Page 23 of Until I Have You

He’s talking with Lourdes, the head of security.She’s not a particularly smiley woman, butoh,is she smiling at him.Big and bright, all her teeth.

He’s…oh, my god, Theo’sflirtingwith her.

I watch him place his hand against his chest, do a self-deprecating dip of his head, and say something low, meant only for her.

Lourdesgiggles.

Lourdes doesn’t giggle.She’s always in black with her thick, dark hair pulled out of her face, and her buffness is impossible to ignore no matter what she’s wearing.

She’sintimidating.Which doesn’t mean men shouldn’t hit on her.She’s beautiful, of course.

But Theo Wallington is not worthy of her.

However, I don’t think the annoyance I’m feeling over the situation has to do with how undeserving he is.

I can’t put my finger on it.There’s something about him so utterly charming it makes me sick.

I want to know how it would feel to be on the end of his flirtations.

I mean, I’d reject them.I wouldn’t even bat an eye.For a multitude of reasons, not least of which he’s my dad’s best friend.There’s the list of scandals too.

What if none of that existed, though?What if he were a stranger in a bar who came up to me and did that heart clutching maneuver, no doubt lowering his voice in a way that would only be for me and no one else?

I’m not sure I could be immune to that.

His accent alone, that godforsaken British accent that swoons and circles.

I could see myself being trapped in his web.Easy.

If I didn’t know everything I know, though.

I watch them, trying to hide behind my computer screen, until Theo gives Lourdes a soft touch on the arm and gestures toward the bar where I suppose he’s going to have a midday nip of something.

He gestures toward her, and Lourdes holds up a hand.

If I filled in the blanks, I’d say he offered to buy her a drink and she said, “Oh, no, I’m on the clock.”

Theo backs away as if he can’t keep his eyes off her.

Anger flares in me.

No, this isn’t anger.It’s jealousy.Which isridiculous.I know too much to be jealous.

No, no.I’m just concerned for my friend.

Which is why the second he’s out of earshot from her, no longer sizing her up with his eyes, I leap up from my seat and go to her.

“Lourdes!”I say in the loudest whisper I can.

The security guard whips around, her eyebrows up to her hairline.“What’s wrong?”

I hold up my hands.“Nothing!Nothing.”

Lourdes lets her shoulders fall.“You scared me.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so urgent, I just…” I glance over my shoulder to where Theo is leaning over the bar, talking to the bartender.

He has the gift of gab, that one.I’m sure it’s easy in the States when everyone is snowed over your accent.“Was he flirting with you?”

---