The Life That Mattered (Life #1)(7)

Okay, not really, but I knew that look. It was usually the one she gave Graham. Lila glanced over her shoulder at us, gaze flicking to our clasped hands. It made my cheeks burn. Lila grinned at me. That made them burn even more. She knew me too well, so of course she knew I was seconds away from sweating through that dress, even with the chill in the hotel lobby.

The night turned into a dream. The four of us just … clicked. Come to find out, Ronin was a part-time model for five years in France. He even modeled a men’s clothing line designed by Graham’s aunt, who probably knew Ronin’s mom.

Perfection stole the night.

Expensive wine.

Course after course of the best food.

Laughter.

Engaging conversation.

It was quite possibly the most fun I’d ever had.

As people packed into the restaurant, it became harder to hear, even though we were contributing to the noise as much if not more than anyone else. Ronin occasionally leaned toward me to hear my words. When he did, he rested his hand on my leg … the part of my leg exposed from the slit in my dress. Maybe it was the wine, but every time that hand rested on my leg, it felt a fraction of an inch higher with a tighter grip.

“I need the ladies’ room.” Lila set her napkin on the table.

“Me too.” I scooted back in my chair.

Ronin stood and Graham quickly followed suit.

Holy. Shit.

Lila and I shared a quick look.

Our dates stood for women. Talk about good upbringing …

Honestly, I’m not sure Graham would have stood had Ronin not initiated it.

I smiled up at Ronin through my wine-glossed eyes, feeling a bit wobbly on my heavy legs.

“Got it?” Amusement lit up his face as he steadied me with his hand on my lower back. That sexy grin disintegrated my already thin and delicate panties.

“Mm-hmm.” My teeth trapped my lower lip to hold in my giggle. I might have been a little tipsy. A lot horny. And hot. Hours of his hand making a return trip to my leg raised my body temperature to roughly the sun’s surface.

“I’ve got her.” Lila hooked her arm around mine. She wasn’t in any better shape, but we hoped that two half-drunk women could make it to the ladies’ room with the grace of one sober woman.

“Oh my gosh … EVIE!” Lila grabbed my shoulders as soon as we slipped into the ladies’ lounge just outside of the room with the sinks and toilets. “He’s perfect! I like him. Graham likes him. He’s perfect! And that accent. I got so pissed that Graham kept interrupting. I could listen to Ronin read a dictionary. And don’t you dare tell Graham I said that. You have to marry Ronin. I mean … not until after my wedding, of course. But he’s the one!”

She knew everything—almost. I spilled the details on our shopping excursion. His ethnicity, his famous father, his clothing-designer mother, and the fact that he had a flight the next morning to Denver.

“I know. I know …” I plopped into a velvet chair and grabbed the skirt of my dress, fanning it to release some heat, but everywhere his hand touched remained ablaze.

“You’re going to make the most beautiful babies with beautiful Asian skin and hair, dark eyes, and they’ll speak French like their grandpa.” Lila grinned, hitching her ass to the arm of my chair.

“They’ll have half of my genes too.”

She sighed. “Maybe they’ll be recessive genes.”

“You’re awful.”

She laughed, hugging me. “Kidding. You’re the most beautiful … special really … beautiful person I know.”

“Wow! You’re more drunk than I am.”

“Probably.” She forced herself to stand again, teetering on her high heels for a few seconds before zigzagging toward the toilets.

We finished the night with dessert and more wine. Before Lila attempted to dry hump Graham’s leg, he excused them from the table, taking care of the bill with a simple nod to the waiter.

“Do you golf, Ronin?” Graham asked, sliding his arm around Lila’s waist to steady her.

“Sometimes.” Ronin finished his glass of water.

“Call me when you get settled. We’ll play.”

Ronin raised his empty glass before setting it down. “I’d like that.”

Okay … when did they exchange numbers? What went on while we were in the ladies’ room?

“Be good, Evie.” Graham winked at me, pulling drunk Lila away from the table.

What’s that supposed to mean?

“Sounds tragically boring,” Ronin said.

I returned my attention to him and the grin on his face after they disappeared around the corner. “What does?”

“Good Evie.” He leaned back, looking entirely too cool. Too put together. Too damn sexy.

I grabbed my water and gulped it down. It’s not that I had any intention of having sex with Ronin that night (outside of my head, of course). The last time I had too much to drink and hopped into bed with someone, it was Graham. Look how that turned out. A cautionary tale.

I flooded my system with as much water as possible to cleanse my thoughts.

“I have an early flight tomorrow morning. Can I escort you to your room?”

“Escort? Sounds like navigating to my room could be dangerous on my own. Is that what you’re implying?” I chuckled, pulling my phone from my purse to check the time. It was one-thirty in the morning. I cringed, making a quick inspection of the abandoned restaurant. The wait staff wouldn’t kick Graham Porter’s friends out no matter the time.