I should be more concerned about myself.
Stellan doesn’t speak. He looks out the window with a dark, brooding stare. He’s a big man, and our knees nearly touch. I wouldn’t mind if they did, which is strange. He’s wearing a sleek, expensive suit, and I’d bet one shoe is worth more than my entire ensemble. I feel silly for fussing over myself when this man could afford to buy my closet a thousand times over and still have enough left to retire comfortably.
None of this makes sense. I don’t get what a man like Stellan would want with a girl like me. I’m just some average waitress struggling to make ends meet. Ever since Mom ran off with her latest junkie boyfriend, my entire life’s been revolving around Gem. My sister’s the real catch. She’s the one with the actual future. When she’s off to college, maybe then I can figure out what I want out of life. But right now, I’m just the shell of a woman going through the days.
I don’t know what Stellan can possibly see in me.
“You’re staring,” he says suddenly.
I start and look down at the floor. “Just thinking.”
“What about?”
“Your fly’s unzipped.”
He grunts and checks himself. Then he sighs. “Real mature.”
“Whatever.” I grin at him. “Made you look.”
Some of the tension drains. I have to remind myself that Stellan’s just a man—a rich, powerful, dangerous, beautiful man—but still just a man.
I can handle him.
The car drops us at an expensive Italian place near Rittenhouse. It’s the kind of spot I’ve walked past a dozen times over the years but never dreamed I’d actually go inside. Stellan keeps a hand on my lower back, practically guiding me into the dark, cramped entryway, and I’m surprised when the hostess practically stumbles over herself to get us seated immediately. She knows him by sight and doesn’t seem shy about shamelessly flirting with him. Stellan barely notices though. His fingerslightly stroke my back, and I think about telling him to keep his hands to himself, but it feels good. And we’re on a date. So why not live a little? Besides, the hostess is visibly flustered by the time she realizes he’s not going to give her any attention, which is kind of funny.
“You come here often?” I ask once we’re at a great, private table near the kitchen. It’s warm and cozy. I look around at the modern, expensive decor. Lots of glass and wood with dim, comfortable lighting, and soft jazz playing over hidden speakers. Everyone’s well dressed and talking quietly.
“Not particularly.”
“But they know you here.”
“They know me in a lot of places.”
I want to push on that, but the waitress shows up. Stellan orders wine, bread, and salads to start. I look at the menu and nearly choke.
An entree costs more than I make in a shift at the diner.
Panic starts to rise in my guts. I planned on offering to split this with him. I don’t know why, but the idea of owing him more doesn’t sit right. But there’s no way in hell I can do that. Not with all my bills piling up and Gem’s college application fees.
I clear my throat, trying very hard not to start crying. “This looks like a nice place. But listen, Stellan?—”
“Are you about to say something about money right now?”
I grimace. “Am I really that obvious?”
“Your face turned red the second you looked at the menu.”
“Eighty dollars for a steak!”
He laughs softly and leans forward. “Get whatever you want. You’re with me tonight.”
I bite back a comment. The waitress returns with the wine. She offers Stellan a taste, but he waves her away. She pours, and as soon as she’s gone, I drink down half my glass. Stellan seems amused by that.
“You got me to dinner.” I sit back, determined not to make a fool of myself anymore. “Does that mean my rent goes back to normal?”
“Getting right to business?” He swirls his glass, watching me with a dangerous gleam in his eye. I like the way his gaze strays to my necklace just like Gem predicted. He’s checking me out. And I think he likes it.
I have to admit, I like him too. I like the stubble on his jaw and chin. I like the memory of his lean muscles under my fingers when I stitched him up. I like his tattoos, his voice, his toned body. I like the way he handled those assholes the first night we met.
