“And I don’t want to have to think about you trying to run off all day,” he says, making it all click together.
It’s not a Sergei problem, it’s a me one.
“I promise I won’t try and run off.” Surprisingly, it hadn’t even crossed my mind.
Cocking his brow, he looks me over, looking less convinced. And then I remember our brief history at pledges like that.
“Seriously.” I put one hand on my hip. “Plus, I have Ria coming tonight. I’m not gonna ditch her like that. So, you can relax, and not think about me. I’m not running... tonight.”
I want to make sure I don’t let us forget. He gets a pass for today because I don’t want him to get dead, but nothing’s changed.
He stays still, his eyes searching me. I stand there, patiently, not moving, not saying anything. Until finally I snap.
“Just go! Because Dante is giving me a stink eye and steams about to come from his ears.”
A smile breaks out across his face, and he gets that look in his eye. The look that makes my stomach dip and do back flips.
“Go easy on Winston,” he says, smirking, and then he smiles a smile that makes my toes curl. “And thank you.”
I ignore the Winston comment because, well I won’t lie. And, I’m not even sure why he’s thanking me. This is the life. What else is there to do when work calls?
So, I just nod.
And then without warning and in front of his men, bar staff and Winston who’s off into the distance. He kisses me.
He just does it, grabbing the back of my neck, pulling me to him and kissing me. I tell myself it’s because it would look bad his fiancé pushing him away is the reason I kiss him back. But it’s a lie and I know it.
The kiss is soft and gentle, but it is so damn electric, it makes me all tingly. His lips are firm on mine, as his tongue slides into my mouth. It’s heaven, this feeling and all I want to do is melt into him.
When it ends, his lips linger on mine and his hand stays firm on my neck. “I’ll see you tonight.”
I nod, because words are blown away.
He backs up a step, gives me another one of those smiles that melts me, and then I watch him take off.
When I finally come back down to earth, I realise he’s left the new guy with me. Maybe to stop me from running, or just because it’s what he does. But what’s more noticeable is there’s not a sound in the entire building.
As I look around, eyes drop to the floor or back to the glasses they are drying or drinks they are stocking. I ignore how my heart is pounding out of my chest and find Winston again, because if ever I need a distraction, it’s right now.
And it turns out there was no need to worry about Winston and me, we worked wonderfully together. That was until Ria called and filled me in about a drama with her DJ gig for tonight.
The venue that was scheduled for the event had been flooded by the heavy rain. A pipe burst, and the power surged. The event planner says they might have to cancel it. The good news is she can come early.
Then I ask what the event was for.
And wouldn’t you know it, it’s for a high-end women’s lingerie boutique. And sometimes lightning just strikes. A top designer in Sydney is launching their new collection, where a lot of rich deep pockets will be attending, who love rich expensive things. Perfect new clients for sexy cars. Sexy cars with models in underwear, sounded like a match made in heaven, to me.
I tell Ria, I’ll call her back. Then pry Michael, the owner of the cars, phone number from Winston’s clutches, since he thinks the idea is crazy.
But once I mentioned models in lingerie to Michael, he was ready to come in early and help if needed. It’s not, so I told him to just come dressed smashing.
I called Ria back and spoke with the Event Manager. We settled on a reasonable fee for hosting her event, as long as she was willing to do cross promotion with our client. She thought it was a great idea, and from there everything fell into place.
Ria posted her gig for tonight is open to the public. She has a couple hundred thousand followers since she blew up on social media from her years of unbelievable mashups.
And well.
I think I might have just out done myself on this one.