“Yup,” Nathan took over. “One minute, I’m finishing dinner with some friends who are staying here, and the next, I’m consoling a stranger at the bar. New York is always full of surprises.” He tipped his drink into the air.
“I’m going to take my friend now, Nathan. But do you live here?”
“I do, over in Hell’s Kitchen.”
“I’m here for a couple more days for work. Let’s meet up.”
Freaking Juliette. Take no prisoners. I bet she was going to have rock-star sex with the super-hot guy and not even give it asecond thought. Not worry about whether they’d marry her. Not worry if his parents approved. She was just going to enjoy the ride. I needed to start living my life like her. Maybe I just needed to stop falling for rich men.
“You’re not weirded out that I…?” Nathan trailed off as he looked at me, then Jules.
“That you were hitting on my friend? No. If I swung that way, I’d hit on my friend, too. She’s freaking gorgeous. But she’s taken and I’m not, so what do you say?”
A grin overtook Nathan’s face. “Point taken. You are quite gorgeous as well, and I’d love to take you out, Juliette.”
She pulled out her phone and got his number. Only she would come in to manage my crisis but still also manage to pull the number of the super hot guy that was hitting on me with the intent to fuck him later. She should write a book.
Jules led me out of the bar and towards the elevator.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“This is my hotel, Audra. You picked a good one to run to because Roscoe Media has good taste. And for the second time tonight, fate was looking out for you. Come on up. Donovan is looking for you.”
“He’s not here, is he? I can’t see him.”
“He’s not here, no. But yeah, he came into my work event frantic. Busted right in. Everyone turned to him because the man was shouting my freaking name like a lunatic. Never thought I’d see the day that Sir Donovan looked anything less than dashingly handsome, but he looked crazed, and was freaking the fuck out.”
Guilt crept in. I didn’t want him to lose it; I just needed to step away. To remind myself that he and I were not meant to be. But that wasn’t just stepping away, that was throwing a grenade into a situation and watching it explode.
“I’ll text him,” I said.
When we got to her hotel room, I pulled out my phone.
Audra
Hey. Sorry about leaving like I did. I’m with Jules.
The reply was instant.
Donovan
Audra. I am so sorry. That went both how I expected it to and nothing like I expected it to. I should have protected you and never subjected you to that in the first place. Please let me explain myself. Just a talk. Are you willing to come back to my apartment tonight?
I hadn’t quite thought that piece through.
Audra
I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.
Donovan
Can I come to you?
“Jules, help!” I shouted to her.
She popped her head out of the bathroom. “What’s up?”
“Do I see him tonight?”
