Page 24 of Rotanev
She sighed dramatically. “We need a tequila date. That’ll help you talk.”
“I hate tequila.”
“No, dear. You hate what tequila does to you.” She patted me on the head and smiled. “Now fix your hair. You look like you were just fucked in the face.” She winked and pranced out of range before I could playfully hit her arm again.
“Go enjoy your night,” I told her, then checked my appearance in the mirror.
And yeah, she was right. I’d been focused on my flushed cheeks before. Now I saw the mess on my head. Everyone in the restaurant probably thought I was going for a messy, just-got-out-of-bed look and was failing to pull it off.
“You, too.” She blew a kiss at me. “Toodle-oo, ho.”
I glared at her back. “Takes one to know one.”
She flipped me off with a laugh and disappeared, leaving me to clean up. My dark strands were held up with an abundance of pins, most of which had shifted, thanks to Nero’s fingers.
Note to self: Don’t bother with an updo going forward. He’ll just destroy it.
Also note to self: Stop planning for the future. Because there isn’t one.
I gave myself a once-over while holding on to that thought for dear life and headed back to the table. Nero’s oceanic gaze swam over me, his approval evident in the way he tilted one corner of his mouth. My lips refused to return the smile, mostly because I was too busy trying to ignore his charming spell.
Which failed immediately as he wrapped his arm around me and pulled me to his side. “What’s wrong, darling siren? Are you sour with me for delaying your gratification?”
Oh, I’d completely forgotten aboutthat. But now that he brought it up again, my hormones roared back to life with a vengeance, causing me to squirm beside him.
He pressed his lips to my temple and then to my ear. “Or was it the friend you just met in the bathroom?”
I stilled. “What?”
“I’m an observant man, Kailiani. I saw her gesture to you from across the restaurant, too.” He kissed my pulse before pulling away to meet my gaze. “Who is she?”
“Uh, someone from my childhood.” I swallowed, unsure of how much to say. “She’s, well, she’s the one who helped me get the job with…”
“JBI?” he finished for me. “Why did you choose to work for them?”
“Why did you choose to contract with them?” I countered, raising a brow.
His lips twitched. “If I give you my reason, will you give me yours?”
Not the reply I expected. “I… yes.” I just wouldn’t elaborate on it.
“I wanted you,” he said, smiling. “That’s why I agreed to be a client.”
My brow furrowed. “What? You weren’t already a client when I met you last weekend?”
He traced my lower lip with his thumb, his opposite arm tightening around my shoulders. “No, that was my first JBI experience. Definitely a memorable one, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Y-yes.” More than memorable, but that comment wasn’t what captivated my attention. “You weren’t a client before Friday?”
“I already answered that.” He tapped me on the nose and settled beside me. “I rarely, if ever, frequent New York City. I prefer the Mediterranean region. That said, it’s actually quite rare for me to be in your realm for extended periods in general, let alone in a highly populated area.”
I wasn’t sure how to interpret his statement, but my mouth was moving without consulting my brain. “Is that why you need me? To help you pass the time while you visit the city?” The edge to my tone shocked me and seemed to surprise him as well, if his responding expression was anything to go by.
“I don’tneedyou for anything, Kailiani. I want you. And I’m determined to have you.”
“Oh,” I whispered. “For how long?”
The waiter chose that moment to interrupt, bringing us several plates of food. Nero thanked him but never took his eyes off me, not even as the waiter said, “Bon appétite.”
