Chapter 8
Sienna heard her name being called out loud and spun around in the direction of the voice. To her surprise, she saw Maxim hurrying towards her, a slow smile spreading on his face. The last person she’d expected to see here. The guy seemed to have a knack for turning up wherever she was.
“Hey,” she said in response to his peck on her cheek. “Do you have a homing device of some sort stuck to the underside of my car?”
He shook his head. “No, but I wish I’d have thought of that. What are you doing here?”
“Visiting a friend of mine. Part of the girl squad you didn’t meet at the bar. She delivered her baby last night.”
“Well, congratulate her for me.”
Sienna loved the way his black, shining, almond-shaped eyes swept her from top to bottom. She was glad she’d put in some effort with her clothes today: a crisp, long-sleeved blouse, hip-hugging jeans and a pair of leather boots, hair loose around her shoulders, and everything embellished by her usual chunky, eclectic jewelry.
“You look nice,” he said appreciatively when he was done with his appraisal.
“I always do,” she responded cheekily. “Vlogger, remember? Never know when you’re going to need to whip out the camera.”
“Hmm.” He ran the tip of his tongue across his lips. “What else do you use that camera for?”
She punched him on the arm. “Nothing I could get into trouble for. I’m a good girl.”
“Very,verygood,” he confirmed with the kind of inflection that made her toes tingle. She tried to deflect his attention. “What are you doing here?”
He looked around himself, as if surprised to find that he was in a hospital. “Oh,” he said with a casualness that was a tad too elaborate. “Just visiting someone.”
Her interest was piqued. “Oh? Are they ill?”
He shook his head. “Just a minor fall. It’s fine.” Then, that slow sweep once again, tip to toe and back up. “Where are you headed?”
“Nowhere. Where areyouheaded?”
“Wherever your ‘nowhere’ is….”
And just like that, the tingle was back.
“You drove here, yes?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, I came on my bike. Do you like bike rides?”
“Soon as I have my first one, I’ll let you know.”
He looked surprised. “You’ve never ridden on a motorcycle?”
“I’m not suicidal.”
“Aww. Once you follow the rules, you’re fine.” He pretended to be pondering. “Tell you what, if you have your first ride with me now, we can forego the suspense. Cut to the chase.”
Dammit, dammit, dammit,Sienna thought. Why was it that this man, this much younger man, kept getting to her like that? All he had to do was smile at her, flash those eyes, and she was a goner. She put up a show of resistance. “But my car….”
“Will be safe in the hospital parking lot, at least for a few hours.” Then he added teasingly, “and if there are any car thieves prowling around, I don’t think they’d be targeting yours first.”
She made a face, poking him in the chest. “I no longer have the rental. I’d driving the Rolls Royce.”
He gave her a quizzing smile and offered his arm. “Who is your friend Jacyn and what does she do again?”
“She owns her own business. Besides, the car was a gift from her husband.”