A Convenient Groom by Darcy Maguire

Author:Darcy Maguire
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

‘COME and sit down in the dining room.’ Joe shot her a wink, gesturing through a door adjoining the lounge. ‘The meal is all ready…surprisingly.’

The dining room was incredible, with colourful artworks against mauve-painted walls. It was almost as though she could have been walking into a gallery.

The table itself looked solid timber, long enough to seat twelve people. Two settings at one end were made up with fine white china with a candelabra between, the candles flickering softly. Several large tureens filled the space in the middle and a large plate of some sort of flat bread.

‘If I could get you to stretch your disbelief for a moment,’ Joe said right behind her. ‘Then I could tell you how many hours it took to slave over a hot stove and create this gourmet delight for you.’

‘I don’t think so.’ She moved to a seat and sat down, shaking her head. She didn’t want him to tell her any lies. She’d had enough from the men in her life. ‘How about we just eat…whatever…before it gets cold.’

‘Good idea.’ He sat down opposite her and picked up the wine bottle that was chilling in the bucket beside his chair. He popped the cork.

‘I wanted to ask,’ she said slowly. ‘Why eat at your place? Why didn’t we go out somewhere?’ Never had a first date taken her home for dinner.

He placed the bottle down and straightened his setting in front of him. ‘I find going out places a bit distracting. You get caught up in the place, the menu, friends you run into and all in all don’t end up finding out much about your date anyway.’

She nodded. That was true. She’d have to say that she never found out much at all about a person on a first date. She was too caught up in making a good impression to notice much about the guy.

He started taking the lids off the dozen ceramic bowls on the table, the aromatic scents filling her senses. ‘Allow me to dazzle you with the exotic taste sensations of India.’ Joe gestured to the plate of bread. ‘We have parathas. They’re a griddle-fried flat bread.’

Riana nodded. He was obviously the expert in Indian take-away, and probably every other takeaway on the planet, in his line of work.

‘And this is delicately flavoured saffron rice with peas.’ Joe indicated the first bowl, putting the lid to one side. ‘To go with our matar panir.’

Riana couldn’t help but smile. ‘Our what?’

‘It’s an Indian dish with tomatoes, peas, fried soft cheese.’ Joe lifted the lid on the next bowl, and the next. ‘And this is vindaloo, for the adventurous. Hotter and spicier than the matar panir. And this is raita.’

‘Okay.’ Riana peered into the bowl, where cucumbers swam in a thick, creamy white liquid.

‘And then, to top it off, some pakoras, both cauliflower and potato.’ He swept the lid off a small bowl of battered vegetables. ‘And hot mango chutney.’

Riana smiled. He’d gone all out for her. She couldn’t help basking in the warm glow spreading through her body.

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