“You aren’t drinking?” I take a sip of the vodka and cranberry and smile. It’s the same drink I was drinking the night I met him.
It impresses me that he remembered.
“No, I like my head clear at all times.”
Okaaay! I smile at his words.
He looks at me puzzled, and directs, “Don’t drink too many. I want you clear for what I want to do to you.” His eyes zero in on me as he speaks. My cheeks redden at his words. He doesn’t talk to me in a sensual tone, it’s more the way he looks at me as he says it. It’s as if he plans to do very bad things to me, and to say I’m excited is an understatement.
“How old are you?”
“Thirty. Never been married, but intend to marry, someday soon.”
I spit my drink out. “Jesus! You make it sound like some sort of business transaction.”
He looks at me puzzled, his eyebrows drawn together almost forming one single brow. “Marriage is… well, you benefit from being with that person. You don’t marry for any other reason.”
“You sound like my father,” I say with a sour look on my face, turning away and putting the drink to my lips before I say anything else. Perhaps something I might regret. My father is the last thing I want to be reminded of while being out with Gunner.
“You see it differently?”
May waves at me and I’m thankful for the distraction. Just as I go to step toward her, a hand touches my waist and pulls me back, so I land on something hard. My drink almost spills on me.
“How do you see marriage?” he asks again, this time pressuring me to answer.
I pull away, and he lets me as I turn to look at him. Gunner’s watching me, waiting for my reply as if he needs it. As if it means everything to him.
I shake my head, deciding not to answer. This man is someone I can’t work out. At all. Why does that question bother him? Why does he need a prompt answer to it, yet we don’t discuss anything else? His communication skills leave a lot to be desired, unless of course, it’s talking about choking.
Shouldn’t we be discussing basic shit like getting to know one another?
Shouldn’t he be wining and dining me?
This is all too weird.
“What’s wrong?” May grabs my arm, pulling me to her.
I simply shake my head.
“He’s watching you. Did you just walk away from him?”
I don’t look back, even though I want to. “I just don’t know. He’s… so intense.”
May laughs. “I Googled him.” She looks over my shoulder, then back to me. “He’s a tycoon. Probably as rich as your father.”
Well, that little tidbit of information shocks me. Gunner said he deals in real estate, but I guess in his defense, I didn’t ask any further questions.
“He’s also never photographed with women. But stories float around about him all the time.”
“What kind of stories?”
May shrugs as the music in this place is turned up a notch, and I have to lean closer to hear what she’s saying.
“They say he uses women. Every woman he’s been with, or allegedly been with, doesn’t speak about him. They all have some sort of gag order.”
I turn my head to look at him, and there’s a woman standing right next to him.
“Oh, and keep Geena away. If she gets her claws into him, he may go broke.” May giggles referring to Geena’s ex-husband who’s now bankrupt. But somehow, she still seems to be living her best life.
“Maybe I should let her have him. I mean… we are two different people. We don’t really… well, connect.” I know the minute I say it that it’s a lie. We may be two very different people, but everything about Gunner Reid makes me want to connect with him.
“No way. You have been gushing about that kiss for days. I’ve never seen you talk about a man like him before. Go get your man.” She pushes me forward then slaps my ass to get me moving.
When I look up, Geena’s touching his shoulder as he watches me. I start to step in their direction and it’s then when she turns and looks my way too.
Fuck me! I didn’t sign up for this. What even is this? We’ve shared one kiss and jealousy is spiking at me already. I don’t want this. Putting on my best smile, I walk over to them, my hands by my side.
“Thank you for coming with me, Gunner. I hate to do this, but I have to get going. I’ll see you later.”
His eyes lock on to mine while Geena stands next to him, her hand still on his shoulder. Gunner brushes her off as if she means nothing. Actually, that little action made me see she does mean absolutely nothing to him.