Now, I’m glaring at Killian. That’s taking it a little too far .
“Sorry. It won’t happen again—at least, not until tonight,” Cedric says, winking at me .
I giggle at Cedric. It wasn’t the most suave of lines I’ve ever heard, but I don’t care. I’m having fun, flirting with Cedric. I’m excited to see where he takes me to dinner tonight. That’s two dates in two nights. I’ve never had my beauty work so well in my favor, but maybe that’s the strength I should be playing up. Everyone has always told me I’m beautiful. I’m sure I can find a man my grandfather likes more than Killian. It was my father who was in love with Killian after all, not my grandfather. It might not be Cedric, but if I spend the next month dating, I’m sure I can do better .
I smile, happy to have a new plan. It’s my own plan for my life .
“What does that mean?” Killian says .
“Kinsley agreed to go out with me tonight,” Cedric says .
“Is that true?” Killian asks, looking at me .
My smile drops when I see a hint of sadness in his eyes. I don’t know why he’s sad. This is what he wanted—for me to live my own life .
“Yes,” I say weakly .
Killian shakes his head. “Just finish the shoot. I’m not paying for overtime .”
I watch as Killian walks away, but this time, he doesn’t stop. He walks back into the hotel. He doesn’t finish watching the shoot. And I have no idea why he reacted like that .
I turn my attention back to Cedric, back to the job at hand. And I do my best to erase any thoughts of Killian from my brain .
I hear the knock on my door. I glance down at the time on my phone—seven fifty-five. He’s five minutes early. I finish applying my red lipstick before I head to the door. I check through the peephole first before I open the door. Cedric is standing there in a suit. I exhale, happy that I wore appropriate clothing for once .
I am happy with the response he gives me. His eyes drop to the cutouts on each side of the black dress before dropping lower to take in my exposed legs. When his eyes find mine again, I see the appreciation there .
“You look even more beautiful, if that’s possible .”
“It’s possible. You look beautiful yourself,” I say, eyeing his tailored suit and toned chest that is visible because he left the top two buttons unbuttoned. “I mean, you look handsome,” I say, flushing a bright shade of pink already .
“Don’t be .”
He holds his arm o
ut for me, and I take it .
We walk down the hallway and into the elevator in relative silence. It’s when we get to the casino floor that I realize that Cedric doesn’t know that I’m Kinsley Felton, daughter of Robert Felton. Maybe he won’t notice the stares as we walk through the casino floor, arm in arm .
“Good evening, Kinsley,” one of the bartenders says .
I nod my head in her direction, smiling. I try walking faster to get us out of here as soon as possible, but Cedric doesn’t take the hint. Instead, he seems uneasy, and more and more employees begin staring at us. Some seem shocked to see me walking, hand in hand, with a man. Others just smile knowingly. And others just give me a friendly nod of recognition as we walk through the floor .
It gives me time to see Killian. He’s sitting at the bar in the center of the casino floor. He’s not alone. A young woman is sitting with him. She touches his arm and smiles. He smiles, too. I thought I was the only one he really smiled at. I thought I was special. I’m not .
I tear my eyes from them as Cedric escorts me out the doors .
“Do you work here?” Cedric asks when we are outside .
“You could say that .”
He stops us, as my answer didn’t cure his curiosity .
“My name is Kinsley Felton. My father used to own the company. Everybody in there knows who I am because of it .”
I run my hands through my long blonde locks. I twist and twirl them as I wait for him to change how he acts around me, but he doesn’t .
“That’s cool.” He shrugs. He begins walking again, but then he suddenly stops .