“Our meals do tend to run over often, don’t they?” I got up to help her. “I don’t really know how to explain it. Yes, he did help me, but it wasn’t like he was really doing it for me. It was more like he couldn’t resist going toe to toe with the driver.”
“He’s probably a businessman then. So what?” Oil snapped in the pan as it heated up, and the kitchen soon filled with the smells of breakfast cooking.
“So I’m pretty sure he’s not the type to go around playing a white knight to others. A dark knight, maybe, but that’s the last thing I need in my life. He admitted to enjoying being ruthless, April. You should have seen how easily he threatened the driver and how serious he was about it.”
“The driver who was trying to fuck you over?” Her brows pulled together. “I don’t see how threatening that guy is somehow a con for the hot guy’s column. What’s his name, by the way? I don’t want to keep referring to him as hot guy.”
“Cyrus,” I said, the slightest little tingle tickling my palm as the memory of having his hand against it brushed up against my subconscious. I shoved it down because there was no way I should have been feeling any tingles whatsoever when I thought of him. “It’s not a con for him because of who it was against. It’s about how naturally it came to him.”
“In other words, he’s a dick.” April tossed me a glance as she turned the bacon, letting it simmer to crisp it up properly for me.
God, I love her.
But she wasn’t wrong about Cyrus. “Yes, he is. He wasn’t so bad once the driver left, but he’s just got this air about him, you know? Definitely not white-knight material and it’s a good thing too, since I’m really not looking for that at the moment.”
“Why’d you bring him up then?” She shifted slightly to look at me while still keeping an eye on the stove, her spatula resting on the side of one pan.
“Because I thought it was ironic that I met a hot guy after that conversation we had. Anyway, like I said, there’s nothing there. I just thought I should tell you about it.”
“Are you going to see him again?” she asked, turning down the heat as she removed the pan containing the bacon from the stove. She transferred the pieces to a plate covered by a paper towel to absorb some of the fat. “You did mention he was a potential client, so you’re going to see him again, right?”
I sighed. “Yeah, I am. He insisted on being there when the delivery arrives.”
“He can’t be all bad if he wants to make sure it actually gets delivered this time,” she argued as she reached for the toast that had just popped up. “Grab the butter, will you? The tomatoes are almost done. Then it’s just the eggs left to do.”
“That sounds so good. I’m thinking we should do girls’ breakfast every morning before work, not just once a month.” I opened the fridge and grabbed two bottles of water, along with the butter. “But to get back to the point, I didn’t say he was all bad. I just said he was hot and not really my type. Why are we still talking about him?”
“Because I’m thinking you should fuck him and I needed you to admit that he had some kind of redeeming quality before I could do it,” she said so offhandedly that I turned to stare at her with the fridge still hanging open.
She waved her hand through the air with a smirk tugging at her lips. “What? Don’t look at me like that. Just because you don’t curse doesn’t mean you’re an angel. I know you’re not some naïve virgin who hasn’t ever even considered hooking up with someone just to hook up with them.”
I rolled my eyes and nudged the door closed with my shoulder, then carried my loot back to the island. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not propositioning a man I’ve only met once, who has an edge of danger to him even if he does also have a nice smile, and who also just so happens to be a client.”
“If he’s as hot as you say he is, I’d bet he’s got enough experience to be dangerous to your poor deprived body with his cock.” She waggled her brows at me and rocked her pelvis in an obscene motion.
I groaned and buried my flaming cheeks in my hands when I sat down. “Why do you insist on saying things like that?”
“Because you react like that.” She burst into a fit of giggles as she cracked eggs into the pan. “Besides, just because you don’t like the way I said it doesn’t mean I don’t have a point. It’s been over a year for you, Luna. In all that time, I’ve never even heard about you looking at a guy. Why not hook up with one who has caught your eye?”
I couldn’t even deny how long it’d been, but it wasn’t as simple as all that. “For starters, because it’s kind of a team sport. Both parties have to be into it for a hookup to happen and I’m pretty sure he gets his rocks off only in high-powered business meetings where he gets to fight with people or with supermodels.”
“And?” She cocked her head as she dished up the eggs. “You’ll never know if he’s interested if you don’t try.”
“Why would I try with someone I just told you wasn’t my type?” I helped her bring the food to the counter, snagging a piece of bacon from my plate and popping it into my mouth.
So good. So unhealthy, but so good.
April sat down across from me and shook her head. “He’s not your type for a relationship. That’s a completely different type than for a hookup. Just let the soulmate idea go and sleep with this guy. I’m sure if you bring up the idea of no-strings-attached sex with him, he’ll jump at it.”
My teeth sank into my lip as I thought. It had been a long time since I’d been with anyone, and I couldn’t deny that the thought of breaking that dry spell with him was tempting, but I just didn’t know.
Eventually, I nodded at April and swallowed my next bite. “I’ll think about it.”
She grinned and pumped her fist in the air, still clutching her fork. “In that case, my work here is done. Now let’s stop talking about your hot guy. Sheesh. Have a heart, woman. It’s not like I’m getting it on the regular.”
I laughed and didn’t point out that she was the one who’d kept talking about him. Instead, we talked about some arrogant jerk of a new doctor who’d started at the hospital where she worked, Adi, and our plans for the rest of the week.
When I got to the shop five minutes before it was due to open, I was surprised to find the delivery van already waiting for me. The red-faced driver was the same guy we had dealt with the day before and he was already offloading the plants right in front of the back door.
He wiped sweat from his brow with the back of his chunky forearm and noticed me approaching. “It’s all here, Ms. Willet. Double what you ordered, as promised. I’m really sorry about the mix up and my superiors have told me to assure you it won’t happen again.”
A strange little thrill of vindication ran through me. “Thank you. I appreciate you coming in early. I’ll be sure to convey my thanks to your company as well.”
A relieved sound slipped from his throat, but then his eyes narrowed as they peered over my shoulder. “Where’s that other guy today?”
“He’s, uh, checking out other options for the business.” The lie slid from my tongue too easily. Less than an hour in Cyrus’s presence and he’d already corrupted me somewhat, but I couldn’t help keeping up with the story he’d spun before. “I’ll call him and tell him about you being early and delivering what you promised today.”