Page 33 of The Au Pair Affair

She couldn’t do it. Couldn’t accept them going out of their way for her. “I’m going to grab a cab, but thanks for asking.”

“You sure? It would earn me some points with Sir Savage.”

“All the more reason to pass.”

Sig laughed at that, but his mirth came to a quick halt whenone of the men at the bar tried to scoot a bar napkin and a pen in front of Chloe while he was distracted.

He picked up the pen and pitched it across the room.

“Let’s go,” he growled, turning Chloe around and ushering her out of the club.

Tallulah laughed into her empty glass and slid it back onto the bar, intending to follow in their wake, but when she turned around again, Finn stood between her and the exit and a frisson of alarm climbed her spine. “Hey,” she blurted, startled. “I’m just about to leave. I’ll see you—”

“I thought we were sharing a cab,” Finn said, boyish half smile in place. Was he standing too close or was she imagining things? “I’d love to talk strategy for our project.”

“We haven’t even been given the assignment yet,” Tallulah pointed out, beginning to get more than a little peeved. Nervous, too, dammit. She couldn’t see Chloe or Sig anymore and suddenly it didn’t feel so good to be surrounded by strangers. Or this classmate who seemed to be overly fixated on her. Desperately, she glanced over Finn’s shoulder, hoping to make eye contact with Tisha or Evan, but they were no longer at the table. “Did everyone leave?”

“Yeah.” He followed her line of sight. “Looks like it’s just you and me.” He held up his phone, shook it a little. “I’ll call an Uber.”

“Actually, my boyfriend is on the way,” she blurted, without flinching. It was unclear what instinct propelled those words out of her mouth, only that she felt better immediately.

This guy was being too pushy. Eager to be alone with her.

It wasn’t her imagination.

Right?

If you get stuck or something happens, you can call me. Twoa.m.Whatever.

Burgess. He would come.

Finn’s mouth pressed into a flat line. “I didn’t realize you had a boyfriend.”

“Yes. I do. We... live together. Excuse me.” Tallulah skirted past Finn while looking down at her phone, swiping into her most recent calls. As soon as she was out of earshot, she raised the phone to her ear. Sir Savage answered on the first ring, gruff and alert.

“What happened?”

“Can you come get me? I’ll explain when you—”

“Address.”

“It’s a club called Down.”

“I’ll find it. Are you okay, Tallulah?”

“Yes.”

Something about her tone must have inspired doubt, because a drawn-out pause ensued. “Share your location with me, all right? I’m already in the elevator.”

Chapter Nine

Burgess left a quick note for Lissa explaining he’d be back soon, just in case she woke up while he was gone, then asked the doorman to make doubly sure no nonresidents entered the building in his absence. Then he sped toward the harbor like a Formula One racer at Monaco, arriving ready to leap out of the car and kick in the front door of the club. He slumped backward in the driver’s seat, however, when Tallulah emerged onto the sidewalk and ended his crusade before it started. She was fine. Alive, well, and unharmed, at least to the naked eye. Had she just lost her wallet or something? A total possibility, because, yeah...

His au pair was toasted, teetering toward him on her heels. Not sloppy or fall-down drunk, just bright-eyed with her makeup smudged drunk. And still mind-blowingly beautiful.

Burgess checked for oncoming traffic in his rearview before getting out to open her door for her. When he gripped the handle before she had the chance, her lips parted on a breath and she looked up at him, blinking. Then?

She checked him out. Blatantly and openly. Right there on the side of the street.

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