Page 99 of By His Rule

“You got it, sir.”

He takes off, leaving us to follow.

“See,” I say, dropping my head so I can speak directly into Lorelei’s ear. “He’s happy to call me sir.”

“He’d probably happily drop to his knees and worship at your feet as well. Another thing I am not going to do.”

“We’ll see,” I rasp before she lowers into her chair.

“Can I get you some drinks?” Ash asks.

“Two sodas, please,” I say before Lorelei has a chance, mostly just to piss her off.

There is something very endearing about the way her nose wrinkles and her lips purse when she’s irritated.

I’m not sure if it’s a reaction she only has to me, or everyone who riles her up, but I kinda hope it’s the former.

“Seriously.”

“Trust me, Temptress. I won’t steer you wrong here.”

“Not the point. I don’t need or want a man who will order for me, or think he knows better than I do.”

I smirk.

“Don’t say it,” she warns, her eyes narrowing.

“Well, have you been here before? Are you an expert?”

“Sodas,” Ash announces, stopping Lorelei from snapping back. “Are you ready to order?”

“We are.” I rattle off our order while Lorelei threatens to end me with a look alone.

“You’re unbelievable,” she mutters, pulling her cell from her purse and staring down at it.

“And you’re ignoring me again.”

“I know it might be a hard pill to swallow, but there are other people in the world who are more interesting than you.”

I move faster than she can compute and pluck her cell from her hands.

I glance at the screen and find exactly what I was expecting, a message thread with Tate.

“Kian,” she cries, leaning over the table to snatch it back, but I’m faster and tuck it into my pants pocket before she gets anywhere close.

“You’re insufferable,” she huffs.

“Takes one to know one,” I counter.

“Mature,” she mutters.

“Tell me something, Temptress. Something not everyone knows.”

Dropping her eyes to the table, she falls silent as I reach for my soda and wait.

“There’s nothing to tell. I’m a small-town girl who wanted the bright lights of the big city,” she says, but there’s something in her tone that doesn’t sit quite right with me.

“Where’d you grow up?”

---