Page 19 of The Orc of Wall Street

I hold up the green dress in front of myself, then the blue. Green. Blue. Green, blue, green, blue.

This is ridiculous. Just pick a dress! the little voice inside my head screams. And honestly, it is a bit ridiculous. Normally, I would be about ready to go by now, but for some reason, I’m still stuck on the dress phase.

I groan, and instead of picking out a dress, I flop onto the bed. Why am I so anxious to pick out a damn dress?

Then I hear those fateful words play in my head.

“It looks like we have a date.”

I cover my burning face with my hands. Just because my dinner partner is super hot, rich, intelligent, and an overall sexy orc, that shouldn’t make a difference.

What is wrong with me? He’s just some rich prick who’s blackmailing me into working for him. And yet all I can think of is that wit of his and those eyes that seem to stare straight through me.

“A date. It’s not a date,” I say to myself. “He just meant it like a turn of phrase. This is a mission just like any other.”

A date would be something entirely different. Something you do when the guy is sexy and fun, not sexy and blackmailing you into a crazy scheme with him. I heave a sigh, then push aside the images of his signature smirk flooding my mind. Smirking on the beach, smirking near a waterfall, smirking on a hot air balloon ride. Those are dates. Tonight is just more like a work meal in a fancy dress.

“A forced work meal in a fancy dress,” I say to my reflection.

Mentally kicking myself, I pick a dress and finish getting ready. I arrive five minutes early and see Tarek already waiting outside the restaurant. It could just be my imagination, but I can almost swear his eyes gleam a little when he sees me.

I wait for him to say something about how I look, but instead, he turns his gaze away. “Craig’s not here yet so we’d better get our table.”

Rich prick indeed. The blue of the dress really brings out my eyes, too.

He holds out his arm, and I belatedly realize he wants me to take it. As I do so, I can’t help but notice the way he subtly takes me in. A small smile quirks the corner of my lips. Maybe I did pick a good dress.

We go up to the host stand, and I prepare a number of excuses to get us close to Craig, but Tarek speaks first. “Excuse me, ma’am, but have you already seated Craig Rizirizur?”

The hostess looks at her list. “I’m afraid not, sir.”

“Perfect! We’re old friends who came from out of town to surprise him for his birthday. Is there any way we could get a seat close to him?”

The hostess checks her computer again and smiles. “Why, yes, sir, I can. Follow me this way.”

I have to admit, that was pretty smooth. Believable story, and it will give the hostess a reason to not tell Craig we asked about him.

She seats us at a table not right next to Craig’s but still well within view. Perfect. We take a seat, and Tarek orders us some drinks while we wait.

The minutes tick by, and I glance at the time. Criag and his mystery companion should have been here by now. From across the table, I see Tarek getting restless.

“Are you sure you got the place right?” he asks gruffly.

I shoot him a glare. “Yes.”

“Positive?”

“Yes,” I all but growl. Who does he think he is to question me? Rich prick.

“What if he knew you were listening in on him?”

I stiffen. “Excuse me?”

“What if he knew you were listening in on him and played you to bring us out here? What if he’s onto you?” he demands.

It’s all I can do not to take the really expensive wine in front of me and not throw it at him. How dare he?

Is he a highly acclaimed thief? Do people whisper about him for fear their precious tech may be stolen? Do they pay him outrageous amounts of money to get a job done because everyone knows he’s the best?

---