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Yeah, that’s right, I thought as I returned a haughty smile to her bewildered expression. I have a date with a billionaire.
The cacophony of surrounding conversation swallowed my short, nervous laugh. My teeth clenched together so hard that my jaw ached. How awkward would I be with the billionaire?
Stop referring to him as ‘the billionaire’!
Something stirred inside my head when the host mentioned his name. Pardini. Where did I hear that name before?
The hostess walked straight to the bar, and I scanned the people sitting on the stools, trying to figure out which one was L. She walked to a man dressed in a dark blue suit sitting on the bar, his long fingers playing with the stem of a wineglass. I couldn’t see his face at all, only the back of his head thick with dark brown hair, imperfectly groomed as though he had just had a long day at work. Afraid to touch him, she leaned in.
“Mr. Pardini!”
His head turned to the left, and I glimpsed a stunning profile. She said something I couldn’t catch and his dimples creased into a smile. Now it was his turn to pick me out of the crowd. I wanted to run away, but his cool blue eyes froze me in place. His calculating gaze swept up and down, and I was so entranced that I didn’t even notice he slipped off the stool and walked toward me.
He was so beautiful that it made me sad, because I knew that someone like that would never, ever be into me. It was impossible.
“Hi, I’m Luke.”
A high-pitched, teenage voice squealed inside my head. Oh my God. This guy is incredibly hot.
Stunned into disbelief, I forgot my fear. I pulled my lips into what I thought was a sweet smile and slipped my hand into his. His hand was reassuring and instant heat traveled through his skin and into mine, up my arm and glowing somewhere in my chest. He was the stuff of fantasies, and yet, his face wasn’t so perfect it was unnerving like so many actors in Hollywood with straightened teeth as white as Chiclets.
I had to say something, but his mesmerizing eyes promised there was no other person in the world he would rather see than me. I sniggered and felt a violent blush creeping up my neck.
“It’s nice to meet you.” Really, really nice.
He made a slight “hmm” and his smile became a grin, as if he knew the effect he had over me and was enjoying it.
“If you follow me, I’ll show you to your table.”
I squeezed his hand. I forgot she was there.
Let go of his hand! And stop staring at him!
I dropped my gaze and let go of him. My hand trembled as it returned to my side and I felt like one of those Twihards shrieking at Robert Pattinson. What was wrong with me? I walked in front of Luke and followed the hostess as she brought us to the back, to the room separated by a wall of glass. It was meant for larger parties, but Luke paid to reserve it. Of course he did. He had piles of money.
Luke pulled out my chair with one hand like a perfect gentleman and I sat down, inhaling something that must have been cedar cologne. The scent disappeared as he swept around the table, but it left me intoxicated and I blinked at him as though I were drunk. He was so handsome that I couldn’t bear looking at him longer than a few seconds. Would he be able to detect how hard I was crushing on him? He looked more like a male model than a businessman. His dark hair fell into his eyes with a casual elegance that few men could achieve. He smiled at me and my cheeks burned.
“Would you like anything to drink, ma’am?”
God, yes.
She slid a drink menu under my hands and I snapped my attention toward it. I recognized none of these wines. The only wines I knew were of the Charles Shaw variety that sold for five bucks a pop at Trader Joe’s.
“Just get me a dry red. Something you think is good.”
She nodded. “Would you like another glass, Mr. Pardini?”
“Yes, please.”
His voice stroked me. It was deep and calming. When the hostess left, there was no reason to avoid looking at the remarkable specimen sitting in front of me. When I met his gaze, he smiled again and warmth flooded my chest. Pardini. A small explosion took place in the pit of my stomach.
“I know you!” I blurted. “You were on ET the other night.” The moment the words left my mouth, I wanted to smack myself.
You did not just say that.
The smile on his face faltered. He pinched the bridge of his nose and uttered a small groan. “Yes, I’m sure I was.”
So it really was him. The rich playboy with daddy issues used an online dating website. None of this made sense.
