Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
“I’ll get you a menu. Would you like something to drink?” Yolande asks him.
“Coffee, and I’ll have whatever she has.”
“I can share,” I offer.
“I would never steal food off your plate.” He winks at me.
“I’ll put that in.” Yolande walks away but turns back to face me behind Vargas mouthing Oh my God to me. I can feel my cheeks warm.
“I’m sorry in advance if Sassy tries to steal anything off your plate. She’s a sucker for whipped cream,” I blurt out, trying to make quick conversation and not be awkward. I glance down to Sassy, who’s sitting in my lap, her attention fixed on Vargas. I can tell I’m not the only one he has an effect on.
“You both can take whatever you like from my plate.” He’s telling the truth, but I’m not sure I understand.
“So we can steal from your plate but you won’t from ours?” I cut off a piece of my French toast and offer it to him. I swear it’s like I’m having some sort of out-of-body experience, saying and doing things that I have no control over.
“Typically, but this is an offer I can’t refuse.” He leans forward to take the bite off my fork. My eyes stay trained on his mouth. A small drop of syrup trickles onto his lip. I lean in closer, my fingertips itching at the chance to caress his mouth, but his tongue comes out to wipe it away.
“Do you like it?”
“It’s perfection.”
“I’ve tried a handful of places around here. This has been my favorite by far.”
“You should let me take you to a few places uptown. That’s the great thing about a big city. There are so many things to try.”
“The options are endless, I suppose,” I respond, his comment annoying me. Sassy jumps out of my lap to sit on the table. She gives Vargas the stare-down. My girl has always been receptive to my emotions.
Yolande returns with Vargas’s coffee and French toast.
“Can I bring you two anything else?”
“I think we’re good,” I tell her.
Vargas dips his finger into the whipped cream piled on his plate to offer it to Sassy. Her glare is instantly gone as she attacks his finger. Vargas doesn’t even flinch when she nips at the end of it. He simply gives her more.
“You’re going to make her fall in love with you.”
“I don’t see the problem with that.” Vargas gives me a charming smile.
He’s rather sweet, which makes me suspicious of his motives. This could be all part of his plan. If he gets close to me, it might win favor with my father. The thought makes my appetite disappear.
“How did you know that asshole?” Vargas takes a sip of his coffee. Sassy has now moved over closer to him. What a little traitor, but she is good at getting what she wants, and he still has a pile of whipped cream on his plate.
“Ethan?”
“You have a lot of assholes in your life?”
“That’s to be determined.” I try to be smug, but he only smiles at me.
“A dating app,” I admit.
“A dating app?” His eyes narrow on me.
“What? Everyone isn’t rich and hot. I’m sure girls are dropping in front of you.” I carve into my French toast.
“You don’t need a dating app.”
I roll my eyes at him. “You sound like my father.” That’s what he’d say if he knew I was on them, but he’s not going to find out.
Ethan might have been a bust, but I’m not giving up so easily. Every girl has her dreams, but mine feel impossible, even if it’s only to find a husband.
All men are liars, and a liar is the last thing I’ll ever marry.
5
VARGAS
The last place she needs to be is on a dating app. There are too many creeps, and Ethan is the proof of it.
“You’re looking for someone to take you out?” I feed her cat some more cream, her rough tongue tickling my fingertip.
“Take me out?” She chews thoughtfully. “I mean, yes, I guess you could put it that way. I want to get to know someone, fall in love, all that.”
“Family?” I ask.
She nods, smiling as she chews. “Definitely. I want five kids.”
I meet her gaze. “Why five?”
“Why not?” She shrugs. “I like five. That’s plenty. They’ll always have someone to play with. Never feel alone or left out. I think that’s important for kids, you know? Being by yourself is pretty much the worst when you’re a kid.”
“Were you by yourself a lot?” I ask.
“Yeah, I guess that’s part of the reason.” She presses her lips together for a moment. “I shouldn’t be telling you any of this. I know you’re only here because of the deal for my father’s company.”
“I can’t be here for you?”
“You could be, but you’re not.” She takes a big drink of her coffee and sits back, her gaze wary. “You want some inside information or something like that.”