Page 52 of Savage Ruin
I beam at him.
The restaurant is elegant, but the warm night calls to me. “Can we eat outside on the patio?”
He raises an eyebrow toward the maître d, who bows his head respectfully.
Pocketing the tip Thiago slips him, he motions to the young lady next to him. “Certainly, sir. Sienna will take you to your table. Have a good evening.”
The warm sultry air feels much better than the air-conditioned interior. Thiago orders us a bottle of wine and an appetizer of sweet corn empanadas. Quickly deciding on my dinner, I put down the menu and look for the lake I saw from my hotel window, but the trees are blocking my view.
The man beside me is quiet. When I turn toward him, he’s studying me with a bemused expression on his face.
I quickly look at the front of my dress to make sure I haven’t buttoned it wrong. Everything is in its place. “What?”
“The meeting would have ended in a stand-off if you hadn’t stepped in today. If the deal gets finalized tomorrow, like I think it will, you and I will go out and celebrate. Maybe go dancing. How does that sound?” he asks with a sexy smile.
Wait. He doesn’t have a sexy smile. Nope. Put those thoughts away. But it would be nice to leave the hotel, and if Mateo and I are serious, it will be better if Thiago and I get along outside of the gym.“That sounds wonderful,” I tell him.
The server sets down the empanadas and presents the bottle of wine to Thiago, who approves. “What can I get for you this evening?”
After ordering the filet, I take a sip of wine and listen while Thiago orders the duck. The server leaves, and we dig into the appetizer.
“Wow, this is delicious,” I say after finishing the first bite. “Good call.”
He takes a big bite and nods.
“Thank you for taking this on. I know your plate is full with SEI business, but I honestly didn’t want to do this on my own,” I tell him.
He hums. “I should be thanking you. You’re going to make SEI a hell of a lot of money, and all I had to put in is a few hours of work.”
“We’re even?”
“Not a chance,” he replies. “I’m trying to catch up from everything you’ve already done for my family and SEI. I…”
“Henley? Henley Davis? Is that you?” A blond man walks over to our table.
The security team intercepts him before he can get near me.
He chuckles. “Henley, it’s me, David. From MIT. I know it’s been a long time, but I don’t think I look that different,” a voice says from behind the wall of security.
Shocked, I kind of freeze. Do I acknowledge he’s got the right person or deny him? David’s sweet face drifts into my mind. I sigh and nod to Thiago.
“Thomas, let him through,” Thiago orders his security lead. Standing, he reaches out a hand toward David, who stops and stares at him. “I’m Thiago Santos.”
His face hardens briefly, but he quickly smooths his expression. “David Perry,” David says, introducing himself. “Henley. It is you. I thought it was when you went by, but the pink hair threw me. How are you? What have you been up to?” He reaches out to give me a hug, but I step back.
Instead, I hold out my hand for him to shake. Does he not remember dumping me? I was devastated. “David, it’s nice to see you again. How are you?” I can’t tell if his broad smile is forced or authentic.
“Henley Davis. Wow, I never thought I’d see you again. Or have the chance to apologize for my behavior. My only excuse was I was young and dumb,” he says, raising his hands. “You look amazing. It wasn’t the same when you left MIT.” He drones on and on until I want to scream.
“Do you live here?” I ask, trying to move him off the subject of me.
He looks around nervously. “Here? Oh, you mean Austin. No, I live on the east coast. Just here on business. How about you? Is this your husband?”
“No, Thiago is my boss. I’m here on business, too,” I reply.
A weird sound comes from Thiago, and I turn toward him with an arched eyebrow. He returns it with one of his own.
Our dinner arrives, and I can barely stop myself from kissing the server in gratitude.
