Page 82 of Reckless Desire

For now. I can live with that. In the meantime, I need to make sure she doesn’t have to freeze here. An idea sprouts in my mind, but I have no time to consider it further because Sydney moves her hips and I get lost. Lost in the woman I love.

ChapterTwenty-Seven

Hunter

“Hello, Mrs. Lowe. How was your day?” I kiss her passionately, dipping her backward like we’re on a movie set and not in the middle of a busy sidewalk in front of a popular SoHo restaurant.

Now that our relationship is official I can’t help it, and show over the top affection at every opportunity. It’s so much fun how these kinds of gestures rile Sydney up. If I didn’t know better, I’d have thought she was ashamed of me.

While we’re official, we’re waiting a bit longer before Sydney spends the night at my place. Given Caro’s worries she’d be replaced by Sydney, I don’t want to rely on my mother too much in this next phase. Needless to say, my cock is screaming in protest because we’ve spent the last few nights apart.

Tonight, however, Caro is at her first sleepover, and we are having a date night. Sydney got us a table at Casa Cassi, a restaurant that belongs to her brother.

“Stop it.” She laughs and swats at me, but gives me one more kiss before we pull away. “I had a good day. What about you, Mr. Stuart? How are things at the Hunter Club?”

I pull her to me and kiss the crown of her head. “Things at the club are great. In fact, I have something to share. How would you feel about dating a TV star?” I curl my arm around her hip, snuggling her under my arm as I prompt us toward the entrance.

“What do you mean? Did you find me a better boyfriend?” She bites her lip as she looks sideways at me.

I pinch her where my hand is resting—not that it does anything through the thick layer of her coat. Sydney squeals and laughs.

“I got an offer to star in a reality show, helping celebrities get into shape.”

She stops. “Oh my God, that’s amazing. Congratulations.” She coils her hand around my neck and pulls me down for a kiss.

Our lips are still connected as I pull the door open with one hand, the other occupied with holding her as close to me as decently possible.

“Get a room,” a male voice growls as soon as the door shuts behind us.

My fist clenches as Sydney jumps away from me. “Gio, what are you doing here?”

Her brother stares at his phone. “Getting dinner, what else? Nice to see you, Syd.” He raises his eyes from the screen and nods.

“Hunter, do you remember my brother Gio?” She grabs my hand and pulls me to the hostess stand where he waits. Expensive watch, tailored suit, a coat of arrogance. “You met at the fundraiser.”

“Nice to see you again,” he mumbles, but his phone chimes and shifts his attention. Sydney rolls her eyes and shrugs.

“He’s always glued to his phone. Don’t take it personally.” She unbuttons her coat and I help her take it off.

A hostess appears and takes our jackets, and another woman, a petite blond with a smile that could power the entire city, strolls toward us. I’ve seen her somewhere before, but I guess most of Sydney’s people were at her sister’s gala.

“Sydney, I’m so glad to see you,” she says and hugs Sydney. Clearly this is a family place.

The room has an industrial feel with its brick walls, dark wood and copper features all around. It’s teeming with activity. The chef, Sydney’s brother Massimo, has recently gotten two Michelin stars, so I guess we’re lucky to get a table.

“Hunter, this is Mila. She works with Gina. Is she here as well?”

“No, she isn’t tonight. Nice to meet you, Hunter. I think I saw you at the fundraiser. I was so happy to work the event. Let me get you to your table.” She consults the book.

“And I’ve been standing here for ten minutes,” Gio grumbles and Mila’s smile dies on her lips. It’s like she’s just exhausted all her sunshine and there is only room left for clouds. But she recovers quickly, and the sun comes—more like an artificial tanning bed beam, but she tries.

“Well, excuse me, I thought you just wandered in off the street not realizing where you are. By the way, you’ve been staring into your phone since you entered. It looked like you mistook us for a bus stop.”

Gio looks up for the first time since she joined us. “Can I have my table, Ms. Ward?”

Mila rolls her eyes again and exhales, but then she bites her lip and asks, “Are you here alone, Mr. Cassinetti?”

“My date is late,” he snaps, glowering at her. Mila, to her credit, doesn’t waver.

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