Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
“Can I give you a ride somewhere Nadia?”
“Um, I don’t usually do this you know, accept rides from strange men.” She smiled that earth shattering smile of hers and came very close to being ravished right there in the waiting area of the Plaza.
“Well if it isn’t Nadia Petronides, how’s your family’s little shop doing dear?”
Fucking Sabrina and what was that quip all about? The woman beside me didn’t seem to notice the cattiness of the tone directed at her as she turned with that same infectious smile.
“Oh hello Sabrina, my father’s little shop is doing very well thank you for asking and how are things with you?”
Was she for real? She certainly wasn’t acting like any of the other starlets and models I’ve met over the years. Where was the over inflated sense of entitlement? That haughty glare, which was usually reserved by the exceptionally beautiful for lesser beings? Even when the poor hapless waiter had been so enraptured by her that he’d spilt wine on her hand, she’d soothed the poor sap in a way so as not to bring attention to his little mishap. She probably saved his job. Most of the women I knew would’ve made a fuss and called attention to the injustice of it all. Then there would’ve been talk of how hard it is to find good help these days and so on, but not my Nadia. She was grace and gentility personified. Was it any wonder I was falling more and more under her spell as the minutes ticked away? Now here she was being kind and courteous to a woman I was very sure had meant to snub her, which I wasn’t about to let happen.
“You’ll have to excuse us Sabrina we were just leaving.” I saw the venom in the look she gave me but she did no more than clench her lips as she turned and stormed away.
“I gather you two know each other.” Nadia asked shyly with an unmistakable twinkle in her eye.
“Yes but we’ll get to that later. Shall we?”
I placed my hand in the small of her back and led her through the other departing guests out the building and into the late night air.
“I have my driver here tonight so he can take you anywhere you’d like; though I would very much like it if you’d join me for a nightcap in this little bistro around the corner.” She studied me for a long second.
“Can I trust you Gabe?” She’d asked if she could call me Gabe earlier in the evening and I’d consented. Somehow I liked the sound of my name on her lips. No one else had called me that in years except my mother and I found that I really liked hearing it on her lips.
That night we’d sat in a darkened corner of the little restaurant whispering and laughing together until the wee hours of the morning. It was something I hadn’t done in forever. Sitting there like that with her I didn’t think of my business or the next deal. Didn’t care what time it was in Tokyo or how strong the dollar was. All I saw, all I heard was her. Fate is sometimes rather fickle, and just to think I hadn’t wanted to go out that night. What a shame it would’ve been if I’d missed the opportunity to meet this most wonderful being.
Chapter 8
It’s a-quarter- to and she hasn’t reached the restaurant as yet. I’m really hoping for her sake that she shows up, because I would really hate to add to the shit that I already have against her. My guests hadn’t shown up as yet either. I had no idea who he was bringing tonight, but knowing his taste, it would probably be someone he’d met the night before. I hoped he behaved himself tonight because I was not in the mood to deal with his flirting with my wife. I’ve let it slide so far because he hadn’t crossed the line thus far. But I was feeling raw lately and it wouldn’t take much to set me off. It had been some time since I’d had to out my fist through someone’s face, but the way I was feeling, it wouldn’t take much to push me over the edge.
She came through the door two minutes later looking flawlessly beautiful. I couldn’t withhold the sense of pride that burned in my chest. The knowledge that she belonged to me completely helped ease some of the rough edges. I stood to pull out her chair even as the maître d moved to do the same.
“I’ve got her thank you.” I sat her in the seat next to me, inhaling the scent of her favorite perfume. She wore her hair up in a twist, baring her neck and those tiny ears of hers that I loved to nibble on. She wore no jewelry but her wedding rings and diamond tear drops in her ears. I’d given her those a few months ago just because; that’s the kind of things I used to like to do for her. Little surprise gifts that I chose myself at the spur of the moment. A weekend trip to Europe or the Caribbean, once we even went on safari in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater Park at the spur of the moment, because she said she’d always wanted to. There were things that I wouldn’t do for myself; things that I would put off for another time if it was just for me, but not if it was for her. When it comes to her I make sure she’s always satisfied that’s why her betrayal cut so deep.