Page 38 of The Bourbon Bride

“Hayes!” I roll again and take the duvet with me as I climb out of bed. “Give me fifteen minutes.”

“Just enough time for me to rub another out,” he says.

I turn to see if he’s serious and stop with a sigh. He’s wearing dark jeans and an olive-green T-shirt that sets off his tan skin and does things to his dark green eyes that must be magic. He’s so pretty it hurts something deep inside of me. He’s the most attractive man I’ve ever met, and here I am playing house with him. It’s going to break a part of me when I leave, but I guess Mama and Daddy don’t need me whole, they just need to save their business.

“Hayes, you’re something else,” I say wistfully.

“Now you’re stealing my lines, angel.”

***

Hayes holds my hand as we walk into the restaurant, just like he did on the way here. He’s using every opportunity he can to touch me, and I’m not complaining. It feels good. I had expected something greasy and casual when he said we were getting pizza, but this place is gorgeous and looks like it could have been taken off the pages of a design magazine with its decor. The big wood-fired pizza oven is open to the restaurant, giving the place a romantic glow. It’s busy, but the hostess leads us to a table as soon as Hayes walks up and gives his name. I sit across from Hayes and look up when a waiter appears immediately with a bottle of wine.

“The usual, Mr. Olsen?”

Hayes nods and I give him a look as apprehension settles in my belly. I take the glass of red wine the waiter pours for me and sip. Of course it’s good. Hayes has exquisite taste and there’s nothing he hasn’t perfected as far as I can tell. I pick up my menu and slouch in my chair, finding a way to hide from Hayes while I collect my thoughts.

“What’s wrong, honey?”

I pull the menu down just low enough to see him.

“You have a usual.”

I raise the menu up again. It’s snatched from my hands, and I’m forced to meet Hayes’s perturbed scrutiny.

“Tell me what you really mean. Don’t play theguess what I’m thinking gamewith me.”

“Do you take all your dates here?” I hate the slimy jealousy that slithers through my thoughts and tinges my words. It’s hard not to think this way after spending hours with Maisie and hearing all sorts of stories. I have no idea if half of them were true, but from her perspective, she and Hayesreally had something special,and she was just waiting for the right time to settle down with him. Hayes’s explanation was a little more realistic, but I can’t help thinking of those women he’s hadwhenever he wanted. Who knows how many have sat right here in my chair across from him.

“I usually bring Cerberus here when the weather’s nice and sit on the patio. This is my favorite restaurant. I invested in the place early on, so the staff goes out of their way to accommodate me.”

I nod. “So, a lot of dates, then.”

His eyebrows draw together sternly. “I’ve never brought a woman here before you.”

Guilt washes over me for assuming the worst about him. Why do I keep doing that? Maybe because I don’t know much about him other than he’s been hospitable to a Southern belle fleeing an arranged marriage and he has more money than God. Oh, and he knows his way around my body better than I do. I blush at the thought.

“I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.”

He rubs his face and then props his chin on his hand.

“I guess I deserved that. I’ve made it quite clear I have a bit of a past and you haven’t had much to go on otherwise.” He shakes his head. “Let’s start over. I want us to really know each other.”

I sit up straighter, hope buoyed in my heart at his interest.

“You go first. I feel like I’ve told you so much about my family and our troubles, but I don’t know anything about you or the brothers you’ve mentioned.”

“They’re dicks,” he deadpans. “But they’re my family and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.”

“That’s quite the ringing endorsement.”

“I wouldn’t trust either of them alone with you. Let’s just put it that way.” He raises an eyebrow at me, and I nod knowingly. “Payton, my middle brother, is a year younger than me at thirty-four and thinks his job is stirring the pot. Zander is the youngest at thirty-three but likes to act like the top dog. He’s the biggest womanizer and damn proud of it.”

“Okay, okay. Stop making them sound so appealing.” I prop my chin on my hand and roll my eyes at Hayes.

“Fine, I’ll try to find something nice to say about those pains in my ass.”

He pauses and looks away, his fingers tapping on the table in a staccato rhythm.

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