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“No. Actually, it’s in Lakeview.”

“Lakeview. I haven’t been in that neighborhood for a while.”

“We can leave anytime you’re ready.”

She showed me the empty glass. “I’m ready.”

“All right, then let’s go.”

“I’ll text Lais to let her know I’m leaving.” She took out her phone and typed out a quick text, then put it back in her back. “Okay, I’m all set.”

I’d parked at the edge of the Quarter, near the Mississippi. Walking out of the area was more difficult than walking in had been. The crowds had doubled. I kept a hand firmly on Grace’s back as we maneuvered past all the people.

“Oh my God,” she exclaimed when we finally came out of the Quarter. “That was a bit insane.”

“I agree. My car is right here.”

I took a good look at her for the first time tonight as I opened the passenger door. She climbed in, and her dress rode up a few inches. Her legs were endless. The memory of her completely naked in that bed was branded in my mind.

Pace yourself, Zachary. She only agreed to come for drinks.And if that was all she wanted, that was fine. Honestly, I just wanted to spend time with her.

After I climbed in, she asked, “How come you live in Lakeview?”

I shrugged. “No reason. Just found a house I liked there.”

“I took you for the Garden District type,” she replied.

“That’s too close to my family’s mansion. I love them to bits, but I wouldn’t want to live two streets away.”

Grace laughed. “I totally understand. I’m close to my parents, too, but I wouldn’t want to live next door either.”

“Some of my brothers have stuck around the Quarter. Julian actually owns a houseinthe Quarter, and Chad isn’t very far away in Marigny. Xander is in the business district, but I wanted to find the perfect house and didn’t really care where it was.”

“That’s smart.”

The rest of the city was just as alive as the Quarter but thankfully not as crowded. I parked right in front of my house.

Grace smiled. “Oh, I can see why you like this.”

From the outside, it resembled the mansions in the Garden District. It was a revival colonial style with columns, a huge wraparound porch, and a balcony on the second floor. The yard wasn’t fenced, but the gardening team kept my perimeter trimmed to perfection.

“Wow. This is a surprise,” she exclaimed as we walked through the front door.

It was completely modern on the inside. The living room had floor-to-ceiling shelves with a mix of books and wine bottles as well as rum and scotch. I had a huge dining table that was, quite literally, shaped from a tree. She drew her fingers over the surface.

“It’s so elegant even though it’s raw.”

“What can I tempt you with?” I asked as she sat down at the head of the table.

“This is really comfy,” she said. “It has armrests too.”

She glanced at me, pressing her lips together. “I want to taste your favorite bourbon.”

“On it.” The bottles on the shelves were for display only. I had a separate bar area in the dining area. I put ice in two glasses and poured bourbon into each before returning to Grace.

“Cheers,” I said, clinking my glass to hers.

“What are we toasting to?”