Ignoring Vanessa’s vicious gaze, I shift my attention to the object of my desire. “Sienna, is it?”
Licking her lips, she responds, “Yes.”
“What are you and your friend drinking tonight?” I ask.
Before she can answer my question, Vanessa places her forearm in front of Sienna as she clicks her feet forward. Even in heels, I tower over her.
She lifts her head up, trying to level eye contact. “I’m sorry. We were interrupted before, I didn’t catch your name,” Vanessa says, squinting as if she is trying to decode my evasiveness.
I grin, deciding to play coy. “I didn’t realize my name would be required to gift you ladies with drinks on the house.”
Vanessa crosses her arms, as Sienna stands there with a flush on her cheeks. Clearly embarrassed by her friend’s behavior. She should cut her friend some slack, she is only trying to protect her from a suspected snake in the garden … for now, at least.
A frustrated huff escapes Sienna’s gorgeous mouth as she removes Vanessa’s hand from her forearm. “We will both have a vodka tonic,” she responds.
“Excellent.” I beam in triumph as I grab Jose’s attention once more to give him their drink order.
Looking even more angry than just moments before, Vanessa throws a dangerous stare my way before she whispers something in Sienna’s ear. I know Sienna is not listening to a fucking thing her friend is probably warning her about, because her attention is fixed on me. Just where I fucking want it to be.
José walks their drinks over, though I can tell from the way Vanessa’s jaw tenses, she still has something to say to me.
“Thank you,” Sienna says nodding as she lifts her glass as if to give a subtle cheers.
“Of course, the pleasure is mine.”
Vanessa stirs the red straw in her drink, looking down at the ice swirling in the clear liquid. Sienna gives her a nudge with her eyes, as if to remind her friend of her manners.
Begrudgingly, Vanessa looks to me. “Yes, thank you,” she says as she takes a long sip. Just as the liquid works its way down her throat, she pauses. “And who, exactly, am I thanking? Is it Mr. Sandy Claws, or do you have an actual name?” she presses once more.
Alex clears his throat, ready to step in and say something. He knows tomorrow was set to be mine and Sienna’s official meeting and is fully aware that Vanessa’s overly inquisitive demeanor would not help with the vibe I am trying to unearth between Ms. Ricci and me.
Before Alex can swoop in, to help me dodge Vanessa’s questions, I hear the faint ring of the phone over the music that is blaring through the speakers. I shift my attention to the bar where José jogs over to the phone. He quickly picks up the phone, sandwiching the earpiece between his ear and shoulder.
He darts his eyes up and over in our direction. With his cheek still pressed to the phone, he motions for me before straightening his neck to shout over the music, “Boss, phone call!”
Relief floods me, even though I know that will fade the instant I speak to whoever awaits me on the other line, due to the tense look on Jose’s usually mellow face. Whatever problem lay on the other line is welcome in this moment, as it buys me a little more time to play this thing out with Sienna,on my terms.And more importantly, it helps me evade Vanessa’s interrogation.
I nod to José and glance at Alex once, which is the signal he needs to head to the back entrance we came in through.
I turn my head back to where Sienna stands. She takes a final swig of her drink and places it down on the table behind us. As she turns and lowers her hand to her side, I feel the primal urge I have been trying to keep at bay since I first saw her this evening begin to rise. Before her hand lowers fully, I reach for it, snatching her delicate skin in my large, calloused palm. Not sure how she would react to my bold gesture, I tighten my grip slightly as I pull her closer to me. The smell of vanilla and a floral note I can’t identify tickles my nose as I drink her in, now mere inches away from me.
Her hand now in mine, I bring her soft skin to my lips. “It’s been a pleasure,” I say as I seal the top of her hand with a kiss before tragically having to let it go.
To my surprise, as I release her hand, she takes another step closer to me as she cocks her head to the side playfully.
“Yes, it has been.” She raises her manicured index finger to my wrist as she slowly trails her digit down the front of my hand, sending a fucking rush of pleasure to my cock.
Her index finger meets the knuckle of my middle finger as I grab hold of it, a tantalizing smile draws from her lips. Perhaps, Ms. Ricci is beginning to recognize what it feels like to be in the presence of a wolf in sheep’s clothing, or a ghost in a chiseled, inked shell. Her friend should worry less about me and concern herself more with what Sienna hides deep in her subconscious.
There is something there. I know she feels it, too, and I intend on using that to help me seal the deal I was promised long ago.
“Unfortunately, I have to get going. Work calls.”
“Yes, maybe another time,” she whispers back.
I shift my stare to a seething Vanessa, before returning my gaze to Sienna. “Oh, I’m sure of it.” I wink. “It was a pleasure, ladies,” I repeat, as I exit toward Alex, who is no doubt reveling at how perturbed I have made Vanessa with my blatant refusal to answer her questions.
Little does she know that I hold many answers. Except, they are for Sienna to figure out, not her.
