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Thirteen
Bryce
“Bry…” Zoe says as she tugs my arm. We’re nearly to the door of the restaurant and there’s pleading in her voice.
“Zoe, like I said in the car, you’re fine.”
“No, I’m so not dressed up enough for this place.”
“Sweetheart, you’re absolutely gorgeous, and have nothing to worry about,” I say and pull her to the door where a man holds it open for us.
Entering the restaurant, I walk straight up to the hostess. “Good evening.”
“Hello sir, do you have a reservation?” she asks with a pleasant smile.
“Actually, I’m here to see Darren, if he’s around that is. Could you tell him Bryce Ericsson is asking for him?”
She gives me a look like she’s not sure if she should bother, but ultimately she does.
When she walks off to get him, I turn to Zoe and smile. “I’ve not eaten here before, but I’m willing to bet it’s going to be the best dinner we’ve ever had.”
Zoe looks around us, her eyes wide as she says, “I still say I’m way too underdressed.”
“You’re fine.”
A booming voice comes from behind me. “Bryce!”
Turning around, I smile at Darren and say, “Long time, no see, Darren.”
Walking over to him, I go in for a handshake, but it quickly turns into a hug as he grins at me. “It’s good to see you again.”
Nodding my head, I gently take Zoe’s hand and say, “This is Zoe Adams, my…”
And for a moment I have no clue what to say before I blurt out, “Girlfriend.”
Darren notices the pause, but thankfully doesn’t remark on it.
Somehow I don’t think ‘property’ or ‘owned woman’ would have been appropriate.
“Nice to meet you, Zoe,” Darren says and gives her brilliant smile. “So, what brings you to Atlanta? Taking over another company, I’m guessing. Going to gut them like I do a fish?”
Zoe stiffens just slightly. Not enough that anyone but me can notice, I think.
“Something along the lines of taking over, but not sure on the second part.”
We chat for a couple of more minutes, and then Darren is showing us to our small but very private table.
Motioning to a server, he says, “Make sure they are taken care of personally tonight.”
Seating Zoe myself, I take my seat across from her and stare into her still slightly bewildered eyes. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I think so. It’s just very bizarre to get a table so easily in this place,” she answers then her eyes harden. “And you said I’m your girlfriend.”
“I was meaning to say—”
“Did I even get a choice in the matter?” she asks, and I can tell she’s not as happy about it as I had hoped.
“As of nine-forty this morning, no, you don’t have a say in it,” I say with finality as I open my menu.
Zoe
My mouth falls open and I honest to god don’t know how to respond to Bry’s statement.
Glancing up from his menu, he watches my jaw work open and shut as I try to think up something, anything, to come back with.
We stare at each other over the dancing candle flames, and there’s a hardness in his posture that wasn’t there a moment ago.
“You had a choice, Zoe,” he reminds me. “And you made it.”
Fuck, he’s not wrong, but still… Up until this very moment I felt like he was completely forgetting about the deal. His interest in my work, all the small acts of affection, eased me into feeling like this was a real date.
But it’s not. Fuck, it’s so not.
This man owns me for the next thirty days and I shouldn’t have let myself forget that.
As irritated and unnerved as I am though, the reminder sends a thrilling zip through my veins that causes my nipples to tighten.
What the hell is wrong with me?
To mask the very unwanted arousal I’m suddenly experiencing, I grab up my menu and pretend to look at it.
All the words are Greek to me.
Taking my non-response as acquiescence, Bry chuckles. I glance up to see the corners of his lips pull up into a smile and his eyes warm, glowing in the light.
“I can’t exactly kidnap you and force you to be with me…”
It’s a joke. It has to be a joke. I continue to stare at him, and because he’s trying to lighten the mood, I start to relax in my chair, willing to let the whole reminder that he owns me go.
Until he says, “Regardless of how much I want to.”
Wait… what? I give a slight shake of my head. Did I just hear that right? Did he just admit he wants to kidnap me and force me to be with him?
Before I can even figure out how I want to respond to that, he goes on. “We billionaires can get away with quite a lot, but I fear you wouldn’t let me get away with it.”
My first reaction is to tell him damn straight, I wouldn’t let him get away with kidnapping me, but then there’s this little fluttering in my stomach. This strange feeling that’s saying that wouldn’t be completely honest.
