“I thought you might like a cherry blossom matcha cookie,” I said in a sugary-sweet voice. “Or maybe an old-fashioned mint chocolate chip.”
Oh, that got his attention, all right.
“You brought mecookies?”
“I thought you might be hungry,” I said winningly, looking down modestly, then up through my lashes at him. “It’s good for important men like yourself to have a little sweet treat.”
“It is, isn’t it,” he agreed.
Up close, Governor Di Pietro was a big, powerful man with thick waves of dark hair and a touch of silver in it, one silvery-black lock falling over his forehead.
His eyes were dark and his face harsh. Obviously some people found him handsome, but he had an unnecessarily cocky arrogance that I could guarantee wasn’t actually backed up with his performance in bed.
“Tell me all about your animal rescue group,” the Governor said.
Wait, was this guybuyingmy act? I couldn’t believe it.
He listened with an uncomfortably penetrating gaze, his big hands motionless on the dark table.
I felt flustered, mixed up one of the statistics, stumbling over my words.
What if he didn’t believe me that the animal rescue desperately needed funding? This guy didn’t look like he gave a fuck about anything but money.
“I—I hope that made sense,” I fake-confessed. “I’m so nervous! I just don’t have much experience with men,” I lied, clasping my white-gloved hands in my lap.
To my surprise, he waved aside my objection. “It did make sense. You’re very convincing.”
This wasn’t too much? He wasbuyingall this shit?
“In fact, I don’t haveanyexperience withmen. So I’m sorry—if anything I say is awkward. I do apologize.”
But Silas was actually smiling at me, with his white, gleaming predator’s teeth.
“Of course not. I don’t find you awkward at all. In fact, I think you’re very charming.”
“Oh!” I said. “I’m just a simple girl, really. I have a degree in English but really my passion is for animal rescue.”
Silas stood up, moving to a side table and pouring me a cup of coffee.
“Tell me more,” he rumbled as he set the cup, saucer, and a couple of creamers in front of me. “I want to hear all about the Greenhill Rescue Society.”
Although I wanted to tear this unbearably itchy pantyhose off my body, I took a prim little sip, watching as his harsh eyes dragged down my body at my every move.
That watch on his wrist was encrusted with diamonds, and here I was begging this sick fuck for a crumb of money that would go to endangered animals.
But I did tell him all about the rescue, modulating my voice so it was quiet, shy, and sweet.
And hedidn’tcut off the interview at five minutes. Or ten minutes. And at twenty-five minutes he asked me out to dinner.
And we’d been together ever since, me beside this dickhead every step of the way.
I was only irritated I hadn’t caught him sooner. All those lovely months I could have been out fucking other men.
We should have been able to split with no fuss at all. He was a dirty cheater, I was the wronged wife.
Somehow Silas was hanging on like a fat tick.But just wait, you bastard. . .
CHAPTER 4
