Chapter 38 - Jake Magno and the Kingdom of his (1/2)

When Claire finally reappears, Jake couldn't help but gawk at the sight of her.

”Did you do something in the ladies' room? You look even lovelier.”

This time, despite her own misgivings, Claire blushes. ”Thank you,” she says. ”But flattery doesn't work on me.”

”It's true,” he insists. ”You're utterly hot.”

”Oh, stop it.”

Claire stares at her food, as though finding something strange.

”What is it?” Jake gulps. Did she notice?

”Uhh, my salad,” she says. ”Did anyone touch it?”

Jake fake-laughs. ”Oh, no, no. I'd never let anyone touch that. I was just here. Not even the waiter came.”

Claire looks at him. ”Are you sure?”

”Yeah.”

She tentatively stabs her salad with a fork, and tries a lettuce. ”Too much oil,” she says. She smiles. ”But tastes fine.”

Jake breathes a sigh of relief. He eyes Claire's glass of wine, as though fearing it would start talking about what he did.

”I'd like to know,” Claire says, ”what really made you to ask me out?”

”I don't know. Maybe it's your striking personality that compelled me to pop the question.” He grins.

”Really? You can see a person's personality at first sight?” She places her fork on her plate as though she's done eating. ”But come on, Jake. What was it that you first saw in me?”

Jake hesitates. Of course, he would never tell the truth. Like any other man, the first thing that caught his attention was Bella Xavier's incredible curves. She's wearing this wonderful number, for Christ's sakes, that compelled him to imagine how Bella must look nȧkėd! It emphasized her cleavage, which from the looks of it were genuine, not fake. And he's not sure, but there's something about Bella's face that seems so sensual. Is it that cute mole on her right cheekbone? Those inviting lips that resemble a bird in flight? Or is it the way her blond hair complements the overall package, like some wonderful cherry on top of a gorgeous tall glass of strawberry ice cream?

Jake isn't sure what to say to her. All he knows is he's terribly attracted to this girl—to the extent he has immediately unleashed the secret Jake Magno treatment: the white powder that would knock her out if she ever makes the mistake of drinking that wine. And drink, she will.

”I don't know,” he mutters at length. ”Maybe your eyes. You've got very beautiful eyes. They're so expressive. I feel like I could get lost in them.”

Claire cringes. ”Oh, my God! That's not only corny. It's cornichon!”

He laughs. ”What can I do? That's the truth.”

Claire holds the glass of wine, and she appears to take a sip. Seeing it, Jake almost forgets to breathe.

But she stops and holds the glass in the air, examining it. ”So this is a Riesling, isn't it? I've never had a glass of this kind of wine before.”

”Well, uhh, that's perfect to pair for your salad.”

”Oh, you know a lot about wines, don't you?”

He shrugs. ”I know just enough for certain purposes.” Such as for the purpose of raping people, his mind darkly thinks. ”Like this, being on a date with a gorgeous woman. It helps that I know which wine to pair with what my date orders. That takes off the pressure from her, so she can focus and enjoy the dinner, and not worry about anything else.”

”Do you know that telling a gorgeous woman she's gorgeous is the most surefire way to bore to death said woman?”