Page 12 of Starry Night Kisses

Remorse picks up a sledgehammer and slams it into my ribs, my breath getting caught in my throat with the force of the blow.

“I came back for a work dinner,” he nods over his shoulder, “I was planning on surprising you later. But it looks like I’m the one who got the surprise.”

“Eric–” I hate that I’m about to cry. I can feel the tears stinging their way up my sinuses, and my bottom lip begins to tremble.

“Don’t worry about it, Evelyn.” He smiles at me, but it’s tight and doesn’t show off his perfect teeth, then looks at Nate. “Sorry to interrupt your evening.”

“Look, man…” Nate holds up his hands like he wants nothing to do with the situation unfolding before him.

“Seriously, it’s not a big deal.” Eric waves him off. “You two have a good night.”

He turns away, and I take a step toward him, hand rising to stop him from leaving. But he strides away swiftly, returning to a large round table on the other side of the room full of people who look like they’re discussing business.

Collapsing back in my seat, I plant my elbows on the edge of the table while Nate lets out a low whistle. “Soooo,” he draws out the word. “Is that your boyfriend or something?”

Sighing, I shake my head. “No.”

It’s not a lie.

So then why do I feel like I got caught cheating?

eric

Ilike to think I’m a reasonable man.

I’ve given Evie her space. I’ve let her know what my intentions are. I’ve tried dropping subtle hints to urge her closer to the inevitable—to me…tous.

I like to think I’m a reasonable man.

However, at the moment, all I can think of is crossing the dining room to stab the fucking guy she’s on a date with in the face with my steak knife.

‘I’m going to enjoy peeling that dress off you later.’

I’mgoing to enjoy hacking into your computer later to find anything I can to make your life hell, buddy.

Seriously, what the hell is she thinking?

That fucking dress. Those fuck me heels. How her hair is styled in a way that will make any man looking at her think she looks freshly fucked.

She should be punished for entertaining the fucking fool.

It should be me sitting across from her right now.

Is she not interested in a relationship with me? Did I misinterpret the whole sexting thing?

I thought we had a great time.

Peeling my eyes away when dinner is brought to our table, I try to refocus my attention on work. Certain shareholders are nervous about the merger and the only reason I’m here is because, for some reason, these particular men believe me when I tell them the same thing my boss has been saying for months now.

It’s the same reason he keeps sending me back to New York, too.‘Youhave the type of face that makes people feel at ease—feel that they can trust you,’he’d said.

Well, right now the only person I care about getting to trust me is Evelyn.

I’ve never felt this way about anyone before—not even Daphne.

And I don’t want to scare her away by being too intense, but I feel like I alreadyknowher.

Maybe it’s because as soon as Kendall mentioned her cousin was traveling through Europe, I looked her up and followed her adventures. I got to know Evie long before she started getting to know me. I’ve read her blog, browsed all her photos on her social media—hell, I even went as far as to read the books she started recommending.

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