“Um,” Celeste ventured, “maybe—”
“Go ahead,” Rocco said, cutting her off. “But this’ll be the last round.”
There was a moment of silence.
“It’s your turn,” Rocco said, staring at Nico.
It wasn’t in fact her turn, but he felt compelled to hear what she would say.
Someone’s phone rang. He only realized it was Nico’s when she pulled it out of her purse and silenced it without even looking at it.
After she tossed it back in her purse, she stared back at him, and once again he was struck by something familiar about her eyes.
“Never have I ever said I love you to someone and didn’t mean it.”
Not taking his eyes off hers, Rocco picked up his glass and drank.
She blinked, looked away, and took a drink as well.
Why would she say that,knowing she would drink?Did she want him to know that about her?
“Okay,” he heard Celeste say in a bright tone that sounded forced and false. “I’ve got one.” She leaned toward Dario, grinning. “Never have I ever had a spicy dream about someone sitting at this table.”
Celeste lifted her glass and took a drink. When Dario didn’t, she glared at him. “You better …”
Raising his glass, Dario laughed. “You already knew the answer to that one.”
Rocco’s heart was pounding. His fingers were on his glass. Nico’s were on her glass too, he noticed as he glanced over at her. Whatever she was thinking, he knew it couldn’t be the same thing he was.
He was thinking of that dream he’d had of her—more than once. But he wasn’t about to admit to it by taking a drink.
No, for this one, he was going to have to lie.
He flinched as he felt a hand on his shoulder.
He knew who it was. He recognized that overly sweet perfume. It was followed by a voice as smooth as single malt, and just like singlemalt, burned as it went down. Only difference—it didn’t send that warmth flooding through his veins. Not anymore.
“Bottoms up, darling,” Carolyn Wickham said, pulling up a chair and sitting beside him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
NICO
Nico gazed out the window as the taxi drove them back to the hotel. She tried to listen for any sign of life beside her, but there was none.Too drunk, she thought, glancing over at Rocco.
He really went to town after Carolyn Wickham showed up.
The woman had made a point of taking a drink as she pulled up a chair next to Rocco. She’d drummed her dark red nails on the table, clearly waiting for him to do the same. But he didn’t.
How about this one?she’d said.Never have I ever lied to anyone sitting at this table.
Rocco took a drink and grinned at her.You ought to drink too.
Fair enough, she’d said, lifting the glass to her lips.
Actually, you should probably drink an entire bottle for that one, he’d said.
After that, she’d stood up abruptly, said good night, and left.
