Alice After Hours Read Online Free PDF Page B

guttering candles in coloured jam-jars. But she was soon drawn into the ambiance, and even better, wowed by the food.
    â€œ Oh my God, this is just divine,” she sighed, licking and sucking at her greasy fingers before reaching down for her napkin.
    â€œ I told you it was good here. Grab another rib.” He was already rearranging the platters and sliding another in her direction. “The jerk chicken here is the best for miles. Take it from one who knows.”
    In spite of her reservations—and there were still plenty—Alice had to admit she hadn’t enjoyed herself quite so much in a long time. As they ate, they talked, though not of the important things, such as the website and what lay behind their meeting. For as soon as her probing got a little too close, he’d turn the conversation back to more general topics, such as music she might have listened to or films she might have seen. The usual first-date stuff. Alice didn’t care. In fact, the relief was overwhelming. Had she been asked, she would have said that surprisingly enough she was having a great time. That is, until the last of the cast-iron serving dishes was finally pushed aside. Little more than discarded bones and smears of leftover sauce remained on their plates. Dropping his napkin on the table, Gabe leaned back to drape an arm over the back of a neighbouring chair.
    â€œ So, Alice. What next?”
    Alice’s heart missed a beat. Not yet. Not so soon. She wasn’t ready. Toying with her wine glass, she went for delaying tactics.
    â€œ I don’t understand.”
    â€œ Dessert?”
    His grin was infuriating.
    â€œ I will if you will,” she retorted, as furious with herself as she was with him. Reaching for the menu, she concentrated on the selection.
    The most frustrating part of the entire evening was that after two hours of attentive and amusing conversation, she still knew nothing about him. Zero. Nada. Other than the fact that he appeared to frequent a website extolling the delights of domination and submission, of course. But as for anything else? It seemed that despite her best efforts, he intended to remain an enigma.
    â€œ What are you thinking?” he asked.
    â€œ If you must know, it was about tonight, and how it hasn’t quite turned out as I expected.”
    â€œ No?”
    She shook her head.
    â€œ Disappointed?”
    â€œ Far from it.”
    â€œ Then we must do it again sometime.”
    Clearly she’d not met his expectations; otherwise he’d have invited her back to continue the night in his bed, wouldn’t he?
    â€œ Why that website?” she said, turning her head a little to hold his gaze.
    â€œ Why not?”
    â€œ It might be considered a little unusual.”
    â€œ Yet you were there.”
    â€œ Does it represent who you are? Or what you believe in?” she pressed.
    â€œ You would have to find that out for yourself.”
    Alice’s smile barely flickered. “Do you ever give a straight answer?”
    â€œ Occasionally.” He leaned forward, placed his elbows on the table.
    He was close enough to touch her, if he wanted.
    And she wanted him to.
    â€œ Perhaps I was looking for you.”
    Alice knew if she wasn’t careful she would drown in that gaze and never surface again.
    â€œ It frightens me,” she admitted, and needing a distraction reached for the jam jar and candle and pulled it towards her.
    â€œ What frightens you? The idea of relinquishing control?”
    His voice was surprisingly gentle.
    â€œ I guess.”
    She was staring into the flame.
    â€œ And yet here you are.”
    â€œ Crazy, isn’t it.”
    Beckoning a passing waiter, Gabe wangled a pen and a business card from the restaurant.
    â€œ This is my number,” he said, scribbling on the back of the card. “Call me. But,” he withdrew the offered card an inch or so, “if you do, then everything from that moment on will