Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
“Okay, ladies,” I said, walking out of my bathroom, putting my earring in, “I shouldn’t be out too late.”
I smiled when I saw Amelia and her best friend, Jessica, reclining against oversized pillows and watching television together.
Amelia glanced over at me as I sat on the chaise lounge, fastening my heels. “You should stay out late,” she teased, tossing a piece of popcorn at me. “You deserve some time away from being locked down in this house. Besides, Titus is gorgeous, and he’s pretty much my hero now.”
I grinned, leaned over, picked up the popcorn, and tossed it in the trash next to her bed. “He is an excellent man for what he did to help you and the baby,” I confirmed. “But that’s as far as this goes.”
“I still think you should go for it,” Jessica said, flipping her black hair over her shoulder. “From what I’ve seen of the man after Googling him, all I can say is damn!”
I sighed. “You girls are watching too many rom-coms,” I said. “Titus Hawk is pretty much that…” I pointed at the television. “What movie is this?” I asked, eyeing the man on screen who looked wildly similar to Titus.
“Another Simple Pleasure,” Amelia answered. “And that guy is Dante,” she smiled at me.
“Well, whatever it is, Titus is like him. A fantasy, not something that happens in real life,” I stated.
“The guy is super loaded and is marrying her after bailing her out of jail when she was wrongly accused,” Jessica added. “So… he does exist. He’s just in the form of Titus.”
“Lord,” I leaned over and hugged Amelia. “You girls have fun with your movies. Takeout should be here in thirty minutes.”
“You need to loosen up, sis,” Amelia teased. “We’re just saying—”
“Let go and have a little fun,” I finished her sentence. “Yes, I know. You both have been campaigning for Titus Hawk all week.”
“Where are you taking him?” Amelia asked after I left the room.
“I’m taking your advice and not planning that, just seeing what I feel like this evening,” I smiled.
“Those heels make your jeans look sexy as hell,” I heard Jessica call out, and both girls laughed when I opened my door to leave.
“Bye, girls. Call me if you need anything.”
“We won’t. Have fun.”
Oh, to have the mind of a young woman who saw the world so innocently and still found hope in love and relationships. I wasn’t bitter. I just wasn’t going to get burned again by a man with more money than emotional intelligence.
I pulled under the concrete awning of Titus’s building. As soon as the car rolled to a stop, the valet met me at the entrance and opened my door. I stepped out, only to be stopped by Titus as he walked out of the entrance.
“Thank you, Justin,” I heard Titus say as he walked out, briefcase in hand. “She’s with me,” he said, tipping the man, his golden eyes locking onto mine in that dangerously intense way again.
Before I could say a word, he brought my hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. “Good evening, Ms. Veléz,” he said.
I swear every nerve ending in my body tightened at his touch—something I would never dare admit to him, or anyone, for that matter. Hell, I could hardly admit it to myself.
Had it really been that long since I’d been with a man? Five years. Jesus Christ, where had the time gone? At this point, I was practically a virgin next to a man who probably devoured women whole and forgot their names by morning.
“Goddamn, you’re beautiful,” he said, eyeing my silk tank tucked into my jeans. “And I’m at your mercy tonight.”
I buckled my seatbelt and eyed him. “Don’t get any crazy ideas,” I said in a silly, playful tone I had forgotten I possessed.
His eyes darkened to molten gold again, and his smile was breathtaking.
“I’m simply trying to recover from your devastating first impression of me,” he said.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’ve already done that by helping my sister.”
His eyes locked onto mine. “No, preciosa. Aún no has visto nada.”
I studied his full lips as he smoothly delivered the words. No, beautiful. You haven’t seen anything yet.
Then I smiled. “Cálmate, guapo.”
His expression darkened with amusement. “I am perfectly calm,” he replied smoothly. “Though I’ll admit, I enjoyed finally getting you to call me handsome.” He finished with a wink.
I had to get us moving. Allowing him to sit here and speak beautiful words in Spanish to me was absolutely not the direction I wanted this night to go.
I pulled away from the curb as Titus settled into the passenger seat of my Porsche Cayenne like a man entirely unaccustomed to being a passenger. Hell, I wondered if the guy drove himself anywhere at all.
The city lights streaked gold across the windshield as he loosened the knot of his tie and glanced over at me.
“So,” he said smoothly, “where exactly are you taking me?”
I smirked, keeping my eyes on Pacific Coast Highway. “You ask a lot of questions for a man who said he was at my mercy tonight.”
His low laugh filled the SUV. “Fair point.”
I glanced over at him. “You should probably mentally prepare yourself, though.”
“That sounds mildly threatening.”
“It should.”
He leaned his head back against the seat, watching me with those molten amber eyes that should’ve been illegal on a man with that much money.
“I’ve survived hostile takeovers and boardroom coups, Catalina. I think I can survive dinner with you.”
Damn. The way he just said my name. “We’ll see,” I answered, not giving away what was happening to me inside.
Those damn female hormones were going to be the end of me if I couldn’t figure out how to block them.
“How is your sister doing?”
“Much better, thank you,” I answered, thankful for the small talk. “Her friend, Jessica, has been here for a week, helping her get through bed rest.”
“That is wonderful to hear,” he said. “So, it’s just the two of you living in Southern California?”
I didn’t want to get too personal with the man, but I did owe him a little sincerity and trust since he helped Amelia, the baby, and me.
“Yes,” I smiled over at him. “She just got out of a relationship and moved down here to start her life with the baby.”
“I hope she is okay. That’s a difficult road, being a single mom and all.”
My lips twitched, itching to snap at him, but he wasn’t wrong.
“She’s going to be just fine,” I reassured myself more than him. “She’s tough, and although it will be difficult, she has a solid support group with my friends and me.”
“I’d imagine so,” I heard him laugh softly.
This was so bizarre. I didn’t know the man well enough to judge him fully, but this was definitely not who I’d pegged Titus Hawk to be.
Well, not after the first impression he made when he got into the car before the small talk started.
That version of him? That was exactly who I expected him to be.
This more human side of him was something I honestly didn’t think he possessed. Which was probably a good thing, because where we were going to eat would pull him straight out of his elite world and force him to simply be a regular guy.
Twenty minutes later, I pulled into a crowded harbor parking lot filled with Jeeps, beach cruisers, tourists, and locals in hoodies and sandals wandering the marina.
Titus looked out the windshield, then slowly turned toward me. “You brought me to a fish shack.”
I chuckled. “It’s not a fish shack.”
“It has picnic tables.”
“Yes.”
“There’s a guy outside who isn’t wearing any shoes.”
“That’s beach life, guapo.”
His mouth twitched as we got out of the SUV.
His tailored charcoal jacket and black leather shoes looked absurdly out of place in the salty harbor air and among the casual crowd.
I wasn’t surprised when people glanced at him.
It wasn’t the suit he wore; it was the way he walked with an air of supremacy.
The man honestly looked like he belonged on the cover of Forbes… all while standing beside a bait shop.
“You’re smiling,” he observed from beside me.
“Because this is the first time I’ve seen you look slightly uncomfortable.”
“I am not uncomfortable.”
“You absolutely are.”
“I’m adapting.”
I laughed under my breath as we stepped into the crowded restaurant, the scents of grilled fish, garlic, lime, and ocean air wrapping around us instantly. Titus looked confused when he realized there was no hostess stand and no staff waiting for him.
Just a line.
“Oh my God,” I whispered dramatically. “You’re going to have to stand with the rest of us peasants.”
He looked down at me as if genuinely offended. “You speak as if I believe I’m above all this?”
“Until you got into my car tonight,” I said with a smile, “that’s exactly how you portrayed yourself.”
His eyes narrowed in a cute way that kept the smile on my face. “You’re testing me?”
“I’m taking you to one of my my favorite seafood places,” I smiled. “But call it a test if you want.”
He licked his lips, eyes locked on me, and I honestly had to look away because some bizarre spell seemed to wash over me, drawing me into him. I knew that was a dangerous place to be.
“You’ll survive, Hawk,” I smiled.
“I’m confident I will.”
Strangely, it felt easy standing here in line with him. He adapted very well, as if he didn’t commute to work in a damn helicopter or own half the world’s luxury real estate.
I was shoved into Titus when a little girl darted between us, chasing her brother through the place.
Titus’s arms came up loosing around my back, pulling me close. I didn’t resist.
“I think this might be my new favorite spot as well,” he said, then released me.
We stepped up to the counter where a sun-bleached teenager called out order numbers from behind the counter.
“What can I get for you both?”
I looked at Titus, “Do you like Ahi?”
“I like all fish,” he smiled. “And I’m starved.”
“Perfect.” I looked back at the cashier. “We’ll take the ahi burrito, three fish tacos, and two poke bowls.”
“Garlic fries?” Titus asked. “Are those any good?” He looked at me, then at the cashier.
“Dude… they are hella good,” he answered emphatically.
Titus looked at me, “Have you tried them?”