Page 16 of Falling in Between
“For the love…” I’m not going to lie, I’m jealous that Dani thinks up such great excuses. I’m the world’s worstliar.
“Don said he’d meet me at the bar, but…” She glances around while waving smoke from her face. “I don’t seehim.”
“What does Tom looklike?”
“I don’tknow.”
“You set me up with a guy you haven’t met or at least seen a picture of?” I rub myforehead.
“Uh, yeah. I wasn’t coming on a date with a guy I met on the subway by myself.Thatis how you get murdered.” She smirks. “See, I do have survivalskills.”
“Can you please explain how, in the event they are both crazed serial killers, your inviting me to become victim number two shows strong survivalinstincts?”
She lifts a shoulder. “At least we won’t goalone?”
“You. Are.Insane.”
Laughing, Steph straightens in her seat, then grins and waves. “There he is.” Her gaze settles on two men hovering in the doorway. “The dark-headed one isTom.”
Tom’s brown hair is graying on the sides. He’s a little on the slender side, and most likely won’t rock my world in bed. He’s completely attainable. Just what I go for in aman.
Don nudges Tom before pointing in ourdirection.
“See?” Steph retains her grin, even while speaking, as Don and Tom cross the room. “They’reattractive.”
“Until they murder us and put us in a freezer,” Ihiss.
“Stop reading Stephen King, wouldyou?”
The men stop in front of us, and Steph makes theintroductions.
“The pleasure is all mine.” Tom has a forced refinement to his tone. I can already tell this one is full of himself. “You’re just as lovely as the picture Stephanie had Don sendme.”
“Oh, really? Thank you.” I fake a smile and cut my eyes at Steph. Sending pictures of me to men she met in subways, you’ve got to be kidding me. Unfortunately, since she already has an arm draped around Don’s shoulder, whispering something into his ear, she doesn’t see the eat-shit look I giveher.
“Would you like a drink?” Tom asks. “Chardonnay?Pinot?”
“Sure. Pinot Noir sounds great.Thanks.”
With a snap of his fingers, he brings the bartender over, rattling off some French wine before facing me. “I ordered Louis Latour. It’s nearly two hundred a bottle.” The corners of his lips curl, and I swear if expressions could make a sound, his would resemble the cha-ching of a cash register—not because it’s sexy, but because he’s that much of a pompousasshole.
“And I thought twenty bucks for a bottle was steep.” Ilaugh.
He only stares at me with a slight hint of pity. Rich men, Iswear…
For the next half hour, he proceeds to go on and on about his family’s wealth, his credentials. About how he owns ten McWafter Burgers—three of which his father bought for him. Blah, blah, blah. To hell with being born with a silver spoon in his mouth, this guy was born with a silver spoon up hisass!
When hefinallyexcuses himself to the men’s room, I breathe a sigh of relief and slouch on the stool. Just when I go to polish off the rest of the expensive-as-shit wine, someone’s finger trail over my exposed back, sending goosebumps dancing over my skin.I swear, if that arrogant jackass has his hand on me, I’m goingto—
“You look so bored, tigerlily.”
I tense at the deep bravado of Elijah’s voice. When I spin on the stool, he’s directly in front of me, dressed in a black suit and a crisp, whiteshirt.
In the midst of all these other men, I realize just how stunning he is. His features are soft and refined while most are hard. There’s an air of confidence that radiates from him, one that would make any man take several intimidated stepsbackward.
“Elijah?” I say, my voicehusky.
His lips twitch slightly. “Do you always have this much fun?” He sweeps a tendril of hair behind myear.
