“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Well, okay, that is kind of weird. But what does it have to do with you?” Then he stops and gives me a penetrating look. “Ohh…”
“Shut up.”
“You care about her.”
“Of course I care about her.” It’s impossible not to feel something around Yuna. She has this magic that draws out emotions I’ve never experienced before. And I love it that she’s emotionally strong and capable of handling herself, especially against my shitty exes and Ella.
He’s still staring at me. “And you’ve slept with her. Well, well…”
“It’s called an adult relationship. When you get a girlfriend, you’ll know what I mean.”
I start toward Yuna’s table. A couple of Asian men with crisp black suits and earpieces move smoothly into my path when I’m about six feet away.
“I know her.” I point at Yuna. “I just want to say hello.”
They look at me like I’m a vagrant. Or some kind of stalker, which is insulting. Don’t they know who I am?
Yuna turns in my direction, does a double take, then says something I don’t quite catch.
The men immediately stand back.
I clear my throat smugly. “Told you,” I say as I walk past them.
The men give me identical blank looks. Maybe they don’t understand English.
Time to put on the charm and meet my brand-new girlfriend’s mom.
“What are you doing here?” Yuna says, her eyes wide with surprise. There’s a spark in them, too.
“Hi, Yuna. I was up here and saw you and decided to stop by.” I then turn to her mom and smile. “Is this your mother?” All innocent. That’s me.
“Yes. Mom, this is Declan Winters. Declan, my mother.”
“Nice to meet you.” Her mom extends a small, slim hand. A huge diamond winks under the lights. She doesn’t have a strong grip like Yuna, so I just give a slight squeeze before letting go. “The pleasure’s mine, ma’am.”
“We’re about to have dinner,” Yuna explains. “If you haven’t eaten, would you like to join us?”
Her tone is a little desperate. Whatever they were discussing before I interrupted them isn’t a topic she wants to go back to. I glance down at the photos. There are three of them. The one on the top shows a sharply dressed Asian man. Is he the number one marriage prospect from Korea? If so, her family could do better. The man looks like a lizard. A too-cool smile and even cooler eyes.
Meanwhile, Yuna’s mom glances at me, then Yuna, then back at me. Her dark gaze is assessing. Probably wondering if I’m as awesome as the top-photo guy. She should know I’m much more awesome. Warmer, too. Who wants to hold a reptile in bed?
“Sure.” My priority is Yuna. I take an empty seat next to her, and she smiles gratefully.
A waiter comes over and takes my drink order—vodka. A woman who’s been standing behind Yuna’s mom whispers something to the waiter.
“You aren’t allergic to seafood or shellfish, are you?” she asks me in excellent English.
“No.”
She turns back to the waiter and whispers some more. He goes away and returns quickly with my vodka.
Yuna’s mom waits until I take a sip before she starts her inquisition. “Mr. Winters, how do you know my daughter?” she asks in a neutral tone.
Guess Yuna hasn’t told her mom about me yet. Slightly disappointing, but most likely there was no good time. It’s not like Yuna can just blurt out, “I’m working and sleeping with one of the hottest men in Hollywood.”