disadvantage and it was so delicious. I tried to remove my hand but he hung on. Something happened in that moment. The attraction went beyond the realm of the physical. I broke that lovely silence because I feared to hold his gaze another second. “Where the heck is my food?” But I was lost. I’d fallen with a resounding thud.

The piano player struck up a show tune. My friends sang along loudly. Ethan looked over at them. “Your fellow thespians?”

I grimaced. “They’ve had a few by now.”

Suddenly Burt, the delightfully bitchy old queen who played Solness rushed over to the table. “Sing, Baby Bird. Warble a song for your lovely young man.”

I was embarrassed. Sometimes I’d get up to sing, but I was sure I couldn’t manage a note. He took me by the arm, announcing to the entire restaurant, “It’s her birthday!”

The piano crescendoed into Happy Birthday and everyone joined in. I was red-faced. Ethan just sat back and enjoyed my discomfort. “Happy Birthday, Mia.”

“Come on Baby, let’s have that song,” Burt cajoled.

Applause started up.

I shook my head. “No, please. I can’t.”

Ethan leaned back, crossing his arms over that impressive chest. “I’d be honored if you would sing, Mia.”

“Theah, mustn’t disappoint your handsome new beau, dawlin,” drawled Burt, in an outrageous parody of Ethan’s accent as he dragged me off to the piano.

He nodded to the piano player. “A Kiss to Build a Dream On.”

I was shaking as the pianist played the intro in my key. My voice came out as a breathy whisper. I looked over to Ethan, who’d leaned forward smiling. My confidence returned and I set out to seduce him with the song.

I finished to more applause. Taking a bow, I rejoined Ethan at the table just as Mikey hustled up with my first course.

Ethan took my hand. “Enchanting, perfectly enchanting.”

“My father was an opera singer. He taught me when I was young, but my voice is just a light, little thing.”

“Clear and pleasing as a silver bell. A man could be driven to his destruction by a sweet siren such as you.”

I laughed. “You’re too kind.”

Mikey placed a soup plate piled high with mussels and a large basket of freshly baked bread before me. I sniffed in appreciation.

Ethan gave me that slow lazy smile. “You appreciate the pleasures of the table.”

What an odd way to put it. He had this strange, pretty way of talking. Even if it was just a line I took the bait eagerly. As I dug into the first course, Ethan observed me carefully, like he’d never seen a girl eat before.

“Are you sure you won’t have anything?” I asked.

His eyes glittered giving away no secrets. “No thank you, I’ll just sit here and watch you. That’s a veritable bed of mussels. I do hope you have a healthy appetite.”

“Voracious, I’ll be fat someday if I’m not careful,” I said, as I speared a mussel with my fork and shoved it in my mouth. Mmm, garlic, wine and the slightly iodine taste of the sea exploded in my mouth.

“I don’t see any danger of that.” His eyes gave me the once over then rested on my low cut bodice. “Girls today are too skinny, if you ask me.”

I swallowed. “So you like your ladies with a little meat on their bones?”

“It depends on where you’re talking about,” he said, with that little growl.

I leaned over and inquired slyly, “How do I measure up?”

He laughed, glittering eyes fixing on mine. “I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I answered that question the way I’d like.”

“I think you’re a rogue at heart.”

“And do you like rogues?”

“If they’re handsome ones.”

He burst out laughing again as he leaned back in the chair. “There’s a bit of the rogue in you too, isn’t there?”

“Promise not to tell?” I winked. “Won’t you at least have some wine?”

He looked longingly at my glass. “I’m afraid I must abstain,” he said, regretfully.

Interesting, he didn’t look like a teetotaler. I certainly hoped he wasn’t an alcoholic. My, wasn’t I in for a surprise? I began to eat again while he looked on. It was making me very uncomfortable to be scrutinized so. I set down my fork and burst out, “Well, if I’m going to sit here and eat in front of you, you have to tell me something about yourself.”

He seemed a bit taken aback but replied graciously, “There isn’t really much to tell.”

“Oh come on, you’re one great big enigma, like some mysterious gothic hero. I just know you