Page 8 of Dark Temptations

“I would like to hear more about that, but I don’t think we have time. Miles will be back, and then I’ll take you home.”

She didn’t want to go home yet. She liked talking to him, and she’d never found a man like that before.

There was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” Xavier said.

Miles came through the door. “Boss, I can’t find them. I have Andre standing by their table, holding it for them. What do you want me to do?”

He turned and looked at her. “Do they have their phones with them?”

Ariana nodded. “Yes.”

“Text them that the manager is taking you home because the men were getting hostile, and he felt it was too dangerous for you.”

She took her phone out, quickly typed out the message, and put it back in her small purse that hung over her shoulder. “Okay. I sent it.”

Xavier stood up, reached down, and pulled her up beside him. “Then let’s get you home.”

She looked at the bouncer. “Thank you, sir, for all your help.”

Miles looked shocked. “Uh, you’re welcome.”

“Yes, thank you,” Xavier said.

“I’ll get back to it,” Miles said and left the room.

“Let’s go out this door.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh, wow, I didn’t notice it was there.”

“That’s the way we want it.”

He ushered her out another door and into a private parking lot. “This way.”

She almost had to run to keep up with his gate, especially in her high heels. Fortunately, he still had a hand on her arm that helped steady her, so she didn’t fall. God, wouldn’t that be great having dirt and other things from the ground all over her white dress and herself?

They stopped at a large black Town car. He unlocked and opened the door before he helped her into the front passenger seat. She watched him walk around the front of the car and stared at his masculine profile as he started the engine.

He turned to stare at her. “Are you going to buckle your belt, baby?”

“Oh, I forgot.” She quickly grabbed it and pulled it over her to snap it into place. “Sorry.”

“Give me the address.”

He punched it into the car’s navigation system and pulled out of the parking lot.

The silence was slowly getting to her, and the tension grew as every mile passed.

They pulled up outside her building, and he parked and helped her out. She watched him look around.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Making sure the area is secure.”

“It is. I even have a doorman,” she told him.

He nodded and didn’t say anything.

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