“Don’t bother. I’ve only got a couple of questions and then I have to leave.” He stepped across the threshold but didn’t follow me as I headed toward the lounge. I turned and waited for him to look up from his phone.
Right then, I was just going to have to stand across from the uber-hot guy while I wore cow pajamas and a face mask. Now I knew he wasn’t a weirdo stalker, I would have liked to impress him on our date tomorrow. But that ship had sailed. That cow had mooed.
“Can I see the account so I can make sure I got the name right?” he asked. Dutifully, I opened the banking app on my phone and showed him the payments. “And how many have gone through?”
“It started about a month ago. Just a pound here and there. The amounts are getting larger every couple of days.”
Tristan nodded, a little crease appearing on the bridge of his nose. What was it with this man and his wrinkles that gave me that wobbly feeling in my stomach? “This company is well protected. Most fraudulent payments come from organizations that are shut down within a week. You can get in and find out who they are like they left a rolled-out welcome mat in front of an open door. Whoever’s taking from you looks a little more sophisticated.”
“Can you stop them?”
He nodded. “Sure.”
“So great. Stop it and the problem’s solved.”
“Yeah, I can install some software on your account to block this company from taking any more payments. The bank has this software, so I’m not quite sure why they haven’t activated it. But I’ll do it.”
“Thanks. That’s really nice of you. I appreciate it.”
“Of course. You’re Arthur’s daughter.”
I tried to hide my irritation. “Well, Arthur’s daughter thanks you.”
He pulled his eyebrows together in a look of confusion but didn’t ask for clarification. “Right, that’s done. But keep an eye out for payments you don’t recognize to someone else. If they’re targeting you specifically, they’ll be back.” He looked up and we locked eyes, and I did an internal groan because I was wearing a face mask that made me look like a serial killer’s science experiment. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.” He turned and opened the front door. Big hands and a nice bum. Our date might be fun.
“Okay then,” I said, but he was almost at the lifts and couldn’t hear me. Obviously, there was no need for him to ask for my address. What else did he know about me that I hadn’t told him? I’d have to wait until tomorrow to find out.
Five
Parker
Having a date on a Saturday night was unusual. Having a date with a hot man who created a flutter between my legs when we locked eyes—face mask or no face mask—was unheard of. Not many people had the capacity to shock me, and it was intoxicating. I told Tristan I had to work and would go to our date right from the office. That way, I didn’t have to see him in the doorway to my apartment again. Without the lust-killing pajamas and face mask, I might just pull him inside and jump on him.
I was a little surprised when he texted me the address to a restaurant about three hundred meters from where I lived. Men who were trying to impress me because of whose daughter I was usually picked a fancy restaurant in the middle of town. One had even flown me to Paris on his plane. Apparently, Tristan Dubrow had more down-to-earth tastes. And that meant going to my favorite Italian restaurant.
I knew what I’d order before I sat down.
It also meant I didn’t need to dress up. My favorite jeans and a red blouse with a ruffly collar said that I was making some effort but not too much. My concession to making an effort was strapping on some heels. I was determined to bridge the height gap between Tristan and me even if we were sitting down.
I caught sight of Tristan through the sticker-covered glass of the restaurant door. He looked enormous sat at the tiny table for two in the corner in front of the kitchen. Enormous, and undeniably handsome. He wore a blue shirt that pulled slightly across his arms and his messy hair had streaks of dirty-blond on the ends like it was hanging on to a memorable summer. His jaw was grazed with stubble, and for a second, I wanted to know how it felt against my thighs. If this was a real date, I’d be looking forward to this evening.
I pushed the door open and his gaze shot to mine.
I waved at Antonio behind the till and slid into my seat opposite my handsome date.
“Interesting choice of restaurant,” I said.
“You look beautiful.” His comment came from the back of the throat—raw and guttural, an animal response.