Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 59004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
“I don’t think I’m dressed for that,” Liz says as she takes in the elegant, sleek black front. “This looks five-star.”
“It is,” I chuckle, putting the Mercedes in park. “But I rented it out, so your attire is absolutely perfect.”
She takes a deep breath, and I can tell by the look on her face that she’s unsure. Liz turns her head to me, taking in my suit. “I wish you would’ve told me, though. I can dress nice.”
I laugh. “Liz, I know you can dress nice. The point of this evening is to relax a little. I know you’ve been through a lot over the last few days. This is me making up for the fact that we never got to have those drinks at my place that night.”
She nods, biting her lower lip in a way that drives me crazy. “Well, I guess I’ll hold you to that.”
“Good,” I say, turning off the car. “Now let’s get in there.”
I push open the driver’s side door and trot around to the passenger side before Liz can open it herself. “My lady,” I smile, shooting her a wink as it swings open, offering my hand. “You look lovely this evening.”
She blushes, her thick eyelashes batting as she takes my hand. “Thank you. You look quite handsome yourself.” She lets out an adorable giggle and gets out of the car, not releasing my hand as we make our way to the front.
This is what we should be like all the time.
My mind hasn’t stopped swimming with the possibilities of what we could be. She could be my woman forever, and I’d be happy to let her be as involved—or uninvolved—as she pleases. Only one person is standing in my way of that—Henry. He just so happens to be a big obstacle I haven’t figured out yet.
“Good evening, Mr. Watkins,” the hostess says to me, flashing the two of us a warm smile. “We’re so incredibly thrilled to have you here this evening.”
“Thank you,” I say, nodding to her.
“Would you like a window booth for the best view?”
The best view is right here beside me.
“Yes, absolutely,” I answer, feeling my blood heat up at the thought of gazing into Liz’s eyes for a while.
The hostess leads us to one of the back tables, and Liz slides in across from me, eyeing me nervously. It’s easy to tell that her guard is still up, and for good reason.
“This is a really nice place,” she glances around. “I mean, I’ve been to plenty of five-star places, but there’s something so unique about this one.”
I nod, agreeing as I gaze around the place. “I think it’s the mixture of traditional coastal décor and that luxurious urban feel.” The walls are black, and the tables sleek, but the walls are covered in fishing nets and paintings of the sea. “I’ve always liked it.”
“Do you come here often?”
My eyes find hers. “I’ve been here a handful of times. I suppose I always used it as a getaway of sorts, though I have to admit this is the first time I’ve rented the place out or brought someone along with me.”
That answer gets a smile out of her. “Really?”
“Yeah, I guess this place and my beach house are my secret places. I bought the house after my father passed away. He always said he wanted a vacation home, but every time he bought a place, it turned into another hideout.” I chuckle, though truthfully, it wasn’t all that humorous. It was just another unfortunate fact about my life.
Liz tilts her head at me, a genuine curiosity in her eyes. “So… did you go on vacations growing up?”
“Yeah, we did. He just never bought any property. Since I was a kid, I always thought it would be cool to have a home away from home that wasn’t lined with guards.”
“I see,” she says, reaching for the glass of water the waiter set in front of us. “I guess my father did a good job keeping the guards discreet, though he always had bodyguards floating around. He told me it was because our family was worth so much money, but I think my mom got tired of it.”
I shift in my seat as my mind flickers to Liz’s mother. “She knew what she was getting into,” I say carefully, though I know she’s already been told such information. “I think she was just hoping for a different life. Your father never shielded her from the brutality of this world, and I think a woman should be shielded from it.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “Why?”
“I don’t think it’s fair to put the consequences of our actions onto the people that we love.” I shrug my shoulders. “Yes, it can indirectly put them in danger, but they shouldn’t have to see… the other side of things.”