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I could see right through his pathetic little act. Nadia might think he’s just obnoxiously in love with his new woman, but it quickly became clear to me that all of his actions were a ridiculous show to make Nadia jealous.
I try to tell her she has no reason to be jealous. That if anything, she should be grateful to have dodged that pathetic, bumbling disaster. But she seems to be too wrapped up in a shit burrito of insecurity to even hear me.
Fucking Luke.
Anyway, now I’m left searching my mind, trying to think of a way to make her smile again.
At the next light, I have two options. Turn right and head in the direction of Nadia’s neighborhood. Or turn left and head deeper into the heart of Sin Valley. If I don’t act fast, this moment will be over. And I don’t want that. I’m not ready for things to go back to the way they were between us before tonight.
Desperate, I break the silence, saying the first thing to come to mind. “I’m thirsty. Are you thirsty?”
She turns and gives me a funny look.
I carry on, bracing myself for rejection. “You want to stop at a bar? Grab a drink?”
“Yeah, sure.”
Wait, what?!
I wasn’t expecting that. Never in a million years did I think Nadia would say yes. And so easily. I don’t think I’m doing a great job of hiding my shock. I probably look as dense as a tub of lard right now.
Maybe she didn’t hear me right.
“I said, sure. If that’s okay?” Now she’s the one who looks confused, and it makes me smile. It’s an adorable look on her. “I guess I’m not ready to go home yet.”
I nod confidently. “I got you.”
On the inside, I’m instantly a nervous wreck.
I finally—finally—have my shot with my dream girl, and I’m going to make it count, dammit. I don’t care if this is still part of our pre-date, if we’ve moved into real date territory, or if this is something else entirely. All that matters is that Nadia isn’t feeling like herself, and I’ve got a chance to do something about it. I’ve got a chance to be the one to make her feel better.
Wearing a cheesy ass grin, I make a left turn. Bright neon lights blink down on us and the Strip stretches out ahead, a glittering adult playground teeming with possibility.
Instead of picking one bar, we find ourselves hopping around and stopping at any place that calls out to us. With me in a tux and Nadia in a ballgown, we’re a hilariously overdressed in most of the places we go. But it wouldn’t matter if Nadia was wearing her baggy workout getup, she’d still be the most gorgeous woman in every room we step into.
We end up sharing a beer flight at the first bar. Then we pig out on appetizers at Nadia’s favorite restaurant. We stay until closing. Then we bumble down the busy sidewalk and into a casino. There, Nadia promptly loses all my cash.
“This has to be my unluckiest night ever!” She stares gape-jawed at the slot machine that gobbles up my last twenty-dollar bill.
I laugh, coming up behind her and wrapping my arms around her waist. “It hasn’t been so bad.” I plant a soft kiss on her cheek.
Actually, as far as I’m concerned, this night has been phenomenal. Because the whole time, she’s been laughing. Having a good time. Her cheeks are swollen from grinning so hard, and her eyes are twinkling. This is a side of Nadia I’ve always wanted to experience. A side of Nadia I’ve always wanted to witness.
Most importantly, she’s letting her guard down. With me. She’s relaxing, and I fucking love it.
By the time we end up at The Cathedral Pub, right in the center of the Strip, I feel like a king and Nadia’s looking a little tipsy. We’re perched at the end of the bar, on our leather stools, lost in heavy conversation.
“So, what’s the deal with Luke the Rich Asshole?” I finally ask the question that’s been on my mind since the day Nadia invited herself to be my plus-one to the gala.
“The short story?”
I bark out a laugh. “Absolutely not. Who do you take me for? I want all the gory details. What did he do to you? Who ended it?” I force myself to push the last question out. “Are you still in love with him?”
I’ve shed my tux jacket and my bowtie. The sleeves of my shirt are rolled up to my elbows and I’ve undone a few of the buttons that were strangling my throat at the gala.
She shakes her head. “No. Hell no. It’s not so much that the breakup still bothers me. It’s more about…what Luke stood for.”
“What he stood for? I’m going to need more of a backstory than that. Did he…hurt you?”
