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“You don’t want to know.”
“Don’t sugarcoat anything with me. I hate being softened up. It always feels like a lie.”
He sighed and slipped the tablet into my hands. “The blog that published a piece about Charlie and Warren wrote one about you.”
“Me?”
I read the story, which was about a trillionaire falling into the clutches of a bad girl. My teenage years looked bad. I’d forgotten about getting videotaped throwing up. Now I was a meme. Adrenaline rushed through me as I read my story. It sounded like someone else.
I finished and said, “Oh, goodness.” The chef brought me a cappuccino, and I sighed.
Kir folded his hands on the table. “Do you have a tattoo on your ass?”
I grabbed a plate and served myself a fried egg. “Let’s discuss how to handle this.”
He stood beside me and served himself too. “Are you avoiding the question?”
I glanced back at the tablet and then smiled at him. “It’s really a blurry photo of me on the beach from years ago.”
We both took some hash browns. “We’re supposed to be dating.”
I returned to my seat. This was more than I usually ate. I stared at my plate. “Well, if your mother believes I’m here for your money, as this says, then no one’s going to believe us.”
The chef brought him a second coffee. I gulped mine and pointed at my cup. He nodded. I needed to get his name if I was staying there.
Once we were alone, Kir said, “Speaking of Maman, she wants to meet you for lunch. I told her you had work.”
“I do.” I had meetings all day and wasn’t sure I’d even get time for a sandwich. “Can you tell her we’ll have lunch tomorrow?”
We picked up our forks, and he said, “I’ll try. But finish breakfast, and I’ll drive you to work.”
This was the real thing. People at work were going to know I was dating a trillionaire. I nodded and ate.
The chef brought the second coffee. I couldn’t ask his name, as my mouth was full. Once we finished, I gazed out at the morning view of the park, which was like a green jewel between the buildings. “Your view is amazing.”
“I think so.”
I gazed to my side and saw that Kir was staring at me. “You’re not looking.”
He shrugged. “I’m still wondering about the tattoo.”
I settled beside him again. “Fine. It’s two feathers to represent my parents, and it’s not on my ass.”
His gaze literally had a twinkle in it as he asked, “Where is it, then?”
“Lower back.” I stood and lifted my T-shirt. At work, I wore button-downs so no one could see my tattoo. My face heated. I dropped my shirt and sat down.
He smiled like we shared a huge secret. “Why feathers?”
I shrugged and sipped my coffee. I’d never explained this before. I whispered, “I like to think they’re my angels and watching my back. I didn’t want it where people might see if I wore a low-cut top.”
He stirred his coffee. “That’s sweet, and you’re right that you’re edgier than me.”
I was much closer to work, and since the commute was shorter, I had time. And I liked sitting with Kir. I settled into my seat. “What was that thing with your brothers about ‘challenge to live your life’?”
He shrugged. “Everyone thinks I’m… either all about work or risking my neck to feel alive.”
I raised an eyebrow. That wasn’t my impression at all. “Did you ever do anything more low-key to relax?”
