The Bare Truth part 2

Chapter 10

Dorrian chose the place for lunch. It was a little café that specialized in gourmet cheeses and wine. It was the kind of pretentious foodie place that Joe would hate, but Dorrian was perfectly at ease there. He ordered them a bottle of French wine and a platter of assorted cheeses with figs, marionberries, and a crusty, fresh baked baguette.

"Tell me something, Sierra," he said as he spread rosemary chevre on a piece of bread. "You seem like a sophisticated, metropolitan woman. Am I right?"

"I suppose so," Sierra replied cautiously.

"I'm curious about your relationship with Governor Joe. A man whose reputation is built on his appeal to the rough and tumble, everyman demographic. He hunts and camps and gets his hands dirty. What on earth do you have in common?"

Sierra sipped her wine and considered the question. It was true that on the surface they didn't seem to have a lot of common interests. Sierra wasn't much for going camping and Joe didn't exactly spend a lot of time in galleries and museums. But what he didn't understand was how liberating spending time with Joe was for her. With him, she felt like she could relax, let her hair down. She put so much pressure on herself everyday to succeed that sometimes she felt as if she would burst from it. When she was with Joe, there was no pressure anymore.

"That doesn't sound like a work related question," she replied coolly.

"Oh, it absolutely isn't," he replied. "I'm curious, that's all. As attractive as you are, surely you have your pick of men to choose from. And while dating the Governor surely has its advantages, wouldn't you rather spend your time with someone who knows how to order wine in a nice restaurant?"

"Well," Sierra said, "As it turns out, I am perfectly capable of ordering my own wine. And I don't enjoy being kept as much as you seem to think I do. Now did you plan on bringing up any work related topic any time soon? Or are you just here to flirt and insult my life choices?"

Dorrian was obviously taken aback. Perhaps he was unused to women talking back to him. Anger flashed in his blue eyes and he took a few moments to compose himself before replying.

"Work. Yes. I brought you here to discuss business."

"Then let's discuss business," Sierra replied. "What are you planning to do with The Post?"

Dorrian didn't answer. He sipped his wine and chose another piece of fruit. He ate the fig slowly, never taking his intense gaze off of her.

"Do you know what kind of man I am, Sierra? What sort of business it is that I do?" he asked.

"You buy things," she said simply.

"I covet," he said. "I covet the things that I want, and I acquire them. Sometimes by buying them."

He reached across the table and took her hand.

"And I am a man who, by and large, gets what he wants."

Sierra snatched back her hand and stood up.

"And you want me, is that it?" she spat at him.

To her surprise, he laughed. He laughed as if at a private joke he hadn't let her in on yet.

"You," he said, "Are lovely. And deliciously strong willed. I'd like to throw you down right here and have you until you cum screaming. And I'd do it not just because I find you attractive, but because I enjoy taking things that don't belong to me. But while having you would be a treat,"

He paused and sipped his wine.

"You are not what I want."

"Then what do you want?" Sierra asked him.

He smiled.

"I want Sleuth."

Sierra froze. She felt her heart skip a beat.

"Sit down," he told her calmly. "You're attracting attention."