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Yeah, the last time I dated someone he approved of, that ended about as well as a wildfire blazing through a row of homes.

“Of course, Dad,” I said, hoping my voice came across passive. He didn’t press for more details, not that he needed to know. Although I was sure after whatever Adrian had planned tonight, which was sure to be an absolute spectacle, he’d know plenty.

He was really, really going to hate this.

?

Turns out, on the back of Adrian’s card, there were also instructions on where to meet him.

I scoffed out loud when I read the restaurant he’d chosen. It was the perfect balance of public and private—a popular restaurant known for its food that only housed about twenty patrons at a time.

I stood outside, running my thumb over the fabric of my clutch and trying not to rock back on my heels while I tracked the interior. It was beautiful. Intimate. All soft beige stone and dim light.

There was also a private section carved into a cave-like room, surrounded by precious bottles of wine and bathed in soft light that I knew hid in the back.

Before I could even process what it would be like to be in that room with Adrian, his voice sounded from behind me.

“I have to say, I’m very glad you listened to me.”

I whipped around, the fabric of dress billowing then falling back on my skin. I had to speak to cover up whatcould only be described as a choke at the picture of him in a well-pressed suit. “Whoever you paid to pick this out had good taste. I listened tothem.”

Yeah, speaking did nothing to distract me. He’d shed his normal tie, exposing a sliver of skin at the base of his neck. Even that looked intentional, like it was meant to reveal just enough but still cover something. His hair was pushed back, just a few waves falling down over his forehead.

My fingers itched with something and I curled them into a fist to shake the feeling.

Adrian chuckled as he approached, then leaned in to give me a lingering kiss on the cheek. I definitely heard the host inside the restaurant gasp. Or maybe it was someone on the street.

The important point was that Adrian smelledwaytoo good. And he pulled back, speaking directly into my ear. “Ipicked the dress out, Reyna. And you look absolutely stunning.”

I turned, bringing our noses barely an inch apart. “The compliments mean nothing if someone can’t hear you give them.”

Adrian’s mouth turned up in a grin. “I beg to differ. The host will see that pretty blush on your cheeks and drive herself crazy trying to figure out what I said to you.”

I was blushing, wasn’t I? Whatever, it would be more concerning if I wasn’t blushing. Adrian was turning the charm up to eleven.

He snaked a hand around to my lower back, softly turning me to face the entrance to the restaurant.

And sure enough, the host was staring at us, dropping eye contact back down to the stand when shecaught us looking at her.

“I swear, if you are smirking right now…” I muttered under my breath.

“Then don’t look,” Adrian said, leading us forward. “Ignorance is bliss and all that.”

My head whipped up to find him already looking down at me, that smirk plastered on his stupid, smug face.

He reached casually in front of me to pull the door open, bringing us into the chilled, dimmed ambiance of the restaurant.

The poor host’s face was already drained of color. “I…um—Lord Jupiter we have—I’m sorry, Lord JupiterandMiss Romulus, we have a—your—table ready in the back.”

A fierce, splotchy blush appeared on the poor girl’s face and I opened my mouth to say anything to soothe it.

“Thank you, Alyssa,” Adrian said smoothly. “You’re beyond helpful, as always.”

I elbowed him in the stomach before I knew what he was doing. He was flirting with the fucking waitress on our date?

Adrian grunted softly, his hand coming to my elbow and his thumb making a slow pass over my skin.

“Lord and Lady Pluto send their regards,” he added. Alyssa’s head snapped back towards us, her face beaming.