Dark Ties (Made Men 9)

“My cell phone number is sacred, and bro, you aren’t goddess material.”

“Fine. I’ll remember you said that the next time you call me.”

“Bro …”

“Another thing”—Desmond flipped him the fuck-you sign before turning to leave the storage building—“stop calling me bro.”

Thirty-One

Entering the suite, Desmond spotted Haley on the balcony, her back turned to him. When he closed the door, she turned around, and his breath caught in his throat.

As he approached, he saw the dark formal gown she was wearing was midnight blue, blending into the darkness behind her.

“I …” Desmond had to clear the rasp from his voice. “I didn’t know we were planning on going out.”

“We aren’t.” Haley placed her elbows on the railing, leaning backward before nodding her head to the side.

Turning, he saw the intimate dinner that had been prepared for them, the flames on the two candles flickering in the soft breeze.

“I’ll go get changed.” Desmond started to turn.

“Don’t bother.” Haley stepped away from the railing to walk to the table. “It’s a come-as-you-are.”

The seductive notes he could hear in her voice had the hair on the back of his neck rising.

Taking the champagne from the ice bucket and setting it on the table, she said, “Do you mind doing the honors?”

“Certainly.” Removing the foil from the top of the bottle, he took his time uncorking the bottle as he studied Haley from the corner of his eye. “You look beautiful.”

Sitting on the chair, she placed a glass within easy reach. “I don’t know about beautiful, but I don’t think I look half bad, either.”

Desmond filled her glass then filled the remaining one for himself. “More than half,” he complimented her. “I don’t remember this dress from the ones shown to me.”

“I’ve had this dress for a while.”

His eyes fell to her lips as she took a sip of her drink.

“Sit, Desmond. I don’t want the food to get cold.”

Taking a seat, he stared at her, amazed at the change in her personality and appearance. The midnight-blue gown had a halter neckline with a deep vee in the front showing a span of naked flesh with the two cups covering her breasts.

Drinking his champagne, he uncovered his plate, revealing a steak and lobster.

“I hope you like what I picked out for you from the room service menu. I chose lobster and shrimp for me. We can switch if you want?”

“No, I would have chosen this for myself.”

“Good.”

She started to eat while he continued taking her in.

“Did you find anything out from the kitchen staff?”

“No.” Desmond started cutting his steak, unable to meet her eyes.

“I’m sorry. Where do you go from here?”

“I’ve decided to take a break until we go back to Kansas City.”

“I think that’s an excellent idea.” Haley lifted her glass of champagne toward him. “Here’s to regrouping and coming up with another plan.” Haley took a sip before she placed the glass back down. “I have every confidence you’ll figure it out.”

“Then you have more confidence than I do.”

Flashing him a smile, she dipped a piece of her lobster into the melted butter, leaving her lips glistening in the candlelight after she took a bite.

Desmond nearly choked on the bite of steak he had just eaten. Forced to take a sip of his champagne, he lifted watering eyes to see her staring at him with serious eyes as she continued to eat.

Watching her dip the lobster and shrimp into the butter became additive. He was almost sweating by the time they finished their meal.

As soon as he finished his last bite, he was going to his room to take a cold shower. A long cold shower.

He had just placed a forkful of steak in his mouth when Haley used her phone to play soft music.

“Do you mind? My favorite singer just dropped a new song.”

“Not at all.”

They were almost done eating, and Desmond was just biding his time until he could get away.

“I’ve worn this dress before.”

The casually stated fact had him carefully chewing the steak before swallowing to have time to place when she would have.

“You did?” he said when she seemed to expect him to say something.

“Mmmhmm …” Haley nodded. “I wore it during Nadia and Dante’s engagement party. She picked it out for me.”

“I don’t remember seeing you there.” Frowning, he stared at the dress, trying to force the memory back.

The soft sounds of the music floated around the table, surrounding them.

“This song was playing, and you were talking to Dante and Nadia. She was asking you to dance with me. Do you remember what you said to her?”

“No.”

“You said you would find me after dinner and ask me to dance. You never did. I spent the rest of the night waiting. I was the last one there when you left. You never noticed me once.”

Desmond frowned across the table at her. “Haley, I might not remember you being there, or Nadia asking me to dance with you, but I do remember the day I—”