Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
I can’t handle his good looks. Every time he looks at me, I feel like I’m being wrapped up more and more by an invisible golden chain that’s pulling me closer and closer to him. And the romantic vibe of this restaurant isn’t doing anything but enhance that.
“You want me to analyze you?” I ask. I don’t know why I ‘m asking. It’s pretty clear what he wants.
“That’s right.” He smirks. “Let’s hear it, Anna.”
“You know I’m not licensed or anything?”
“That’s fine,” he replies. “I never even graduated high school.”
He’s being extremely charming, and I have to remind myself that the man sitting across from me is the boss of the city and an extremely dangerous killer. From the way he’s behaving right now, he could be a member of the upper class—a prince or a politician’s son.
“How about after dinner?” I suggest. “Aren’t you hungry?”
“Yes, I am,” Blake replies, but I see the twinkle in his eyes, and I don’t think he’s talking about food.
After a moment, Blake motions, and the waiter is back at his side.
“We’ll go through the chef’s tasting menu tonight,” he says. I wish I was sophisticated enough to know what that meant.
“Very good, sir.” The waiter nods. Blake turns to me.
“Would you like a drink?”
“Oh, I’m not old enough,” I say, trying not to blush any harder.
Blake chuckles and looks at me like I’ve just said the dumbest thing in the world. “They don’t care about that here, Anna.” He turns to the waiter. “Why don’t you get her a mojito and your best glass of red. She can choose. I’ll take a scotch.”
“Very good, sir.”
It really is something to see Blake’s power in action. It may just be buying out a restaurant and a waiter behaving like his servant, but there’s no other man on earth who I could go out with and be treated this way.
“So your parents are putting you through school then?” he asks.
I try not to wince. “Yeah.” I nod. But Blake is sharp. He notices everything.
“Come on, Anna,” he probes. “What was that?”
“What was what?”
“Your parents aren’t paying for anything, are they?” he asks. “Can they not afford it?”
Oh, boy. Here we go.
Here comes the conversation I was hoping to avoid.
“I don’t know if my parents can afford it,” I reply. “I’ve been in and out of foster care since I was ten. I left my most recent family when I was eighteen.”
Unmistakable pain comes over Blake’s face. I can see that he wishes he could somehow fix what I just told him.
“That’s awful, Anna. I’m so sorry.”
I shrug and lie, “It’s okay. I’ve learned to fend for myself.”
“A girl like you shouldn’t have to fend for herself,” he says, reaching across the table to take my hand. I feel like I should pull away, but I don’t. What’s weird is I don’t even know why I don’t.
I’m so used to my independence that having a man hold my hand is strange. Especially a man like Blake Lockwood. But I just can’t bring myself to break away. Not while he’s looking at me with those hypnotic, almond brown eyes.
The waiter returns with our drinks, which he sets down in front of us, along with two wine glasses and the bottle, which he leaves for us.
“And this is a…?” I raise the drink glass to him, a questioning look on my face.
“Mojito.” He smiles. “You really are a good girl, aren’t you? You’ve never snuck drinks before? How many more years do you have to go until you can legally drink?”
“Two. Two more years.”
“Well, tell me what you think.” He motions for me to take a sip. I do, and the alcohol wafts into the back of my throat like an army, causing me to gasp and take a deep breath. Blake laughs.
I lick my lips and nod. “It’s…good.”
“You’ll get used to it,” he says. “Sip it slowly.”
I raise the glass to my lips for another sip, and Blake says, “Come on, let’s do it now.”
I almost spit my drink all over the table. “What did you say?”
“Analyze me, Anna. I’m ready for it. I don’t want to wait until after we eat.”
His eyes are practically blazing. He’s actually excited for this. I, on the other hand, am dreading it.
What if I say something he doesn’t like? Something he doesn’t want to hear? What then? What if that causes this magical façade he sees over me to come crashing down, and suddenly I’m no longer invulnerable around him?
There’s no one else in this restaurant but paid employees. He could easily just slit my throat and leave me here for them to clean up, and no one would ever know the difference.
I guess Martha and Carrie at the school library would miss me eventually…
Maybe I should just give him a false reading that makes him sound like the greatest guy in the world.