, in a smartly tailored gray suit and a perfectly straight red tie,
walking briskly toward them. He turned back to Amber. "I’ve already
explained I don’t want to order anything."

"You weren’t supposed to look at him," Amber said without
looking up from her pad. "Why did you look at him? Now he’s going
to think there’s a problem. Mr. Hendricks doesn’t like problems in
his restaurant."

"How are you talking like that? Your lips aren’t even
moving."

"This is serious," she mumbled without looking at him.

He watched her write intently on the pad. "What are you writing? I
haven’t ordered anything."

"I’m pretending." She stared down her nose at him, all
flirtatious intentions long gone. "Now, it’s your turn."

"To what?" he whispered because she was.

"To pretend.
Act like you want to
order," she snapped out before she lifted her head casually and smiled
gently like it was the first time she’d ever spoken to him. "May I
take your order sir?" She said in a friendly, sticky-sweet voice as her
boss neared.

"You know what I want," Logan insisted in a hushed tone.

Her voice dropped again as she glanced over to see Mr. Hendricks stop at a table
and give two regulars an energetic greeting. Her eyes shifted back to Logan.
"You don’t understand how much trouble I might be in."

"You haven’t done anything wrong," he pointed out.

"Yes, I have. For starters I left my tables and I’ve been
talking with a customer for way too long."

"You’ve also flirted with me," he added.

"I’m glad you’re enjoying this."

"I really am." He smiled. "I’ve really enjoyed the
flirting part too."

She bent toward him a little further, trying desperately to keep her posture
relaxed. Her expression said anything but that. "Do you know that
flirting happens to be the number one no, no on the list of no,
no’s
that I’ve committed in the last five
minutes?"

He shook his head. "I wasn’t aware of that."

"Professionalism and efficiency are Mr. Hendricks top two priorities
and I am to maintain them at all times."

"That sounds like a fundamental part of running a good
business," Logan nodded in agreement.

"I’ve done neither with you."

"Ah," he said slowly.

"Do you know how hard it is to get a job at a place like this?
It’s almost impossible unless you have connections. I don’t have
any connections. I had to bust my ass to get here." She looked up then
back down at her pad. "Please, just order something and do it
fast."

"I don’t—"

"Logan," she snapped out in complete frustration.

Logan glanced quickly behind him. "Here he comes. I think I’ll
just ask him if you can join me—unless you’d like to ask."

"You’re completely out of your mind," she whispered.

"You think so?"

"We took this too far, now it’s time to stop. I’m sorry. I
should have never let it go on this long. It was very unprofessional of
me."

"Amber, you couldn’t have stopped it if you tried."

"Good evening Mr. Richards, it is good to see you," Mr.
Hendricks said as he approached the table. He stopped a foot from Amber.

Though he didn’t stand, Logan reached up and shook Mr.
Hendricks’s hand. "It’s good to see you too. How have you
been?"

"Very well, thank you."

"That’s good to hear," Logan said with a nod of his head.
"It’s busy tonight."

"Yes, almost a packed house."
Mr.
Hendricks cast a wavering glance toward Amber. "Is everything all right
here, Sir?"

"No, it’s not."

Amber felt the blood drain from her face. If she could have accomplished it
unseen, she would have crawled under the nearest table and hid. Unfortunately,
she was trapped between both of them—each giving her an unyielding and
uncomfortable stare. She remained quiet and almost immobile as they spoke. She
was going to be in so much trouble.

"What seems to be the problem?" Mr. Hendricks asked as he
adjusted his cufflinks and then clasped his hands behind his back.

"I’ve asked Amber several times to join me." His lips
tightened. "She keeps refusing."

"I’m sorry to hear that, Sir."

"I am too." Logan draped his arm casually over the back of his
chair as he turned toward Mr. Hendricks. "If I’m able to persuade
her there wouldn’t be a problem with her joining me would there?"

"Absolutely not."

Shocked, Amber didn’t look up from her pad. She didn’t dare risk
looking at either one of them. She knew she was in the wrong and if she spoke
she feared she’d only dig herself in deeper and she didn’t want to
give Mr. Hendricks any more grounds to reprimand her. Things appeared to be
going well but she knew the consequences of her behavior—Mr. Hendricks
wouldn’t let it slide regardless of how things were looking at the
moment.

"Thank you, I appreciate it," Logan said.

Mr. Hendricks nodded. "If indeed you’re fortunate enough to have
the lady join you, would you like me to send someone over to take your order or
would you prefer to be left alone?"

Logan arched a brow. "We’ll see how it goes."

"I understand." Mr. Hendricks turned to Amber then back to
Logan, gave a quick nod, and said, "Mr. Richards, Amber, please enjoy the
rest of your evening."

Once they were alone, Logan turned to Amber. "You can move now,"
he said quietly.

A moment passed.

He shifted his body and angled his head so he could get a glimpse of her
eyes, which were fixed in an averted stare. "Amber?"

"What?"

"He’s gone."

"Yes, I know," she whispered.

He cocked his head questionably. "Then what are you doing?"

"I’m desperately trying to absorb everything that has just
happened." There was a pause. "I might need a moment."

Nodding slowly, Logan leaned back in the chair and folded his arms casually
across his chest. "Take all the time you need," he said seriously.

She stared at the pad, her shoes, the floor, and then her pad again before
her head snapped up. "Who are you?" she demanded quietly, but firmly.

"I’ve already told you who I am."

"No, you gave me your name." She tucked her pen and pad away and
watched him closely. "A name doesn’t tell me who you are."

"Yes, I suppose you’re right."

"How did you do that? Mr. Hendricks is never this indulgent." Mr.
Hendricks would do anything to please a customer. Amber had witnessed that
dozens of times over the last four months. Although she’d never seen
Logan before, Mr. Hendricks obviously knew him and apparently bent the rules
for him—or at least in front of him. If she wasn’t already fired
she was more than likely going to get an ass chewing and be put on probation
the moment Logan left the building.

"It’s a knack I have." He unfolded his arms and stood up.
"I can pull it off in several restaurants in town."

"Really."

"Yes."

Amber watched Rachael walk by and give her
the
look. It was the look
that a woman gave another woman who was in conversation with a very handsome
man. Amber tried to ignore her friends open stare, instead focusing on her
situation. "I can’t afford to lose my job." She prayed she
still had it.

"You won’t lose your job. I promise."

"I don’t see how you can promise me that."

"I assure you, I can." He waited a moment, giving her time.
"I’m not going to let you lose your job."

"Okay."

He smiled. "Good." He raised a quick brow. "Now that
that’s settled I’d like to see that smile back on your face."
After a moment of her standing there staring at him he said, "By joining
me I was hoping that would mean you’d be sitting instead of
standing."

"Logan, I’m not sure—"

"Neither am I," he said quickly. His lips turned soft and upward
and when he spoke he was very earnest. "Amber, I’m not sure about
anything either. All I ask of you is to sit." He raised his hand.
"You’ve received permission from your boss, we’re amongst
people, and I’d truly like it if you did."

Her round cheeks dimpled as she smiled slowly.

"What?"

She shook her head. "It’s nothing."

"You can’t smile at me like that and not tell me why."

She looked down foolishly. "I heard the sincerity in your voice
again."

"I hope so."

Amber stared at him for a moment, taking him in, trying to figure him out.
Who was this stranger? Why was she
as
drawn to him as
he so obviously was to her? Physically, he was attractive. He was at least six
two and amazingly broad. Thick, medium brown hair was cut short and trimmed to
perfection around his ears and neck. The causal, blue button-up shirt that he
wore matched the blue sports coat that was draped over the back of his chair.
His light, blue eyes matched his disposition—calm and congenial. She
found her eyes wondering back over his frame inspecting him again. Abruptly,
she realized what she was doing. Shaking her head, she said, "I’m
sorry, I don’t mean to keep staring." She looked around awkwardly.
"This has never happened to me."

"Me neither." He pulled out her chair and watched her eyes
soften. "Please, sit."

And she did.