Page 21 of Total Abandon

“People will be expecting over the top. Besides, it’s the only engagement ring I’ll ever buy, so I wanted to get the full experience. The lady who handled the transaction was really very nice—gave mechampagne and everything.” I’m poking at her now, but I can’t help it.

“I’ll bet she fucking did. How much did this cost?”

“Hand,” I order, ignoring her question and taking the ring out of the box with one hand before extending the other to her. Her fraught gaze meets mine and we battle silently for a few seconds. I can practically see the cogs whirring in her head. Her teeth clamp down on her lip in a way I’ve learned means she wants to tell me to fuck off. But she acquiesces, slowly extending her dainty left hand to me.

I’m surprised she’s making this so easy. “That’s it?” I take her hand in mine, dwarfing it, and almost wince at the zap of heat that runs between our skin like static. I run my thumb over the back of her wrist.

“If you’re expecting me to confess my undying love for you—”

“You’re not going to make me jump through hoops? Maybe make me get on one knee and ask in the traditional way?” I cut across her smartass reply as I slide the ring neatly onto her finger. She tilts her head, and we both look down at it sitting snug against her knuckle. Ostentatious though it is, it looks good there.

“Trust me, Guerra. If I wanted you on your knees, it wouldn’t be for a ring.” She snatches her hand back and turns. “I’m choosing where we eat,” she announces as she walks toward the door.

I let out a low breathy chuckle and send out a silent prayer to the gods that I manage to keep my edge around this woman.

“I’ll bet you are.”

Chapter 11

Bigfoot(dick):Big Dick to Big Girl Pants. Come in, Big Girl Pants. Over.

Chloe:Big Girl Pants reporting. What do you need, Big Dick? Over.

Bigfoot(dick):Just checking for signs of life. Over.

Chloe:Proof of life obtained—I’m changing your name to Secret Millionaire Matchmaker in my phone.

Bigfoot(dick):Don’t be mad.

Bigfoot(dick):Can I be your maid of dishonor?

Chloe:I wouldn’t marry that man if he paid me.

Chloe:Oh wait, he is!

Bigfoot(dick):That’s the spirit. Give him hell, Red.

CHLOE

“I took the liberty of arranging for a moving crew to go to your apartment tomorrow afternoon and pack up your stuff,” Zeke says as he signals the waiter over with two fingers he barely had to lift off the black tablecloth.

“Pardon me?” I blink, my hand pausing midway toward the glass of water he just poured me.

“We’ll take a bottle of Junmai, two California rolls, some uramaki, yasai, and some edamame,” Zeke orders smoothly without even picking up a menu.

“Right away, sir.” The short Asian man bows stiffly and swipes the menus off the table before scurrying away.

“I can order for myself, you know.” Annoyance flashes across my tongue, sharpening it as I grab my glass.

“Trust me,” is all he says, leaning back in his seat.

“Do you still have that list? I need to add not being an overbearing asshole to it.” I take a measured sip, trying not to noticethe enormous rock on my finger clinking lightly against the side of the glass. We’re sitting in a high-end sushi restaurant, the type I would never be able to afford to eat at myself. But, judging by the way he didn’t even blink at the huge amount of money I just leveraged from him, he can afford it. Not to mention said ring. I used to eat here with Anthony, and the food is excellent, so I’m not above taking the opportunity to come back.

“You know it’s a gross misuse of power to swipe my address from your company records, right?” His chocolate eyes sparkle in the dim setting as I speak, his decadent mouth quirked into a smirk that has the hairs on the back of my neck prickling. Zeke in a three-piece suit? Hot. Zeke in weathered jeans and a tight top? Also hot. Zeke stripped down to just his shirt with the top two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled? Insanely hot.

“I think considering we are engaged, that’s the tip of the iceberg. Don’t you?”

“I’m also working in the afternoon, as you know. I can’t move my stuff then,” I shoot back, trying to ignore the sparse, dark smattering of hair peeking over the unbuttoned front of his shirt.