Page 34 of Wicked Bite
I stood there on the rooftop of the hotel. There wasn’t a person in sight. It was totally empty. All but for the twinkle lights hanging overhead and the heaters surrounding one seating area. It wasn’t a normal table but more like a lounge area, with thick cushions and a warm fuzzy blanket waiting. A warm fire flickered in the center of the table in front of the low seating.
“No, this . . .” I swallowed. “. . . this is nice.”
“I thought it might be.” He motioned for me to choose whichever seat I wanted near the fire. Everything was smooth about Grayson. He was calm, never in a rush, and always in control. There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about him.
I smiled and dropped down onto the comfortable cushions. Warmth surrounded me from the outdoor heaters and the flickering fire. He grabbed the blanket and threw it over my legs then joined me. “Wine?”
“Yes, thank you.” I was suddenly self-conscious about still wearing my uniform. Well, a black T-shirt and jeans. I felt underdressed with just my coat on. Like I should be in some kind of nice outfit, like what I wore last night.
He took the bottle from the ice bucket and poured it into the waiting glasses. “You look lovely tonight.”
I ran my hand over my wild hair. “Are you reading my mind?”
“Oh, you think you’re lovely, too, then?” He handed me the glass.
“Smooth, very smooth.” I took a sip, hoping it’d steady my excited nerves. I glanced around at the nearly empty roof top, noting only a single server off to the side playing on her phone. “Umm, did you rent this whole place out?”
There was that casual shrug that he did so easily. As though he’d rehearsed it a thousand times to become the perfect amount of sexy and nonchalant. “It wasn’t that busy to begin with.”
“Why?” I would’ve sat with everyone around us. It didn’t matter to me.”
“I figured a little one on one attention would be nice after a busy night of work.” He slid in closer to me, resting his arm across the back of the bench. His fingers brushed over the edge of my hair, the way he’d done this afternoon when I’d woken against his chest.
“We both know what I do. So, tell me, what is it that you do?” The chic clothing, the hints of being well-monied all intrigued me. .
He hummed to himself and ran his thumb over his bottom lip. “Private security.”
“You must do well.” Renting out an entire rooftop just for me? Perhaps he wasn’t just a hot Brit off the street.
“What can I say? It pays the bills.” He ran his hand through his hair then took a sip of his wine.
I motioned around to the empty rooftop. “Clearly.”
“I’ll go a long way to get what I want.” He met my eye and for one intense moment it felt like his gaze was focused on what he wanted . . . me.
“And what is it that you want?”
He still didn’t look away. “Nothing less than the world.”
The waitress came over with two plates of food. She placed them on the table in front of us and couldn’t stop staring at Grayson. She was cute in a plain sort of way, with mousy blond hair and big brown eyes. She was small with dimples in her cheeks. “Can I get you anything else?”
“We’re good.” He didn’t take his eyes off me.
Good man.
I forced myself to keep looking at her. “Thank you.”
She turned and left with a flounce in her step. I glanced down at the plate and grabbed a chip covered in cheese. “No less than the world, huh? Ambitious endeavors.”
“Depends on what your definition of the world is.” He, too, took a chip and popped it into his mouth.
“What’s yours?”
“I’m not as interesting as you. What is it that you want?”
I chuckled to myself. “No less than the world.”
“And your definition of the world is?”
