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“Don’t worry about it,” he said, shrugging. “We were both drunk. It was Vegas. I’m just glad we didn’t find ourselves in front of Elvis exchanging vows.”
That stung. It was an actual prick of pain. He was playing it off like it was no big deal. Maybe it hadn’t been. Maybe I had been fooling myself into thinking I mattered at all. The guy had probably had a hundred one-night stands. Everything he said was probably just a line. It didn’t feel like it, but maybe I was wrong. My senses had been just a little dulled.
“Okay, well, I’m glad we cleared that up,” I said.
“Water under the bridge,” he replied.
“Do you do these college talks often?” I asked.
“Not often, but I’ve been invited to be the keynote speaker at some business events in the state,” he replied. “The dean has been asking me to talk at the school for quite some time. I’ve just never been able to swing it. I’m glad I was able to make the time this time.”
“The students seem to be eating it up,” I said. “They like what you have to say. I think it’s because you’re young. You inspire them. They all think they’re going to strike it rich by the time they’re thirty.”
He chuckled and sipped more wine. “I just happened to make the right moves. The biggest move was going public eight years ago.”
“Before or after you were in Vegas?” I asked.
I thought I caught a glimpse of something in his eyes. Was he remembering that night? I knew I sure as hell was. Being in such close proximity to him was stirring up a lot of memories accompanied with feelings. Feelings one should not be having while sitting at a table in a very busy restaurant. I cleared my throat, took a healthy drink of wine, and forced myself to calm down.
“After Vegas,” he replied. “Actually, the day we flew back, I had the final meeting. I took the company public shortly after. I guess you could say things went up from there.”
“You mentioned your father in one of your talks. Is he still a part of the company?”
“No.” He shook his head. “He passed away unexpectedly about ten years ago. I was always supposed to get the job as the head of the company when he was ready to retire. It just happened a lot earlier than anyone expected. I was twenty-three and had a company dropped in my lap. Of course, back then it was nothing like it is today. I took the company and ran with it. We went public two years after I took over. Our watches are sold all around the world now.”
“Wow.” I found myself staring at his lips while he talked. I was supposed to be paying attention to his words, not his mouth. “I’m sorry about your father. How is your brother? It was his bachelor party, right?”
“Yes,” he said. “He’s married with three kids.”
“Wow!” I burst into laughter. “He works fast.”
“Yes, he does. What about you? What’s your story?”
“I’m afraid my story isn’t all that exciting,” I said. “I’m a boring girl. I work for a bunch of old dudes. I go home to the apartment I share with my roommate. We hang out at the beach on weekends and do Barre a few times a week.”
He refilled my wine glass, which I hadn’t even realized I had polished off. It was the nerves. I was nervous as hell being around him. Nervous and turned on at the same time.
The waiter came by and took our orders. I turned my focus back to Jon, who was watching me with an intensity that had the hair standing up on the back of my neck.
“How did you get involved with the women’s shelter?” I asked him. “I wouldn’t have expected you to be helping with something like that.”
“I happened to meet a woman that was involved with it. I had already been working with some other charities. When I visited the shelter, I knew I wanted to help.”
I hoped I wasn’t staring at him with googly eyes while he talked about his passion for helping and his soft spot for single moms. That was how I felt. He was a generous man. He made me feel all warm and fuzzy.
“I have a soft spot for single moms as well,” I told him. “Maybe for different reasons.”
“Are you a single mom?” he teased.
I realized he truly didn’t know the answer to that question. “I’m not, but my mom was. I know what she went through. I don’t have as much to give as some, but I can give my time.”
“That’s far more valuable than a check,” he said.
Once again, I got the warm and fuzzies. Then again, that might have a little something to do with the wine we were consuming at a rapid rate. The pasta we were eating did little to absorb the alcohol. I was battling a buzz and being horny. The combination was dangerous.
Halfway through our dinner and after a full bottle of wine, he leaned forward. Those gorgeous blue eyes held mine. “There’s a hotel across the street,” he said in a low, delicious tone. “Come with me.”
A smart person would have shut him down. But that wasn’t me. “Okay.”
