Dirk's Love by Marisa Chenery (top 50 books to read txt) 📗

he’d have plenty of time to get to the restaurant ahead of Ryann. He wanted to be there before she arrived, to organize his thoughts on how he wanted their first meeting in person to go.

It wasn’t too far of a drive from Roxie and Beowulf’s place. It also was a nice and bright San Francisco day. Dirk slipped on a pair of sunglasses and took the top down on his gray metal ic BMW 335is convertible. He actual y looked forward to seeing Ryann. They’d talked so much over the phone since he’d hired her two weeks before he felt as if he’d known her for a lot longer than that. They also worked wel together. And with her background, Ryann was just the kind of person he needed to help out with the service.

He pul ed into the lot of the Japanese restaurant he’d chosen and parked the car. Dirk had become hooked on sushi about six months ago and couldn’t get enough of the stuff. He found himself coming to this place at least once a week to feed his new addiction.

After getting out of his car, Dirk walked to the entrance of the restaurant and stepped inside the vestibule, then pul ed open the glass door that led to the main section.

The place had a definite Asian flare to it. As usual, already quite a few people were there, eating. He’d learned early on to make sure he had a reservation.

Greeted by the hostess, he gave his name, saying he would have another person joining him shortly. The woman led him to a booth and left two menus on the table.

Dirk’s stomach growled as he looked one over, promptly deciding what he’d order first. The thing he loved about this sushi place was that it was al -you-can-eat. Each menu item had a number, which had to be fil ed out on a form with the amount desired on a smal slip of paper. The wait staff—

whoever happened to see it first—picked it up, and shortly after that, the freshly prepared food arrived at the table.

Someone could order as much and as many things as they wanted, so long as they finished everything before ordering more. Not that Dirk had any problem in that regard.

Dirk pul ed in a deep breath, his mouth watering at the smel of raw fish, rice and other items the restaurant served. Being a werewolf, he liked any kind of meat practical y uncooked, so raw fish was right up his al ey.

As Dirk tried to think through what he wanted to say to Ryann, he drew in another breath, then one more quickly after that. His whole body stiffened—along with his cock—

when he detected a new scent added to the mix of others around him. Dirk’s fingers held the menu tighter as the one thing he’d longed to feel surged through him, roaring to life

—his mating urge.

He looked up to find a woman standing at the side of the table, smiling at him. Dirk latched his gaze onto hers, unable to do anything but stare. She was gorgeous, with long, black hair that fel over her shoulders. Friendly looking light blue eyes gazed back at him. He fil ed his lungs again with her scent, reveling in the fact that she was to be the one meant for him. His mating urge rode his ass hard, making it almost impossible to think beyond the need to claim her as his.

She stuck out her hand. “You must be Dirk. I’m Ryann.”

Dirk stood and wrapped his much larger one around hers and shook it. He had to fight with himself not to yank her forward and devour her with his mouth. His cock throbbed in time with his rapidly beating heart, pushing against the zipper of his jeans.

“Nice to final y meet you, Ryann,” he said in a voice that had gone husky as he forced himself to let go.

that had gone husky as he forced himself to let go.

“And it’s nice to final y put a face to the voice. Just to start off, I have to apologize. My sitter bailed on me at the last minute. I hope you don’t mind that I had to bring my son, Tyler, along.”

Dirk’s gaze dropped to the smal boy who stood next to Ryann, clutching her hand. The first thing that popped into his mind was: oh, shit. His mate was already married.

Chapter Two

Ryann waited to see what Dirk’s reaction would be after she told him about Tyler. When it came, she hadn’t expected to see his face turn slightly white as he stared down at her son.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, she waited for Dirk to say something first. She also used the opportunity to study him closer. He was so good-looking she wouldn’t have been surprised to find herself drooling over him. He had the looks that would put a model to shame. And his body.

Damn. His muscles fil ed out the form-fitting black t-shirt and blue jeans he wore quite nicely. He also was tal , real y tal . Ryann guessed him to be around six-foot-six. At five-foot-eight, there weren’t too many men who could make her feel short, but Dirk did. And throw in his long—past his shoulders—dark brown hair with blond highlights and dark green eyes, and it was al she could do not to stare at him with her tongue hanging out.

Final y, Dirk brought his gaze back up to her face.

His eyes were fil ed with such longing she felt her knees start to weaken. But then, he blinked and it was gone. He motioned for her to take the banquet seat across from him.

“That’s okay,” he said in a deep voice. Once they were al seated, he added, “I didn’t realize you had a son.

Or that you were married.”

Ryann made sure Tyler couldn’t get at anything on the table that he could make a mess with before she turned her attention back to Dirk.