“Not my first but it’s his,” I replied, pointing at Ciro.
“Well, welcome, sir.” The young woman gazed at Ciro admiring him like all women upon seeing the Italian prince for the first time. “Would you like to hear our specials?”
“What would you like, love?” His dark eyes pinned me in place, avoiding the server.
Why did he call me love? Weird.
“I’ll have a club soda with lime, please.” I smiled and nodded at Ciro to go next.
“Your best Irish whiskey.” His eyes remained on me as if no one else was around us.
“Okay. I’ll be right back.” The server left and wiggled her bottom for Ciro’s benefit, no doubt. He didn’t look once in her direction.
“Paolo doesn’t have to sit alone at the bar.” I jerked my chin at his bodyguard. “He can join us.”
“No.” Ciro’s jaw twitched as he stared at me. “Why a club soda?”
“Because I like club soda and I’m driving.” And I gave up alcohol when I found out I was pregnant, not that I could tell him as much.
How would I tell him about Pippa?
Having him here changed things. Before now, I convinced myself he wanted nothing to do with me and Pippa. But if that were true, he wouldn’t be staring at me like he wanted to smother me with kisses and rip my clothes off.
“We can take you home so you can have a real drink.” His dark eyes smoldered and his tongue darted across his bottom lip.
Coming here was a big mistake…
“Club soda is a real drink.” I stared at him, showing him, I wouldn’t be controlled.
“Suit yourself.” He shrugged and rested his elbows on the table. “Do you plan to finish school?”
“Maybe.”Here come the questions, again.
“What will it take for you to finish?”
“Why are you so concerned about my education?” I tilted my head, trying to read him, but failed as usual. The man was the most unreadable person.
“Because you’re a gifted designer.” His words hit me hard in the feels. “If you could see how the casino turned out. It’s spectacular.”
“Is it?” I smiled a little as I tried to picture it in my mind. All the hours. The blood, sweat and tears I’d poured into that project. I’d devoted all my free time to it because I’d wanted to make Ciro proud.
“Yes, baby. The place is phenomenal. You need to see it.”
“Do you have any pictures?” I would letbabyslide this one time, because I really wanted to see how my creation turned out.
“I have a few.” He took out his phone. “But you need to see it in person.”
“That’s not possible.” Was this where he tried to lure me back to Canada? Never in a million years. I had Pippa to think about and Ciro was not a reliable man. His moods changed on a whim. He switched between hot and cold a dozen times within sixty seconds. He left my head spinning many times and I wouldn’t allow him to do that to my daughter.
“It could be. We could leave tonight.”
“Ciro.” I sighed, tensing up. He was doing it. Trying to persuade me to do whatever he wanted. Not this time or ever again.
“I’m just saying…” He handed me his phone. “The pictures don’t do it justice.”
Our server appeared as I studied the images on his device.
“One Irish whiskey and a club soda with lime.” She placed the drinks in front of us. “Can I get you anything else?”
