“I don’t even know you.”
“Sometimes it’s better that way.” True words, though they taste bitter tonight. I want to know her. I want to know Skye.
She cocks her head slightly. Is she waiting for some kind of explanation? I won’t give one. I want to fuck her, and I won’t apologize for it. Sure, she doesn’t know me, but she will. I have no doubt. I load cocktail sauce onto another oyster, slurp it, and again lick the dab of sauce from the corner of my mouth.
My pre-dinner drink is long gone, and so is Skye’s martini. Our wine arrives, followed by our meals. She takes a bite of her haddock, chews, swallows.
I could sit here and watch her eat and not once get bored. I could tell her my life story, how my brother, Ben, and I worked for our father’s small construction company in South Boston. I made some modifications to a pair of safety goggles, which turned out to be state of the art. I patented the design, and Ben and I started Black, Inc. when I was twenty-five years old. Now, at thirty-five, I’m a billionaire, and most construction workers in the world use my goggles. But I’ve gone far beyond goggles. My investments in real estate, luxury assets, public and private holdings, foreign currency, precious metals—you name it—have made Black, Inc. a household name.
I am the CEO, while Ben handles marketing, and our father, Bobby Black—yeah, he goes by Bobby—is chairman of the board.
Not bad for three guys who never went to college.
But Skye undoubtedly knows my story. Everyone does.
I could tell her what I want to do to her once we get back to my place. How I want to squeeze those round tits and bite her nipples. Tie her up and lick her pussy until she’s raw.
Fuck her until morning.
That would scare the hell out of her, though.
So I stay quiet.
No forced conversation. I’m good with that.
“Do you have any pets?” she asks after swallowing a bite of broccoli.
“A dog.”
She widens her eyes. “Oh?”
Does that surprise her? It does most, and I’ve never understood why. Can’t Braden Black be a dog person? I love dogs.
“Yeah. A rescue pup. She’s adorable.”
She smiles and lifts her eyebrows. “You rescued a dog?”
“Is that so hard to believe?”
“Well…no.”
Again with the surprise. Animal rescue is something I feel strongly about. I’m very generous to local shelters. I pull out my phone and hand it to her. “She’s great. Part border collie and part Australian cattle dog with some other stuff thrown in. I did one of those doggie DNA kits on her.”
Her eyes go wide again, this time with appreciation. She’s definitely a dog person.
“She’s beautiful.” Skye gives my phone back.
“How about you? Any dogs?”
She shakes her head. “I love them, but my apartment complex doesn’t allow them.”
“Then move.”
“It’s not that easy when you don’t have millions sitting around collecting dust like you do.” She freezes, her fork halfway to her plate, and she looks away from me. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t called for.”
I shake my head. “No worries. I’m used to it. But, Skye, I’m not any different from the next person.”
“Except that the next person can’t buy whatever he wants.”