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“To a new friendship.” He lifts his wine, clinking his glass against mine.
“Thank you for your help. I mean, I couldn’t have gotten into town and had a place to stay if it weren’t for you.”
“Have you tried getting hold of your friend?” he inquires, waving off my thanks.
Taking a sip of the wine, I swallow it before responding. “No. I mean, I don’t know their number off the top of my head, and I don’t have my phone with me.” My voice cracks and I have to swallow back the tears.
“I can have my men look them up for you?” he offers easily without so much as a second thought. “I mean, that is, if you want to. I don’t want to force you into anything,” he comments with a smile, lifting the silver dome from his plate, and I follow suit.
The china is plated with a beautiful salad — I say beautiful because it looks like a work of art. On the side are a handful of fries, and in the center is one of the biggest burgers I’ve ever seen.
“Oh my god,” I laugh. “This is incredible.”
“You can thank my sister for that.” He points at my plate. “She said you mentioned a burger at the mall today and practically swooned at wanting to get one.”
“I did. Sadly, where I was, we didn’t get luxuries like this. And I do consider this a luxury,” I explain while nodding. I recall telling Jezebel how much I missed just pigging out on a burger with fries and ketchup. It may sound stupid, but spending two years eating nothing but soup and bread, and sometimes a roast at dinner, I missed having junk food.
“Well, Giuliana, enjoy your dinner,” Sergio encourages with a smile, completely satisfied that he’s made me happy. And he has. We eat in silence. I practically inhale most of what’s on my plate, but by the time Sergio has finished his burger, fries, salad, and half of my fries, I’m ready to pass out.
“That was amazing,” I affirm, licking my fingers and patting my mouth with the napkin. I haven’t truly enjoyed a meal like that in far too long. “I feel completely overdressed for this rather casual dinner though.”
“Please don’t. The dress was purely for me.”
Furrowing my brow, I regard him with confusion painted on my face. “What?”
“I enjoyed seeing you in that dress.” His smirk is pure sin, and his gaze heats with desire. “That was for my entertainment.” He chuckles, and the sound vibrates through me, reminding me just how different he is from Lance.
“I have a boyfriend,” I blurt out randomly, unsure why I say it, but I feel like I need to. I don’t want to lead Sergio on, but I also don’t know how else to be. “I mean . . . not a boyfriend, but there’s someone.”
“No need to explain, princess,” he reassures me. “Love isn’t something one can get over quickly. Perhaps you should give it time. If you find in a week, before we head to New Orleans, you feel the same, I will happily step back. But if you find you’d like to give us a try . . .” He allows his words to taper off into nothing. The promise is there. It’s not illicit, but it’s a vow of him waiting for me.
“You shouldn’t—”
“I want to.”
Nodding, I sip my wine. Sitting back, I relax, watching the man with the wolfish smirk that makes my body tingle. Even though my heart is firmly locked up, something is alluring about Sergio, and I allow myself to enjoy the dinner.
“I’d like you to join me tomorrow evening,” he requests. “I’m having a cocktail party with some of my team, and I’d like you to be my plus one.” This time, his dark eyes bore into me, penetrating through the high wall I’ve put up around me, shielding me from everything. “Please, as friends.”
“Okay, but I have nothing to wear.”
He chuckles. “Well, as much as I’d love to see that, I’ll have a dress bought for you. It will arrive tomorrow morning.”
“You really are spoiling me. I can’t thank you enough for your help.”
“Until I take you home, I’ll buy you anything you want,” he declares, his tone turning serious, and I know there’s no doubt in his mind that he’ll do whatever I’d like. What I don’t understand is why. All my life, I’ve been convinced that one day, my father’s enemies would come for me. Arthur Calthorpe is a man who has racked up enough enemies to last him a lifetime, and I wouldn’t put it past any one of them to use me against him.
What they probably don’t know is that Daddy Dearest wouldn’t care less if I lived or died. But someone else will. Shaking my head of the errant thoughts, I smile at Sergio, hoping he doesn’t hear my heart crack each time I think of Lance.
“Are you all right?” His voice cuts through the dark pain that’s gripped me, and I find myself nodding. I don’t know if I should agree, but at this moment, I don’t have a choice.
“Yes, I’m fine. I think I’m just tired.”
“I must apologize,” he says. “I didn’t even think about it. You must be exhausted. Can I walk you to your room?”
“I’ll be fine. Thank you for dinner,” I reply, taking the last gulp of wine and swallowing it down. Hopefully, the alcohol will help me sleep tonight. It’s been night after night of tossing and turning, and all I’d like is one of rest.
“Are you sure you’re okay, sweetheart?”
