“One drink became three. Then everything was gone.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed with another swallow, and then he sighed. “Mi dispiace. I didn’t know.”
Didn’t know my ass. “How so? You didn’t Google me? The accident is pretty much the first thing you find about me, not Brighton, not my publications, but the worst night of my life.”
He looked right and left. To make sure no one was listening? “I don’t Google mydates. It’s in the privacy policy. Everything I need to know about her would be in the application. Besides,” he bent, paused, his breath tickling my neck, and then his nose brushed the top of my ear, “it’s not like Google will tell me where she’s ticklish or if she’ll get wet when I say her name in my accent or if she likes me to come on her face while calling her Daddy’s little sl—”
I coughed, wildly. “I get the picture.”
He rubbed my back. “Easy. I’d better go get that water.”
“You do that.”
He didn’t straighten his back right away. He let his breath linger on my skin for another second or two. Then, as he dragged a finger along my neck and across my collarbone, I felt as if my soul was being dragged out of my throat. This was exactly where I was ticklish.
But I couldn’t give it away. Wouldn’t let that little weasel win.
I held my breath, willing myself to turn into stone. Stones didn’t crack up with humiliating laughter that sounded like a hyena choking or wet their panties—not in a good way… well, a bit of that too—when someone tickled their necks.
“Stai bene, Gabriella?” The son of a bitch. No, I wasn’t okay. He wouldn’t stop running his finger on my sensitive skin, and now he used his fucking hot, devilish, cockalicious accent?
“Can you please get that water?” I rasped, legs wrapping around each other, fists clenching, nipples darting, vagina melting.
His finger glided up to my chin, and my throat rattled as my body shivered. He tilted my chin so I’d meet his mischievous gaze. Then his finger slid down a little, right under my chin, and he smirked.
The bastard knew I was at his mercy. If he moved his finger anywhere down again, I’d lose it.
I tried to stay strong, but the calloused enemy was fierce, and I was exposed. I should beg him to spare my treacherous nerve endings that were naked and defenseless at the mercy of his mighty finger. But my pride refused to surrender. My chin lifted higher, and my eyes held his mocking, triumphant ones. I was ready to go down like a hero rather than beg and admit defeat.
A terrible vibration shot through me as his finger slid farther down, but then, with a knowing grin, he moved his weapon away. “You see? No Google needed to know the important stuff. I’ll go get that water. You look like you really need it.”
“Mmhm.”
“Say thank you, Fabio.”
I darted a dirty look at him, and he waved his finger in response. Swallowing my pride, I mumbled a thank you.
“Louder.”
“Thank you…Fabio.”You son of a bitch.
“Good girl.”
When he walked toward the bar, I could finally breathe. I couldn’t believe I was at the mercy of that devious playboy and was a second away from losing all dignity and pride, letting everybody know my weakness, showing them how I made a complete fool of myself when I was tickled.
Quickly, I opened my purse and found the bug. Securing it between my fingers, I looked up into a set of abhorrent dark blue eyes. “Faccia da culo!”
Fletcher chuckled at how I flinched. “I beg your pardon?”
Self-conscious, I hid my now clenched fist behind my back. “I…um…What are you doing here? This isn’t your table.” I’d told the organizers to seat me as far away from him.
He glanced at one of the cards, took it and replaced it with his. “It is now.”
“No, it isn’t. You can’t do that. Stop being a jerk.”
He just sat, his sickening, smug smile on his face. “Where’s your boy toy?”
The one you set on me?“Getting some water, and we both know he isn’t a boy toy. Not just that anyway.”
