inappropriate thoughts, but it was difficult. He smelled clean and masculine and he was dressed almost like she was. He had on a pair of expensive-looking black jeans, an ivory crew-neck sweater and a black lambskin blazer. He also had on a pair of black leather boots that looked both costly and comfortable. He smiled at her again.
“You look beautiful,” he said. “I think you’re going to really enjoy this restaurant.”
“It’s pretty,” she said as she looked around again. “What kind of food do they serve?”
“Raw.”
Billie made a face before she could stop herself. “Raw? Like raw meat?”
Jason laughed gently at the horrified tone of her voice. “No, no, no. This is a vegan restaurant. They specialize in raw foods, totally organic and uncooked but prepared in a gourmet style,” he explained.
“Oh,” Billie said with a slightly deflated air. “So you’re a vegan?” This time she tried to sound interested and neutral, but she didn’t quite achieve that goal. The question hung in the air like a guillotine about to fall.
Jason laughed again. “No, I’m not. I follow a mostly vegetarian regime but I do eat fish and poultry.”
A look of pure relief swept over Billie’s face.
“So you’re not morally opposed to eating chicken or fish or cheese or eggs and things like that?”
“Not at all,” he said.
“Can we?” she asked eagerly.
“Can we what?”
“Go eat some cooked chicken?”
“Your wish is my command,” he said with a slight bow in her direction.
Jason was still smiling at Billie an hour later as they finished their meal in a cozy bistro that served great soups and sandwiches. He’d had a cup of minestrone and half of a turkey sandwich while Billie had devoured a bowl of chili and a grilled ham and cheese. Her appetite was good and her table manners were impeccable, something he noticed right away. He’d had an opportunity to observe many women dining, and the number of them who lacked social graces was appalling. This was definitely a point in her favor, although she didn’t need any more. He’d noticed other things about her, like her sense of humor and that she’d been direct enough to let him know she couldn’t deal with the raw-food experience at Pax. The women he was accustomed to were so eager to be accommodating that they wouldn’t dream of demonstrating their own opinion about anything. They also shared a tendency toward eating very little, especially the models. He was used to being around women who picked at their food in tiny little bites. To see Billie really enjoying her meal was a new experience for him, new and very sexy.
Being with Billie was an unexpected pleasure. She was lovely to look at, of course, but so were all the women he dated. There was something else fueling the attraction he was feeling for her. It was beyond the sexual pull that was the norm at the beginning of a new conquest, although he was feeling the familiar primal stirring as he looked at her flawless, animated face. There was something unusual about Billie Phillips. She was obviously bright, as evidenced by her intelligent conversation. She asked a lot of questions about real estate and that alone set her apart. He couldn’t remember a woman who’d prepared herself so well for a first date. Yes, Billie’s essence was holding his interest. It was a unique experience for Jason, but he rather liked it. He had to force himself to pay more attention to the words that were coming out of her mouth than the juicy temptation of her lips.
“Have you done much work with rehabbed houses?” Billie asked.
Jason gave her an indulgent smile. “By rehabbed I assume you mean flipped houses? Not really.” His smile turned condescending as he elaborated. “The real-estate business is getting flooded with naive amateurs who watch those little television shows about flipping houses and think they’re going to get rich quick by buying a few old houses, fixing them up in a few weeks and selling them for a huge profit. It just doesn’t happen like that in the real world and most of them end up losing their shirts.”
Billie didn’t reply at once, which gave Jason another opportunity to take in her fresh, natural beauty.
“I still can’t believe you’ve stopped modeling. You have the kind of classic beauty that would’ve carried you for another twenty years in the business. Why in the world would you walk away from a great career like that?”
This time her response was immediate. “I modeled to make money to fund my future and my passion. Now I’m going to pursue my passion,” she said with an intense flash in her eyes.
Jason leaned toward her over the table. He propped his head in his hand and asked, “And what would that passion be?”
“Rehabbing houses,” was her terse, dry reply.
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