She wiped her mouth with her napkin and tilted her head. “Vulgar amounts of money or sexual favors?”
He dug into his breakfast with a grin. “Both.”
Lifting her glass of orange juice, Delilah toasted him. “Worth it.”
“Yes.”
They ate in companionable silence, occasionally making ecstatic faces at each other or groaning in delight. When she was done, she stood with her plate in hand. “Where is your dishwasher?”
“Break it.”
“Excuse me?”
He stood and took the plate from her hand. “Sorry. That is a Greek joke I learned from your friend Angel. I lost four cups before I caught on.”
She covered her mouth apologetically when she laughed. “I’m sorry. They’re harmless. But knowing what I do about Angel’s past? If they really didn’t like you, I doubt you’d still have a workshop to go to. So there is hope.”
“Comforting.” He pursed his lips. “Speaking of old friends, have you talked to Wilder yet?”
Her smile disappeared again. “Yes, I did. But not about the sale, if that’s what you’re wondering. We were just…catching up.”
He was studying her again. “I see. I have an idea, Delilah. Would you be interested in playing hooky today? We can go across the bridge into San Francisco.”
She lifted one shoulder ambiguously and pushed her hair off her face. “I’m not sure that’s the best idea, Sebastian.”
He set down the plates. “Of course not. You’re tired. Let’s stay here. What you need is a swim in my pool and a few hours of sunshine. Then I can show you those projects I told you about. Or we could watch a movie. Anything you want.”
She was tired and that sounded good. Tempting. “You don’t need to go into the shop today? I thought you wanted to get to business. Impatience and all that.”
He shook his head. “All our troubles will still be there tomorrow. Right now, I would rather be here.” He raised his eyebrows. “I have a feeling you would as well.”
Delilah didn’t have the energy to deny it. She wanted to go to the shop and visit with the Major and Angel, wanted to meet the new kid and see what everyone was working on. But there was something standing in her way. Someone.
The way they’d ended things last night, she wasn’t sure she was ready for the morning-after fall out with Asa.
“I don’t have a bathing suit,” she offered weakly.
Sebastian grinned, knowing she’d given in. “I happen to have a few never-before-worn bikinis in the guestroom.”
She sent him a sideways glance, unable to hide her admiration. “I suppose in this case it’s a good thing you’re such a lady’s man.”
“I haven’t had many complaints.”
She believed him.
With some direction, she made her way to the closet full of new clothes and found a red bikini in her size—a miracle—and changed. He was waiting for her in the hallway with towels in his hand and nothing but a snug pair of shorts concealing his airbrushed body. It had to be fake…no human had that many muscles in his stomach.
Delilah had just begun to relax. How could she not? Lounging with her body submerged in the crystal clear water of a pool that overlooked the Bay, and her face lifted up toward the sun.
She sensed him swim up beside her. “Relaxed?”
“Mmmhmm,” she replied sleepily.
“Are you relaxed enough to tell me what Asa Wilder said or did that had you up all night crying?”
Her body jerked in shock, and she opened her eyes to see the apology in his. “It is obvious, Delilah. Your reaction to his name. The sadness you arrived with. To my shame, I have made too many women cry not to recognize the signs.”
“I didn’t realize I was that obvious.”