“Tell that to Samuel,” he snorted.
“That’s different.”
“Everything seems to be with you.”
“It is,” Pavel insisted. “You didn’t want Samuel. You wanted Kazimir and, at least for a time, you wanted Lyra. If I’d known things had gotten bad with them sooner, I would have acted sooner, but you’re rather spectacular at keeping your secrets close to heart, gorgeous. I’m many things, but a mind reader isn’t one of them.”
“Bet that eats you up inside, doesn’t it?” Zane rested his arms on the table and leaned in closer. “If only you could readmy mind, the stalking part of your day would be a whole lot easier.”
“You’re teasing me.” He grinned. “I like it.”
“That’s because you’re a freak.” Zane fell back against the plush pink seat. “To be clear, no part of me was insinuating I ever needed you to come and save me. I’m not some damsel in distress. I don’t need rescuing.”
“Of course not, gorgeous.”
“And I’m only here because that prick Wells asked me to lunch and wouldn’t believe me when I said I already had plans.”
Ouch. But…
“Is that really theonlyreason?” Pavel reached out and drew a circle with his pointer on the back of Zane’s left hand.
“Why did you steal my coat, Pavel?” He didn’t pull away or tell him to stop touching him.
Progress?
“Because I—”
“Here’s your order!” a sing-song voice interrupted, and the guy from the register appeared. Just as he was about to reach them, he tripped over his own feet, the tray in his hands tipping forward. He managed to right it in time to save the food, but not the large soda.
The drink—the single drink Pavel had ordered thinking he could convince the doctor to share it with him—toppled over the edge of the blue tray and fell into his lap. Cold beverage instantly covered him, chilling his thigh and making him curse. Most of it ended up on his pants and his shirt, but some seeped into the front of the coat, and he stilled, staring at it as a sharp anger pierced through him.
“Good Light, I am so sorry!” The waiter set the tray on the table and then reached for the napkin dispense, grabbing fistfuls before turning back to Pavel. He started dabbing at hislap, getting far too handsy with him as he spewed the word sorry over and over again like a fucking broken record.
Just as Pavel was about to break his wrist, something amazing happened.
Zane stood and shoved the waiter away from Pavel with enough force to send the guy slamming into the booth on the opposite side of them. He put himself between the two, spine straight and shoulders stiff.
He was silently glaring the waiter down when a woman with a manager's badge came racing around the corner, face beet red.
She took one look at the scene, must have registered who they were, and a flicker of fear passed through her eyes before she forced herself to get closer. “I am so sorry about this, Mr. Solace, Mr. Hart. He’s new here and a bit clumsy. The food is of course on us, and if you’d like to pass on the bill for whatever dry cleaning you end up needing, we’ll of course cover that as well.”
“Clumsy?” Zane cocked his head and quirked a brow, his voice icy.
It was like seeing his delectable doctor slipping into a role. The cold Prince of Medicine.TheRoyal Zane Solace.
“He did it on purpose so he could cop a feel,” he accused, all with a straight face and deadpan tone.
The waiter rightened himself and opened his mouth to deny it, but one swift glare from the manager had him clamping his jaw shut and dropping his gaze.
“I promise you, that’s not how we do things here. He’ll be severely reprimanded. Whatever you want, Mr. Solace, we’ll—” she didn’t get to finish.
“What I want?” He took a single threatening step closer to the waiter. “What I want is a confession. You were standing around the corner eavesdropping before you came over, weren’t you? And that tripping stunt you pulled? You planned it.”
“I…” he wrung his hands in front of himself and then gave a single, humiliated nod in agreement. “I’m sorry.”
Pavel let out a low whistle, no longer upset now that his doctor was taking control of the situation so beautifully. “Were you really that jealous that I’m with him? Looks like we’ve found one of your fans, Prince.”
“No, I—” the waiter risked a glance at Zane before setting his sights back on Pavel, “I come to the club sometimes. Your club, I mean. I’ve always wanted to talk to you…”
