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“Brokering our engagement?” I did the hard part for her.
“Yes. That. It’s why you freaked out, isn’t it? Still shitty, but what he did…what my father tried to do…” Her hands scrambled across the table, rubbing over the top of my knuckles.
She was making this harder than it had to be. I couldn’t stop myself from tangling my fingers against hers. I leaned toward her over the table.
“Is that why? Tell me the truth. You threw me out of your apartment after the-the… piano because he tried to force you to marry me?”
I hung my head. “Shit.”
“If you’re leaving, can’t you at least be honest?”
She had me. What did I have to lose? “Yes. I freaked out. For both our sakes. I knew it wasn’t what you wanted or what I wanted. Not right now, at least. And to trade you for the hotel. I was pissed. I lashed out. I’m so sorry, Kennedy.”
“Can’t you stay a little longer?” she whispered. “We haven’t figured this out.”
“Figured what out?” I pressed my forehead to hers. I could smell her shampoo. The watermelon chapstick on her lips.
“What do we do now?”
“I get on the plane to Paris. You keep knocking ‘em dead here, killer.”
“That’s it?” Her voice was too low for anyone else to hear.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have treated you the way I did. You deserve better. I owe you that.” I felt her nails dig into my skin. She could tell I was trying to break away. I had to go.
“But I know why you did it now. I know why you lied to me. That changes things.”
“Only part of that afternoon was a lie.” I smoother her hair from her face. Our lips almost touching. “What I said at the end was the lie. What came before that…” My chest tightened. I’d dreamed about her body ever since I’d tasted it. “That was real.”
“Then stay.”
“I can’t.” Anthony would honk the horn any second. My lips burned for the softness of her mouth. Maybe it wasn’t fair that I kissed her roughly. She was a magnetic pull that I hadn’t been able to contest since the night we met at the pool house.
Her fingers feathered through my hair. She moaned. Our tongues tangled.
“Before I go.” I reached into my pocket. “I had this made for you.”
I handed her the velvet box. She cracked the lid and stared at the necklace. Her expression was both confused and excited. She held it close to the candle to read the inscription on the back of the pendant.
“It sayscarpe noctem.”
I chuckled. “Seemed fitting after our first night.” She fastened the pearl, encrusted with diamonds around her neck.
“And this is for the oysters?” she asked. Her voice cracked.
“Yes, so you don’t forget the first.”
“Knight…”
I kissed her cheek.
And then I stood up and walked out of the bar. I heard her call my name again, but I kept moving. Anthony was waiting outside for me.
“Sir, we’re going to be cutting it close. You could miss your flight.” He was leaning against the hood of the car.
“Just fucking drive,” I ordered.
PartTwo
