1. Chapter One #2
“I’m sure you were.” He taps his watch with one finger, silently mouthing, Don’t waste my time, before looking away.
Fine.
If he wants to complain about me wasting his time, I’ll make sure I waste it properly.
I spin on my heel and march back into the restaurant, where Adrien is sitting with both hands planted on his thighs like a student waiting to be scolded.
“Are you having fun?” I ask with an exaggerated smile as I drop into the chair across from him.
I’m acutely aware that Luca is watching through the windows, so I lean forward and let my grin widen at Adrien’s rapid series of blinks.
“I—yes—”
“Good, because I am too.” I drain the rest of my wine and grab my purse. “We should get a room. We’ll take my car.”
“I’m sorry?”
“You heard me, Adrien. I’m going to have sex with you.”
I stand, and he follows, staggering before regaining his balance.
“What?” I demand. “You don’t think I’m hot enough to fuck?”
Adrien turns pink. “I—no. You’re very hot.”
“Then it’s settled.” I grab his hand and pull him forward. “Hold on tight,” I grit under my breath.
Adrien stares at me as though he’s trying to understand what I’m doing—or why I’m doing it.
I don’t know either, if I’m being honest.
But I want to waste Luca’s precious time, so there’s that.
“Simone, are you drunk?”
“Ha.” I tug him toward the door. “Not drunk, silly. Just horny.”
Adrien is gentlemanly enough to open the door for us. The redness spreading across his cheeks and ears—and the way his mouth repeatedly opens and closes—suggests he has something to say, but he decides against it when we approach Luca, who is staring at us like we’re an exhibit at the zoo.
“Here.” I pull my platinum card from my purse and slap it against Luca’s chest.
His chest is so firm I’d believe him if he told me it was made of bricks.
“Book us a room at the Clientele and take us there.”
Luca’s gaze drops to my hand before rising to meet mine.
I can’t read him unless he wants me to, and right now, his poker face is flawless.
“Now,” I order, withdrawing my hand. “You wouldn’t want to ruin the mood by wasting our time, would you?”
Behind me, Adrien faintly clears his throat and reaches for the back door.
I shake my head and close it again.
“No, baby. That’s his job, not yours.” I turn to Luca, who remains infuriatingly unbothered. “Go on, then.”
Luca nods, barely sparing Adrien
a glance before opening the door and ushering us into the car.
Just before he closes it, he pauses.
“What if all the rooms are booked?”
He’s only saying that.
I know he is.
As long as we’re in America, there isn’t a door the Rochefort card can’t open.
I smile sweetly, burning on the inside because he’s still as unbreakable as ever. “Then I’ll fuck him in the back seat.”
Adrien chokes beside me.
“So you’d better pray there’s a room available.”
Luca nods. “You got it.”
Then he slams the door.
I release Adrien’s sweaty hand and exhale.
If I truly wanted to make Luca uncomfortable, I could make out with Adrien. Maybe even climb onto his lap and get to second base.
But the nearly imperceptible sigh of relief Adrien releases when I let go of him makes me reconsider.
He looks like the kind of man who might pass out if I accidentally kiss him.
There’s a real possibility that he’s afraid of me.
And if I’m being honest, I don’t want to kiss him, much less have sex with him.
Not that I have to be attracted to someone to have casual sex. I’ve done it before. Plenty of times.
But taking Adrien to a hotel is the only way my brain could think of to waste Luca’s oh-so-precious time.
So here I am.
Taking my date to a hotel for absolutely nothing.
Once we arrive, I let Adrien enter the suite first before turning toward Luca, who is already retreating down the hallway.
“Hey,” I call.
His body stiffens for a fraction of a second. When he turns, his face gives no sign of annoyance.
But I know him.
And that, ladies, gentlemen, and nonbinary people, fuels me even more.
“What?”
“You should stay here with us.”
“Your father doesn’t pay me to participate in threesomes.”
“Oh, I know.” I nod, giving him my sweetest smile. Then I point toward the door. “I meant stand here and keep watch.”
A muscle in his jaw ticks. “That won’t be necessary.”
“I seem to remember that you’re my bodyguard tonight. What happens if Adrien pulls out his dick and it turns out to be a pistol?”
Luca steps closer, his eyes narrowing. “Are you drunk?”
I might be a little tipsy.
I open the door to the suite. “Do your job, Luca.”
I barely make it inside before he touches me.
His hand closes around my elbow, tugging me back as though he’s stopping me from walking into a fire.
But his hand might be the fire.
His touch burns.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I snap, tearing my arm from his grip.
Jesus fucking Christ.
My heart is misbehaving.
“I asked you a question.” He pulls the door shut behind us.
His eyes reveal nothing, but his body is tense.
“Are you seriously about to have sex with a man while you’re drunk?”
God, I hate this.
I hate the stupid, protective-older-brother act he puts on simply because he’s Brandon’s best friend.
“I’m not as dumb as you think.”
“I don’t think you’re dumb. I think sleeping with a man you just met while you’re intoxicated is reckless.”
“That man”—I point toward the suite—“is my date. And who I fuck is none of your business.”
“What’s one hundred thirty-seven times six?”
“Eight hundred twenty-two,” I answer without missing a beat.
So what if I was a math major? Sue me.
“Try harder.”
He steps back, apparently satisfied that I’m not completely drunk.
I roll my eyes, open the door, and slam it behind me.
Adrien
whirls around. He’s still standing in the middle of the suite for some reason.
I’m surprised he hasn’t jumped out the window to escape the sex that isn’t going to happen.
“That took a while.” He looks behind me, checking whether Luca followed me inside. “Is it always like that between you two?”
I glare at him. “Like what?”
He looks amused now. “There’s this tension—”
“There is no tension,” I immediately counter. “He’s just a bodyguard. That’s all.”
“Sure.”
“You, on the other hand…” I step closer to him. “You’re my date.”