Page 19 of Twisted Little Thing

"I’m sorry," I said apologetically. "Of course I did. I didn’t mean to –”

"Forget about it," he interrupted, handing me a little card. Not a real business card, just a little note with his name and number on it.

"It's up to you now," he said, as he sent me off.

Up to me. Again. As pushy and confident as he is on the one hand, he sure wants to be certain that the interest is mutual.

I try to be as quiet as possible when I enter the apartment. It is not even ten a.m. and both Yuka and I are usually still asleep at this time.

Much to my surprise, she is already up, though. I find her sitting at our small kitchen table, reading a magazine and sipping on her first morning coffee.

She grins at me. "Good morning, party girl."

"Good morning, bar slave," I reply. "How come you're up already?"

She rolls her eyes. "Brunch date with someone who thinks that it's okay to chase people out of the house at eleven a.m."

"Mean," I comment, as I pour myself a coffee.

"So," she says after I sat down opposite of her. "How was it? Nice guy?"

I smile. "I wouldn't say 'nice', but interesting for sure."

Yuka raises her eyebrows. "Ooh, that sounds intriguing! I'd pester you with questions, but I haven't even taken a shower yet and really need to get ready."

Thank God.

"Have fun," I say as she gets up from the chair.

She winks at me. "Oh, don’t think you’re getting away that easily. I’ll annoy you with indecent questions later!"

I reply with an awkward laugh and wave her off. She casts me one last menacing look before she leaves the kitchen.

I languidly reach over the table to pull the magazine she was reading over to my side. Yuka is a sucker for the kind of women's magazines that report about nothing but fashion, make-up and gossip about famous people, none of whom I care about.

I never actually read anything in these tabloids, but they are a good way to kill time when there is nothing else to do other than to drink my desperately needed morning coffee – and try to get him off my mind.

The night was too intense, too confusing and overwhelming. I have no idea how to handle this one. I need some distraction and time to myself.

It turns out that browsing through that ludicrous magazine was the worst idea I had all morning. After just a few pages, I end up at the VIP gossip section, the most ludicrous of all.

And there he is, smiling back at me.

Evan Beckhart – smart, handsome, rich, the eternal bachelor?

His picture accompanies the bold headline for today’s feature in 'The Country's Hottest Billionaire Bachelors' series.

I almost drop my coffee mug. It feels like I have been plunged under a cold shower.

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