Chapter 77 Ari
Ari's P.O.V.
I knew who Dakota was the moment I saw her, but I couldn't help teasing her. She's easily the most beautiful woman I have ever met and has the personality to match. Grandpa used to talk about her so much that I feel like I know her.
What I really want to do is tear off the dress she's wearing and bend her over the table. Seeing that we just met five minutes ago, I doubt she would be okay with that. Dakota is different from most women I've met. She doesn't need money or status because she already has it. I wonder what the chances are of talking her into going to my place or hers.
"So, Ari, what kind of work do you do?" Dakota asks sweetly. I can see in her eyes that she's toying with me. Okay, I'll play along.
"I'm in the family business. We dabble in a little of everything. How about you?" She smiles as she sips her wine.
"I'm in the family business too. Well, I'm the head of the family. You know I tell the others what to do, and if they don't do as I say." She makes a motion with her finger across her throat. I can't tell if she's serious or joking. Either way, it's sexy as hell.
"Interesting. I wouldn't want to get on your bad side," I tell her as I sip my martini.
"Where's your current flavor of the month? Word on the street is that you have issues being alone, so you're with a different woman every night." She smiles innocently as I spit my drink across the table.
"Who told you that?" I ask.
"You did just now by not denying it. I should have known." She turns to talk to my dad, and I suddenly feel like a man whore. I mean, she's not entirely wrong. I usually have no issues finding a woman to share my bed, and I ditch them as soon as something better comes along. However, no one has ever called me out on it. What can I say to that? Our food is brought to the table, and she turns away from my dad.
"I can't be blamed for not finding a woman I want to have a long-term relationship with. You have to try them out to find one that fits." Oh, that came out wrong, and I know I messed up by the look of disgust on her face.
"Good luck with that. Some of us believe in waiting for the right man. A man with a reputation of going through as many as he can to find one that fits isn't what most women want." She takes a bite of her salad as I push my food around on my plate. How is she having this effect on me? I want to beg her for forgiveness, fuck her on the table, and ask her to marry me all at once. I take a bite of my steak as I think of a good response.
"Maybe I need a real woman to break me of my bad habits." Dakota smiles but doesn't look at me.
"If you can find one, I wish her luck." She looks at me out of the corner of her eye.
"I have an idea," Dad says. I look at him, and he has a little sparkle in his eye, which means he's up to something.
"What idea?" I ask. Dakota looks from him to me.
"Dakota is working on something, and I think it might be good for you to help." I look at Dakota, and she bites her lip.
"What project?" She ignores me and looks at my dad.
"I don't know. We're trying to keep this between just a few people. I don't want this information getting into the wrong hands." Now I'm intrigued. What is the little vixen up to? Will this allow me to spend time alone with her?
"I think it would be good to have someone from our family to assist now that you've added the extra task to your list." Why are they talking in code? I want in on the secret, too. Dakota sighs and turns to me.
"Fine. Come here." She pulls me closer and puts her lips so close to my ear that they almost touch me. Her warm breath makes me shiver.
"A few of my family members and I are looking into my grandfather's murder, and now we're also going to look into your grandfather's murder. Only four other people and I know this besides your dad, and now you. If you want to help, you have to come to my compound. It's the only place we talk about it because we know it's not bugged. Do you want to help us?" My cock is so hard that if she looks down, she will see a tent. Why does it feel like she's touching me? How can I answer her without embarrassing myself?
"Yes. When can we get started?" Can I stay at her place tonight? She moves away, and I want to pull her back. I have never wanted a woman so much in my life.
"Can you come by tomorrow?" No, I want to go tonight. I want to make you scream my name while I slam into you over and over.
"How about tonight?" Dakota narrows her eyes and tilts her head. When she looks into my eyes, it feels like she can see into my soul.
"I think tomorrow will be soon enough. Besides, I'm sure whoever your current flavor is probably won't be happy if you go home with me." She takes a bite of her food while I stare at her. Can I marry her? No woman has ever talked to me like this, and damn if it's not turning me on. I look at my dad, and he's smirking at me. Oh, he's getting a kick out of this. Okay, it's time to fight fire with fire. I lean over to whisper in her ear.
"I have no flavor, and I'm fresh out of ice cream. Maybe I should go to your place and see what kind you have in the freezer." Dakota puts her fork down and looks at me, appalled. She leans over and whispers back. Her warm breath, mixed with the light scent of her perfume, makes me hard again.
"First of all, I never take random men home with me. Second, I don't mix business with pleasure. Lastly, I doubt it's a good idea for you to be my first man. My standards are a little higher than yours." I barely heard anything she said after she made the comment about being her first man. She's a virgin. I can't believe this little firecracker is a virgin. She may have said that to turn me off, but if anything, it turned me on even more. I want her. I want all of her. I want to be the first and last man she's ever been with. I will not rest until she's mine.