Chapter 20
GEORGIE
Istudied my bruises in the mirror and pulled a face.
They still looked horrible.
Okay, they were getting better. Putrid grape had been joined by some sickly-yellow. My ribs were already feeling less tender and the bullet graze on my arm was healing up nicely. I hadn’t taken as many painkillers today.
And now I was going to a fancy restaurant.
Nash had told me today after our daily session at the shooting range that he was taking me to Elysium. One of the best restaurants in Las Vegas. I’d mentioned that maybe I wasn’t quite ready to go out in public, but he wouldn’t be swayed.
“We’re going out for a nice meal. Snyder is not stopping you from doing that.”
“You’re determined to feed me.”
“Yep. I won’t make any apologies for that.”
He’d at least promised me a quiet table in the restaurant where people couldn’t see us.
A nice dinner with Nash.
I wanted that.
These last few days with him, just being together and despite everything else, had been some of the best days of my life. I brushed my hair and put it up in a simple twist. I did the best I could with my makeup. It had been so long since I’d done something nice and fun, something for myself.
Guilt pricked at me and my hands dropped, pressing to my stomach. I should be watching Snyder. Making plans to take him down.
Because of him, Viv would never do anything fun again.
Grief oozed through the guilt. I breathed through it. No, Viv wouldn’t want me to stop living. She’d be the first to want me to get out there and live.
Girl, get your ass to that restaurant, enjoy that gorgeous hunk of a man, and have a glass of something fun for me.
With a towel wrapped around me, I headed out into my bedroom. Nash’s room. I’d taken it over and he was sleeping down the hall, but I never forgot this room was his. The bed smelled like him, the closet was filled with his clothes. I shivered.
The kisses we’d shared… I touched my lips. I hadn’t stopped thinking about them.
My heart skittered. I knew this was risky. If I let myself get too close, feel too much. If I fell for him…
No. I was old enough to separate my desire and my feelings. I was attracted to Nash. I had been since I was a teenager. I could explore that without falling in love.
All day today, I’d wanted to kiss him again, but after our early stint at the range, he’d had to work at the casino. He’d ordered me to nap and rest.
Landon had come to check on me again. The doctor had stayed and played cards with me. He’d told me all about the clinic he ran. I liked him. I was so glad that Nash had good friends.
Even if they were retired-assassin ones.
It should scare me, knowing what Nash and his friends had done, but Nash had rescued me. Landon had treated me. And the others had promised to help me.
Strangely, the so-called bad guys seemed like the good guys.
And the well-known club owner who played the good guy, but was really the bad guy.
Sometimes, life wasn’t black-and-white and didn’t make sense.
I straightened. No more overthinking things. Tonight, I was having a nice dinner with Nash. For now, that was all I needed to focus on.
As I headed for the closet where my meager belongings were unpacked, I realized I had nothing nice enough to wear to a restaurant like Elysium. Crap. Clothes had been the last thing on my mind.
I stepped into the closet and pulled up short.
Oh. There was a dress hanging on a hanger.
It was gorgeous. I bit my lip. It was forest green, and I knew it would bring out the green flecks in my eyes. It had long sleeves and a high neck, but a sexy little keyhole cut out on the chest that would give a glimpse of skin.
And it was short. Designed to show off the legs. It was classy with a dash of sexy.
I pressed a hand to my fluttering stomach. It would also cover my bruises, but show off my mostly unscathed legs.
Nash had picked it for me.
Warmth filled my belly. I knew it wouldn’t take much to turn this simmering desire into a raging fire. It had been such a long time since I’d dated. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d wanted sex, let alone had it.
And this was Nash.
Not the young man I’d daydreamed about. No, the rugged, tough, scary man I was getting to know now.
I pulled on my best set of bra and panties.
They weren’t fancy, but they were white and trimmed with pretty lace.
Next, I slipped into the dress. I swished the skirt around my thighs.
It fit me perfectly. Then, I found my set of gold, low-heeled sandals tucked in my suitcase. The ties wrapped up my calves.
Feeling beautiful, I walked out to the living room.
And nearly swallowed my tongue.
Nash was facing away from me and dressed in black. Black fitted pants, black button-up shirt tucked in at his narrow waist. It emphasized his broad shoulders and narrow hips. It also underscored the muscular strength of his body.
He turned. He hadn’t shaved. All that scruff made him even more attractive.
His blue eyes locked on me. Slowly, lazily, he perused me from the top of my head, lingering on my hidden bruises, down my body to my legs.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful.”
I flushed. It was so nice to hear that. It was even nicer to actually feel it.
“You always were pretty,” he said. “Now, you’re flat-out beautiful.”
“You scrub up well, yourself.”
He closed the distance between us, and held out a hand, palm up. I put my hand in his. Then he paused, and reached out to touch my hair.
“Like starlight. Hungry?”
Strangely enough, I was. But not just for food. I nodded.
“I have something for you,” he said.
He spun and picked up a single orchid off the kitchen island. A Georgiana.
“Oh.” I touched the beautiful petals. “It’s so soft.”
“I always thought the sprinkle of dots reminded me of your freckles.”
I laughed. “I hated my freckles when I was younger.”
“I always thought they were beautiful. He stroked a finger down my nose. “I have a vase you can put it in.”
I held the flower as he found a slim vase in a cabinet and filled it with water. I set the flower in it and smiled. “Beautiful. I still can’t believe you grow such amazing orchids.”
“Sometimes I can’t, either.” He set the vase on the counter and then took my hand. “Let’s go.”
He didn’t let go of my hand as we headed into the casino.
I discovered that Elysium was on the top floor of one side of the large building that housed the Avernus. The doors were flanked by two green walls filled with greenery and flowers.
I sucked in a breath. I’d never seen anything like it. “This place is stunning.”
Inside was more of the same. The ceiling was covered in pops of green, as were the walls. Lots of purple and white orchids were tucked in amongst the lush greenery.
“Yours?” I asked.
He nodded.
“Good evening, Mr. Oakley.” A short, curvaceous woman with red hair and wide smile greeted us. She wore a beautiful bronze dress with a wide skirt. “We have your table ready.”
“Thanks, Eloise.”
We were ushered into a small, private nook that was shielded from the rest of the restaurant by a mass of potted greenery. Our table felt like it was nestled in the middle of the jungle. The scent of blooms mixed with the sizzling scent of meat frying.
Nash held out a chair for me.
“I have a drink for the lady.” A young male server appeared. His black shirt had a touch of bronze at the collar. He was holding a fancy glass that was filled with a baby-pink liquid. “The gentleman arranged it for you.”
“It’s a mocktail,” Nash said. “You can’t have any alcohol with your painkillers.”
“I’m not much of a drinker anyway.” I took the glass with a smile and sipped. The drink was tart and sweet. “This is delicious.”
The man nodded. “The chef will be serving you a custom tasting menu.”
“That sounds great.” My throat tightened as Nash sat across from me and the server disappeared. “It’s been a long time since I just enjoyed myself.”
He rested a big hand over mine. “You deserve it.”
“I feel guilty,” I whispered. “Viv’s dead. She would have loved this place. She’s only been gone such a short time.”
“I didn’t know her well, but I suspect she’s the first person who’d want you to be happy.”
“I know.”
We chatted as the first of many courses arrived.
He kept the conversation light. We talked about things that had happened during the intervening years when we’d been apart.
I told him about attending the local college to study hospitality and event management.
He told me a little about life in the military.
He made it clear that he couldn’t say much about his classified work as an assassin.
I toyed with my glass. “I waited for you to come home.”
His head jerked up. We’d just finished a delightful dessert.
I gave him a small smile. “I thought when your parents died that you’d come back.”
“I was doing some pretty dangerous work at the time. They were already buried by the time I found out that they’d died. I always knew they’d go close together.” He touched my fingers. “I wanted to come back. I wanted to see you, even if Elliot would kick my ass from beyond the grave.”
“He would not.”
“He would. He warned me off you. Said you were too sweet for me.”
I made an annoyed sound.
“I knew he was right.”
There was a cool chill to his voice and the air lodged in my throat.
His eyes met mine, dark and churning. “I was into some pretty dark stuff. I didn’t want you anywhere near that. I wasn’t nice to be around.”
My fingers tightened on his. “I wouldn’t have cared.”
“I know, but I did. I wanted you to have a good, normal life. I didn’t want you dragged into what I was doing. Or worse, make you a target. I did a hard job so that you could live a good life.”
I gave a soft, but harsh, laugh. “Life had other plans.”
His face hardened. I tried to pull away, but he shifted his chair back and pulled me out of my chair. He yanked me onto his lap.
“Nash—”
“Shh.” He pressed his face to my hair. “Let me hold you. I’m sorry you suffered. I should’ve checked on you. “
“I’m not your responsibility.”