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Roarke had plenty of bite, and it had bitten me in the ass, though, so maybe I should have given Mark more of a chance.
“You didn’t have a very good time, did you?” Mark asked with a sigh when we got back into his car after dinner.
I turned to smile at him. “It isn’t that. You’re lovely, Mark. I just… have a lot on my mind. The Martinez case has been tough.”
He nodded sympathetically, showing me his straight, white teeth in a smile. “I know that it is. I’m sure you’ll make partner from this, though, Magda. You’re amazing.”
I could feel my smile turn genuine. Mark was a good guy, just notmyguy. Mark leaned over to kiss me and I turned my head at the last second so that his lips fell onto my cheek.
He blushed a little but didn’t comment, and we drove home in awkward silence.
When I exited the car, he grabbed my hand, and I turned to face him, shutting the door when he dropped my hand and looked in. He had a convertible, so he didn’t have to worry about letting down the window.
“Could we try this again? A fresh start when things have calmed down with the Martinez case?” he asked hopefully.
There really was no point. There was nothing there for me. He was a good friend, but nothing more, so I gave him a sad half-smile and shook my head. “I don’t think so, Mark. But thank you for dinner and dessert. I had a good time.”
Mark just tightened his jaw. “Fair enough.”
I felt bad that I didn’t like him in the way that he liked me, and I wondered if maybe I should have at least let him kiss me. Maybe I would have felt something. But I knew deep in my heart that I wouldn’t. I knew that it was partly that I just wasn’t into Mark, but I also knew that it was because my heart was already tied up: with Roarke Brentwood.
It was nearly midnight when I arrived home and turned my phone back on, and I had a series of texts from Roarke.
How did your date go?
You can’t still be out.
Riley, answer your phone.
As I looked at the text messages, my phone rang and I jumped, startled. It was Roarke.
“Hello?” I couldn’t help myself from answering, my heart leaping.
“Magda,” he breathed, and I could tell by the way he said my first name that he’d been drinking.
“Roarke,” I said simply, plopping down on my bed, feeling emotionally exhausted from the day.
“Are you with him?” His voice sounded both harsh and hoarse.
“No,” I said. “He just brought me home.”
“Did you let him kiss you?” he asked.
I blinked, surprised. “That’s none of your business,” I snapped.
“I kissed you last, so I think it is my business.”
“You didn’t even kiss me at the hotel,” I said, and I hated the way my voice sounded hurt and a little broken.
“Is that why you went out on a date with Mark fucking Windham?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the way he said Mark’s name. It made me feel a little giddy that Roarke was jealous, that he seemed like he couldn’t stand the thought of me with someone else.
“No. I went because I thought I might have fun,” I said, and that was mostly the truth. The rest of the truth was that I’d hoped it would take my mind off of Roarke.
“Did you?” he asked, and when I hesitated I could hear him breathing, waiting for me to respond.
“I don’t know,” I demurred, not wanting to lose this giddy feeling of Roarke caring so much about who else I was with.
