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There is a candle in the center of the table and an ornate setting on each side. Something about the sight of two different-sized forks gives me anxiety. It reminds me I don’t belong here. I’m not prestigious or wealthy. I’ve never dined anywhere that gave me two different-sized forks to eat with.
But tonight…I’m not me.
“I went ahead and ordered us a bottle of Château Lafite,” he says as he sits opposite me. “I hope you like red wine.”
My stomach turns, and my hands begin to tremble again. “I don’t…drink, actually,” I stammer.
His eyes widen in surprise before relaxing into an expression of understanding. “Of course. It’s best to be sober and clearheaded anyway.”
With that, he waves down the hostess before she disappears back down to the restaurant. “Please cancel our bottle of wine and bring us some sparkling water instead. Thank you.”
“Of course, Mr. Kade,” she replies with a polite smile.
Just as I’m about to apologize for being difficult, I close my mouth. The woman in the mirror doesn’t say sorry for making her preferences known. She has nothing to be sorry for.
I square my shoulders as I stare across the table.
Ronan relaxes in his chair. “So, Eden…tell me a little bit about yourself.”
“Well…everything I said in the app was true. I’m looking for a Dom—”
“I read your profile and every message you sent, but what I want to learn is whoyouare. Who youreallyare.”
I have to force myself to swallow. “Who I really am?”
My cover is blown. He’s onto my lies. Fear snakes its way up my spine, and it feels like each breath is a chore.
“Umm…” I choke out.
“Yeah. What makes you happy? What’s your family like? Are you a dog person or a cat person? That sort of thing.”
My lips part, and I stare at him in surprise. “Oh,” I say.
When I don’t speak for a moment, he leans forward, a wrinkle between his brows. “I’m sorry if you assumed this would be a quick hookup. I like to get to know the women I take to bed, especially if we’re entering a Dom/sub relationship. And I figured since you said you were new to the lifestyle in your profile, we could take the time to get acquainted first. Is that okay with you?”
Technically, I’m in a bit of a rush to win this rich man over, at least enough that he might be willing to spend some money on me. If he buys me jewelry or designer clothes, I can pawn them for something useful.
Realistically…I feel more at ease knowing he’s not a shallow, pussy-hungry creep, even if it does mean faster to bed and faster to cash.
After a deep breath, I look him in the eye, and then Ilie. “Things that sparkle make me happy. My family is loving and humble, but they don’t live as close as I like, so I’m often alone. And I’m definitely a cat person.”
Lies, lies, lies.
Something in Ronan’s eyes flickers with skepticism, which worries me. If he doesn’t believe I’m just a beautiful, lonely woman who loves jewelry, then my plan will fail faster than I’d like.
I can only afford so many more nights at the motel before I’m out of options.
“What about you?” I ask with interest.
“I—” he starts. Just then, we’re interrupted by the door to the roof opening and a waiter approaching with a tray on his shoulder. “Oh, I hope you don’t mind. I went ahead and ordered us some appetizers to get us started. The scallops here are to die for.”
Just then, the waiter places a silver tray on the table, and my stomach clenches as the pungent stench of seafood wafts directly to my nose.
A cold, clammy sweat covers my forehead, and my mouth fills with saliva. I won’t make it to the bathroom. I’ll be lucky if I make it out of this chair.
Without warning, I burst from the table and sprint, stumbling in my heels as I fold myself over the rail lining the rooftop and dry heave onto the empty beach below. As I retch over and over again, my hair is flying with the wind, sticking to my face and neck.
The entire time I’m throwing up the nothingness in my stomach, I think about how humiliating this entire endeavor is. I’m faking a personality to try and con a wealthy stranger out of money, ready to sleep with him and do God knows what else. Now I’ll have to walk out of this restaurant with my tail between my legs, back to the smelly, noisy motel I can barely afford until I devise another plan.
