Chapter 3
3
LEV
H is touch lingers on the back of my neck. “All right.” It’s not all right. I didn't anticipate him saying that. “Then how about a drink? I’d like one of those.”
“It would be my pleasure.” He stands. “Don’t go hopping away on me now, bunny.” I watch him go. I notice a few other women at the party do too.
I should run, but I have a feeling he’d bust me, and my pride won’t let me. Instead, I search for Gabriella. I see her standing a few tables over with her new husband, talking to an older couple. I don’t know if she senses my stare, but she turns, locking eyes with me. She excuses herself to make her way over to me.
“I was sure you'd have hightailed it out of here by now.” Gabriella says this as she approaches me.
“I have to keep you on your toes. I can’t have people being able to predict what I’m going to do.”
“Well, you’re doing a good job because when I first spotted you, I’m pretty sure you might have been flirting with a man.” Gabriella lifts one of her perfect eyebrows that I shaped for her earlier.
“Well—” I raise my chin teasingly. “The staff here isn’t the best, and I needed a drink, so I had to make do.”
Gabriella laughs. “I know you’re not going to ask me about Eros, so I’ll tell you what I do know.” I both love and hate that she knows me so well.
“What?” I pretend to be confused, but she ignores it. As she should.
“He went to college with Caleb, and they stay in contact.” The little devil only gives me a tiny morsel of info when she knows I’m dying for more. She’s not going to break me.
“Cool.” I shrug. Gabriella shakes her head at me and keeps going.
“He’s a good guy. Like a really good one. And that means something if Caleb is saying it.”
“He is charming. Too charming.”
"He's neither a player nor a ladies’ man. It’s one of the first things I asked. Caleb wouldn’t lie to me.” I know that. Her husband scrambled to get me a job after he got the coffee shop Gabriella and I worked for shut down.
Gabriella had gotten fired, and when Caleb found out, he yanked the loans out from the owner. Which is kind of funny because the owner was a major dick, but it left me without a job. I have been saving up every penny to move out. I was so close to having enough to get a place of my own, but losing my job put a wrench in it.
In the end, I think I'm going to make out better. I will be starting an office job next week, and it pays double. It will be nice to go home every night and not have to scrub the smell of coffee off of me, but I am a bit worried that I won't fit in.
I’ve never worked in an actual office before. I suppose I could tone down my appearance, but honestly, I wear it as a form of protection. To keep people at arm's length. Gabriella is the rare exception to that. There was no way I could not let her in. She wiggled herself right into my life.
"I'm not sure what you want me to do with this information." I’ll never admit to loving that she gave me some details on Mr. Perfect.
"You don't have to do anything with it. But if you want to have a bit of fun?—"
"Do I even look like I want to have fun?" I give her the straightest face I can, and we both burst into laughter.
"Your drink, my lady." A champagne glass appears in front of me. I can feel his big body behind me. He’s so damn close.
“Hope there’s nothing but champagne in this glass. I usually don’t take drinks from strangers.” I take the glass, our hands brushing as I do it, sending a shiver through me.
“I don’t plan on being a stranger for long. And I definitely don’t need to slip anything into your champagne,” he whispers next to my ear so only I can hear. There’s an edge to his voice as though my joke had displeased him. I shouldn’t give a shit, but for some reason, it bothers me.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to apologize, but I don't. Instead I take a sip from the glass to stop myself. He might think I’m rude and go find someone else to flirt with. But he doesn’t. In fact, he doesn’t move from his spot, towering over me.
Gabriella’s eyes bounce between the two of us. “I’ll leave you guys to it. We are going to do the first dance and cut the cake.” She makes her way back to her husband, who was coming for her already.
“You should know?—”
“What is it that I should know?” I turn to fully face him, my shoulder grazing his chest. Holy hell, this man is tall and solid.
“Your jabs and sharp tongue aren’t going to scare me off.” Damn, does he have to call a girl out? “Lev, I'm not asking for anything, just a good night. I honestly don't see anyone else in this room worth hanging out with. You?”
“I don’t know anyone.” I glance around the room to once again see a few women eyeing Eros up.
"Then how about we band together?"
"There are a few women here who are eye-fucking you." I give him an out… Or is it a test?
“I already told you there isn’t anyone here besides you that is worth the company.” A small, playful smirk pulls at his lips. “Don’t make me face the vultures alone.”
I snort a laugh. “Fine, but you’ll owe me.” I take another drink of champagne. I have to admit it is entertaining to spar with him. It’s also really hot that he in fact isn’t fazed by my remarks and they don’t cause him to run off. They bounce right off him. A lot of men’s egos can’t take it.
“Let’s eat. I’m starving.” Eros takes my elbow, leading us back to our table, where a few other people have also taken their seats as dinner starts to be served.
“So the silverware situation is just like in the movie Pretty Woman , right?” I glance over to Eros. “I start on the outside with it and work my way in.” Eros chuckles. I’m glad he thinks it’s funny, but I wasn’t actually joking. I have no idea when it comes to fancy sit-down stuff like this. I’m used to eating on the go. If it weren’t for Gabriella, takeout would be my best friend.
“I use whatever.” He grabs one of the forks and stabs it into the salad. “Country boy, remember.” He winks at me. I follow suit.
“Does that mean you don’t come from money?” When I ask about his money situation, I see the eyes of a woman a few seats over go big. “Shit,” I mutter under my breath. "We're not supposed to discuss money, right?" I whisper that part too.
“My parents did all right. They own a ranch.” Eros's tone goes up a few notches for anyone at the table to hear. "It's hard work, but my grandfather and then my father grew it every year." Interesting. Then why is he here in the city? Shouldn't he be off on a ranch somewhere helping the family with their legacy?
Then I remember that he went to college with the groom. That means he could have flown in. "Did you fly in for the wedding, then?"
"No." I release a breath I didn't know I was holding.
I have no clue why the hell I feel relieved by his answer. It should have no bearing on me. It doesn’t matter whether he lives here or not. This is just for fun. That’s all.
I want to continue peppering him with questions, but I shove another forkful of salad into my mouth instead. There’s something about this man that keeps drawing me in and piquing my curiosity. It’s not something I’m used to.
“I’ve answered a lot of questions. Yet you haven’t told me much about yourself. I think it’s my turn.”