I lean forward on the table, a playful smirk tracing my lips. “Did you want waffles and berries to go with your plate of diabetes?”
“Fuck off,” she playfully retorts, shoving the biggest forkful into her mouth.
After a couple of seconds, she swallows and looks thoughtful.
“Say whatever is on your mind, Baby.”
Drew points her fork at me. “Cut it out, William.”
I mouth,Sorry, and wait to see if she’ll tell me what was running through her mind.
“At the risk of overstepping every client-publicist boundary, how many people have you slept with?”
I pull my juice toward me and take a sip to quench the dry mouth I’ve suddenly developed. I didn’t expect her to ask me that question.
“Truthfully? I have no idea.”
She loses her grip on the fork, and it dangles from her fingertips as she gazes at me. There’s no judgment in her expression, but there is disbelief.
“You’re only twenty-two. How can you not know?”
I shrug. “It’s just sex, Drew. No big deal. How many men have you been with?”
She rears back, like the question is only appropriate when she’s asking it. “I’m not telling you that!”
“Oh, come on!” I counter. “Play fair.”
She takes another bite of her breakfast. “Five.”
My jaw hangs open. “That’s all?”
“I only just turned twenty-one, and my parents likely think that I’m still a virgin.”
I burst out laughing. “There’s no way they think you’re still a virgin. You’re just telling yourself that to reduce the secondhand embarrassment of them knowing secrets about their little princess.”
Silence immediately takes hold of the conversation, although neither of us looks away. Our eyes are locked in a standoff, until I do something crazy, even for me.
Standing from the booth, I pull out my wallet and throw a hundred dollars in cash down on the table.
“What are you doing?” Drew asks in a small voice.
I reach down and take her by the hand, and she doesn’t resist, collecting her jacket and bag before I lead her out of the restaurant and into the parking lot.
Not a word passes between us when I unlock the Ferrari and open the passenger door for her to climb inside.
And when I slide into the driver’s seat and fire up the engine, I know this is my last chance to hold back from saying any more.
“What are you doing?” Drew repeats.
“I haven’t been completely honest with you, and I wanted total privacy when I said this. I know it’s probably a really bad idea, but making dangerous decisions is my MO these days.” I puff out a shaky breath. “I can’t believe I’m about to admit this.”
She swivels in her seat. “Will, you’re worrying me right now.”
I shake my head and take her hand, just like the night of the gala. Only for very different reasons this time around.
“I know I’m going to fuck things up when I tell you this.”
Drew looks down at our joined hands. “Did I judge you when you told me about Tristan’s sister?”
