Page 23 of To Tango, with Desire

“Oh, you mean you weren’t subject to a dental check? Pity. Apparently, my teeth are flawless. But the silver-haired narcissist over there wanted to check if they were real. Or perhaps if I was interested in extra whitening, so the astronauts could see my smile from space.”

Zane’s laughter was brief but did something to the severity of his expression. And the effect on my stomach felt a lot like a sucker punch.

“So husband-hunting is going well, I see?”

“Oh, swell.”

“You’re mocking this process.”

“I think dating like this can be of use sometimes. But I can’t say I’ve had any luck doing this. You’re about as likely to find your future spouse in here as you would be at a bar on a Friday night.”

“But this has its benefits.”

I shrugged. “Sure, for some.”

“But not you.”

“Struck out tonight. What about you? Does Kiki know you’re here?” And looking so damn hot in that dark blue suit. The white shirt should have screamed business meeting, but all it did was accentuate his dark features. I’d known what it was like to have that hard body moving over me, what it felt like to touch all that golden skin.

Thoughts I should not be having right now.

“Kiki has nothing to do with my decisions.”

“Would she approve of any prospective brides here tonight?”

He shrugged. “Like I said, it’s not her concern.”

I shifted in my seat, annoyed by his closed expression. He appeared arrogant and at ease, but unreadable. How was a girl supposed to get to know him when he never opened up?

“So your prospective brides were charmed by your robotic approach tonight?” I asked sweetly, enjoying the way his eyes hardened. “I’m surprised you lasted the full ten minutes with anyone this evening. I can barely tolerate two.”

“Maybe that’s a you problem, Amira. I find the women I speak to to be very satisfied with what’s on offer.”

Stabbing jealousy pierced me now. “So congratulations are in order then? Zane has found a bride?”

“Number one, that’s not your concern. And number two, I never said that.”

“That’s the problem with you, Zane. You don’t say anything. At least nothing that would possibly reveal who you are or what you want. You walk around like you’re king of everything but refuse to connect with your lowly subjects.”

He shook his head. “You’re so far off course.”

“I wouldn’t know. I’m navigating in the dark.”

“Okay, what do you want to know?”

“How do you know Kade?”

“Amira.” It was meant as a warning, but I didn’t care.

“If you don’t have the decency to tell me how you know him and why I shouldn’t hang out with him, then you don’t get to dictate my choices.”

“Hang out with him? Like on a date?”

“If you must know, yes, I was considering dating Kade. No, scrap that. I wasn’t considering dating him, but sleeping with him. You know, a one-night stand? You’d be familiar with that.”

“Over my dead body—”

“Oh, I’m sure that can be arranged.” The lick of pleasure I felt at goading him began to dissipate. There was burning anger that stamped itself across Zane’s face now. A part of me regretted acting petulantly but if the man wasn’t so tight-lipped, maybe I could connect with him. Understand him.