Page 67 of Kissing Games
‘Rough day?’
‘I’ve had better.’
‘Want to talk about it?’
‘There’s no point.’
‘You could get another job?’
Shauna shook her head. ‘She’ll blacklist me. Like she did all the others. I was so dumb. I thought I could do better than them. Of course, I was wrong. So now I’ve made my bed, I have to lie in it.’
‘There’s always another way.’
Shauna looked at her bleakly. ‘Is there?’
Valentina’s throat tightened. ‘Want to go grab some dinner? The caterers told me tonight is “Colombian night”, so you can learn from an expert how wrong they’ve got it.’
Shauna glanced at her watch again, then nodded.
They were eatingwhen Charlie joined them. He looked as devastatingly hot as ever, but Valentina could see the tension on his face.
‘Ms Valverde, Ms Merritt. May I join you?’
Shauna blushed and looked to Valentina.
‘Yes, of course,’ she smiled. ‘You are most welcome, Mr Hamilton.’
The three of them ate in silence as if lost in their own thoughts, with no one possessing the energy to lift the mood. After a few minutes, Shauna had cleared her plate and was checking the time.
‘Congratulations, Shauna,’ said Charlie with a grin. ‘That’s a new record. My money’s definitely on you for the next Coney Island eating contest.’
Shauna blushed again and Valentina rolled her eyes.
He grabbed the edge of Shauna’s plate as she stood. ‘I’ll sort it. You go attempt to please the unpleasable. Let me know if you succeed as I’ve got some water I’d like you to turn into wine.’
Shauna let him take her plate. ‘Thank you,’ she said to both of them before dashing off.
As they watched her go, Valentina felt Charlie’s leg touching hers. Heat spread up her thighs. She reached under the table for his hand. His fingers stroked hers, nudging into the creases, circling her palm. His touch was electric.
‘Are you busy this evening?’ she asked, her voice breaking slightly.
He shook his head and her internal temperature shot up.
She swallowed. ‘I wondered if you could give me a guided tour?’
His eyebrows raised slightly.
‘Of your tattoos.’
He let go of her hand and grabbed the bottom of his T-shirt, pulling it up.
‘Charlie!’ she hissed, yanking it back down and looking around. ‘Not here!’
He stared at her, a pantomime look of confusion on his face. ‘Where do you suggest? The guided tour normally starts here around seven.’
She glared at him.
He leaned forward and smiled. ‘Your room or mine?’ he whispered.
