Page 14 of New Girl in the City
“Are those tattoos on his hands? Man, I bet he’s covered in them.” She grabbed a hold of me before I could answer and began dragging me closer. “Come on, I need a better look.”
“Keep it down, Claudia. He has ears you know.” I pointed at my ears, but the woman wasn’t listening to me anymore. No she was motoring towards the town car and dragging me behind her with a strength I didn't know she possessed. God, I needed to go to the gym more if I was going to have a prayer of putting up a fight in the future.
“Yeah, I see that. He’s also got a lot of other things too.”
“Claudia!” I jerked my arm out of her grip and managed to come to a stop, but it was all for nothing. We were standing in front of him now and I crossed my arms, knowing I was looking every bit the spoiled princess he thought I was.
“Hi there, I’m Claudia!” She waved at him cheerily and I opened my mouth to tell her it was no use but to my surprise Liam removed his sunglasses and gave her a polite smile.
“Nice to meet you, Claudia. I’m Liam. I’ll be driving you to lunch today.”
She shot him a warm smile. “Thank you, Liam.”
“The pleasure is all mine. If you’ll allow me.” He opened the door and gave her a slight tip of his head. Claudia thanked him again, this time with a slight touch to his arm as she slid into the car. I didn’t move a muscle when it was my turn to get in the car. I was too busy staring at him with my mouth open and eyes wide.
What the hell? He was a royal ass hole to me, but was laying on the charm for Claudia? What alternate timeline had I entered? Our eyes met, his almost green but nearly blue gaze hitting my brown, and for a split second I thought he was going to reach for me. There was...a deeper look there, one past anything I had seen this morning. It nearly had me stepping towards him, but then he spoke.
“Ma’am?” he asked, giving me a thin smile. I nearly snapped my teeth at him.
There it was.
“Thanks,” I offered, though we could both tell I didn’t mean it. I sailed past him and into the car with as much indifference as I was able. I heard him make a sound, a sound that I supposed could be taken for a word, even though it was nothing more than a grunt, one I chose to take as ‘You’re welcome.’
The door slammed shut behind me none too gently and I gave Claudia big eyes while flicking a finger at the door. “What the fuck? He was nice to you.”
“Yeah, he’s a softie. A real cutie patootie.” She leaned forward in her seat watching him round the corner and nodded. “Yup, thick thighs save lives.”
“Shut it.” I grit my teeth and forced myself to lean back in my seat while Claudia giggled. Liam got into the car and we were off in record time. The pair chatted happily, the mood in the car was easy as pie, not at all like the cut with a knife tension when it had just been me. I narrowed my eyes and raised them to the rear-view mirror, balking when I saw that once again, Liam was watching me even as he spoke with Claudia.
His voice was nice. Smooth and pleasant, but his eyes? No, those were saying something else. Something a little darker, on the wrong side of politeness. I shifted uncomfortably turning to look out the window. Maybe I did need a new driver, even if Walterhadpicked him out.
I was still toying with the idea of how to get a new driver when we arrived at the restaurant. We said a quick goodbye to Liam and were soon out and onto the sun filled street. Claudia linked her arm through mine and we set off towards the door, before she stopped, looking behind her and wiggling a hand in farewell to Liam, who was no doubt blowing her air kisses while glaring daggers at my back.
“You two are annoying,” I told her.
“Whatever. He’s great. What’s the deal?”
“No deal. Although, he’s nicer to you than me, and Walter said he picked him out for me. I have no idea what the hell is going on. I might need to get a new driver.”
She gasped and slapped me on the arm. “You can’t.”
“I can,” I told her, and she groaned.
“Don’t, Mel. He’s a great guy.”
“He’s not.”
She sighed but by then we were being greeted by a smiling host and being shown to the bar. When she went to push the subject after we had been seated, I raised a hand to stop her and pointed at the menu.
“I thought you wanted me to eat. So pick out a plate and I’ll get you a bottle of sake.”
That stopped her and she picked up her menu. “I’m getting the expensive stuff,” she told me.
“Wouldn’t expect anything less.” I smiled and looked the menu over, because despite having a disgruntled driver and an overflowing inbox it was still nice to sit and have lunch somewhere else other than the familiar walls of my office.
I needed this if I was going to remember how to function as a whole person on my date the next night. To make Claudia happy I even gave her free rein over my dating app and bought not one, but two bottles of the expensive sake.
Lunch was great.
