Bedmates Soulmates

Have Her Wrapped Around His Little Finger

At L'Entrecote.

Kira took in the ambience of the Parisian brasserie.

The interior of the three Michelin-starred restaurant was dreamy.

Everything was clad in gorgeous pastels, shimmering under hand-cut glass chandeliers.

Panel art pieces graced walls painted a creamy mint.

The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a spectacular view of the waterfront.

In a corner, a pianist delighted guests with Edward MacDowell's 'To A Wild Rose."

Blue-eyed and curly-haired waitstaff in tuxedos bustled between tables discreetly and efficiently.

Two of them were standing by Kira's table, serving dishes from a dining cart.

Parsley butter, escargot in garlic, onion soup, oeufs en meurette.

And the legendary tender sliced l'entrecôte steak in secret sauce, paired with golden French fries and green salad with walnut.

Each dish was garnished exquisitely and picture-perfect.

'Bon appétit,' one of the waiters said, flashing a charming smile at Kira.

Flustered, she stammered out a 'thank you."

It was her first time coming to such a posh restaurant.

The place oozed luxury.

Frankly, it was a little intimidating.

Liam studied his guest with a lazy smile, pleased with her reaction.

No woman would resist such temptations-flowers, a ride in a luxury car, a fancy restaurant with waiters fawning all over her, the attention of a handsome man who seemed to only have eyes for her.

They played to a woman's vanity, especially someone young and uninitiated like Kira.

Once she developed a taste for the good life, she couldn't go back to living in simplicity.

Step by step, she would fall deeper into his well-laid trap.novelbin

It took him several attempts, but he finally got the girl just where he wanted her.

Once her brain was flooded with dopamine, norepinephrine and oxytocin, she would fall for him, deeply and madly.

The thought of having McCarthy's young wife wrapped around his little finger brought another smile to Liam's lips.

He waved away the sommelier, got up and poured wine for Kira. This is 1982 Lafite, flown in from Sotheby's New York auction house just this morning. Give it a try."

"Um, I'm not much of a drinker."

Kira's usual poison of choice was Kingway beer, bought by the half dozen and drunk straight from the bottle.

Not something that took a transatlantic flight to arrive at her dinner table.

She recalled, with awe, the whole ritual just now, performed by the stately sommelier and Liam-the inspection of the label, the nod of approval, the uncorking, the careful pouring, and the swirling of the crystal glass. Besides, the last time she allowed herself to drink in public, she had a blackout and was groped by a

stranger.

Something much worse could have happened if not for Giana and Austyn's timely intervention After she woke up the next morning with a splitting headache, she swore off all alcohol.

Well, maybe except for the type that came in liqueur chocolates.

Liam said with a smile, 'Are you afraid that I'll take advantage of you?

Kira blushed at his directness.

'I promise I'll keep my hands to myself,' He raised both palms as if to prove his point. And you can stop whenever you want. A French dining experience will be incomplete without accompanying wine." Kira obliged her host by taking a tiny sip of the rich red liquid.

She tried to taste it.

Even an amateur like her had heard of the famed cabemet sauvignon/merlot.

She saw an article on it once.

Wine enthusiasts gushed about its brilliant nose of caramelised herbs, cedar, black currant and so on.

They used words like 'full-bodied, 'plump,' and 'electrifying intensity."

But Kira's taste buds told her-red wine, stronger than beer, a little bitter.

To be honest, she would have preferred Minute Maid,

Liam held the stem of his glass with two fingers.

He looked graceful and right at home in the upscale restaurant.

Unlike Kira, who tried not to grimace when she drank the wine, Liam savoured it.

He kept his eyes trained on her as he held the glass to his lips and tilted it.

When his hand moved away, Kira saw his thin lips were stained with a dewy, dark red sheen.

It reminded her of a lead in a vampire movie she'd watched once-dangerous, but alluring

Kira glanced away, and noticed more than one patron casting their eyes in this direction. They were looking at Liam.

'How can there be such a beautiful man in this world?' Kira thought. 'He really makes women jealous."

It was more than just his physical appearance.

Though he was always smiling, the man seemed to be shrouded in a thin, invisible veil that gave him an aura of mystery. No one could see through him.

One's eyes might be windows to the soul, but his windows were frosted.

When he stayed with her at the hospital, he made her feel at ease,

Have ne Wrapped Around His Little Finger_

She was moved by his companionship and offer of help.

But now, she fidgeted under his direct, beguiling gaze.

The man was a chameleon.

Kira couldn't understand how the same person could give out such different vibes.

Liam gave her another dazzling smile. 'Why are you looking at me like that?"

Kira hurriedly turned her head away, embarrassed that she was caught staring. 'Nothing. I just think you are very beautiful."

Liam blinked.

His smile froze.

Did she just say he was 'beautiful,' like a woman?

Sensing that she might have upset him, Kira quickly changed the subject. 'Mr Cane, I haven't thanked you for what you did for me at the hospital."

Liam leaned back in his chair. 'You want to thank me?'

"Well, of course."

"Okay. How?"

"Uh, this dinner is my treat, okay?"

'Not okay.' He shook his head. 'When I do someone a favour, I expect the value of the thank-you gift to be commensurate with the value of my help. If you think just one dinner is enough, then it means you don't think my help is worth muck 'Um.' Kira didn't know if he was serious or just joking.

He wasn't smiling.

'Then what kind of thank-you gift do you want?"

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