“Wow,” I deadpan. “Please don’t let the money change you.”
He leans closer. “Too late. I’ve already started referring to myself as ‘sir’ in the mirror.”
I giggle again despite myself. I must look like a silly school girl.
A few moments pass before he glances down at my water bottle. “Are you nervous?”
“Why would I be nervous?”
“Because you’ve unscrewed that lid six times, and you haven’t taken a sip.”
I freeze. Maybe I’m not as relaxed as I’d like to believe. “I like… to make sure it still works.” The ridiculous answer tumbles from my lips and I fight the urge to smack myself in the forehead.
He bites his lip to hold back a smile. “Naturally.”
I glare at him. “You’re enjoying this.”
“A little,” he admits. “It’s adorable.” He tilts his head. “Are you going to tell me what you’re doing in Vegas?”
I shake my head feeling a nervous frown pulling at the corner of my mouth. “Just business.”
He gasps. “Are you joining the mob?”
“Yes. I’m their new accountant.”
“That explains the water obsession.”
I snort. “I’m laundering moneyandmy kidneys.”
He laughs, shaking his head. “If you come back with a mysterious fur coat and a bodyguard named Tony, I’ll know.”
I lean in conspiratorially. “You’re not the only one who can be rich and famous.” I snicker. “Don’t sulk when I leave and forget about all of you little people.”
“Ouch.” A corner of his mouth dips. It’s almost imperceptible, but it’s there.
Shit. Have I offended him?“Kidding. Kind of. Wait… what does water have to do with the mafia?”
“The water mafia? It’s a faction of organized crime that sabotages and controls public water to create false scarcity. So they can sell it at extortionate prices. They’re mostly located in South Africa where they bribe officials and destroy infrastructure to dominate the supply. This forces residents to pay high costs.”
My mouth drops open in shock. Both that such a thing exists, and that he’s so knowledgeable about it. “Holy cow. For real? How awful. I had no idea such a thing existed.”
“Me either. My friend Max discovered it on the dark web. He said they often target tanker services to wipe out supply and make territories pay more.”
I shake my head. “Why are there such awful people in the world? I mean, isn’t life hard enough without inflicting such evil?”
A strong warmth envelopes my hand, the sensation both comforting and electric all at once. My eyes hold his. The penetrating azure depths hold a concern that makes my stomach dip. It’s as if he understands my plight without having to share. There’s such empathy in his beautiful blue eyes, more than I ever felt from the man who lived with me.
The tone of his voice drops a little. “I’m glad I ran into you.”
A kaleidoscope of butterflies dances in my lower belly. “Me too,” I admit.
And I am.
Before we land,Ben scribbles his number on a napkin. “Just in case,” he says softly. “If you need anything.”
My heart squeezes. He has no idea how much this means to me. To know there’s someone here if I really needed them. “Thank you.”
At baggage claim, a man holding a whiteboard with my name steps forward. I take a few steps, then glance over my shoulder to find Ben watching me. I lift my hand in a small wave.
