Page 16 of For the Gods' Sake

“Well,” the waiter said, drawing our attention back to him. He was looking at us like a kid who’d just been given a free ice cream cone. “I’ll be right back with that bottle.”

After he left, I said, “I think you just made his day. I wonder how much money he’ll get for selling that information.”

“At least five thousand,” Adrian said, his grin splitting as he ran a hand over his jaw. “Happy to provide.”

“How charitable,” I joked.

Adrian’s eyes swung to me and held for a second that felt like it stretched into a year. There was maybe—definitely—a lightning bolt streaking across his left eye, lightning the storm-gray a shade.

It should have been freaky.

My brain processed it as hot. Stupid hot.

I forced myself to look at the menu, even though all the words were blurring together.

“The ravioli is good,” Adrian said, “Since you like pasta.”

My head snapped up and the asshole was still looking at his menu. Like he justknewI wasn’t processing the information.

“What if I don’t like pasta?”

“You do.”

My mouth dropped open an inch. “Let me guess, your spies told you that?”

This time, Adrian's head rose. When our eyes locked he said, “No. But you order it at every gala, event, or fundraiser we’ve both attended.”

My jaw fell completely open. The knowledge that he had been watching me that intently foryearssent a thrill running up my spine, pulling my shoulders back.

Adrian’s eyes dropped to the neckline of my dress, like he could see right through to where my shoulder blades were pinched together. Also conveniently getting an eye full of cleavage.

My breath sped up to a near pant, my chest rising an inch higher. Adrian’s jaw clicked and I heard the distant sound of humming electricity.

The waiter’s arrival snapped the tension with the opening of the door. “One Dionysus Chianti for the lovely couple.”

Chapter 5

Adrian

Oh, this guy was good.

It was a statement well crafted, playing the role of the helpful waiter when he was really mining for information. Sayingfor the lovely couplewas an opening to gauge our reactions.

Would we just saythank youand move on, accepting the characterization of the relationship or would Reyna be bashfully shy and wave her hand in the air, dismissing him?

I took the reins before either of those things could happen. “Reyna, would you like to try it?” I asked, looking over at her as I said it.

A spark flashed at the end of my fingers.

Shit.

Moments before the waiter walked in, I could have sworn Reyna’s breathing had quickened.

Maybe I’d finally lost it, was making things up to explain my own reaction to her.

I wasn’t a stranger to attraction. And I’d consideredthe fact that I would become attracted to Reyna.

But attraction for me was always a steady pull, an inkling of desire.

---