Page 204 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 2

“Get all the girls to drive back to the city in my car. And let me be chauffeured with the gentleman.” He lifted his chin in the air.

“Um. Okay, I guess I can make that work.” I wasn’t sure how James was going to feel about that. Not just because we didn’t like being apart. But because Justin got handsy the more he drank. And he’d just stolen a glass of something from a passing waiter.

He drank it down in one gulp. “And there’s more contingencies that I haven’t even thought of yet.”

“Okay. If they’re reasonable, I’ll make them happen.”

“Oh, like Daphne is reasonable?”

“Fine, even if they’re unreasonable I’ll make them happen. Come on, let’s go back out there. I’m sure Daphne has found a handful of appetizers she likes and we can move on to soups and salads.”

He groaned. “Thank God it’s my cheat day. Because I’m eating all the carbs. I can’t handle this stress!”

Seduction - Chapter 14

Sunday

“It’s a tad too spicy, don’t you think?” Daphne said and looked at Rob. She fanned her mouth like she’d just eaten a jalapeno instead of a creamy chowder.

Rob had just lifted another spoonful. “Oh. Um. Yeah, babe. Definitely too spicy.” He plopped his spoon down into the bowl.

I swore I saw Justin’s nostrils flare.

“There’s no spice,” Justin said calmly. “It’s a crab and corn chowder. There’s seriously nothing else in it but cream and a few seasonings.”

Daphne lifted a spoonful and sniffed it. “Are you sure? There is definitely something spicy in there.”

“Garlic perhaps?” Justin asked. “That hardly counts as spicy.”

“That’s probably it. Do you think they could remove that?”

“It’ll be flavorless, but…”

I lightly hit my foot against Justin’s shin.

He yelped at the top of his lungs. “Penny Hunter, I love you to death, but did you just strike me? What in heaven’s name have I done to deserve that?”

James gave me a weird look.

“I…” my voice trailed off. I’d barely tapped him. What was he screaming about? “I was just trying to get your attention because you mentioned to me in the dining area that the chef here is really good at substitutions like that.”

He glared at me. Because he had absolutely not said that to me. But he had promised to be calm.

“Don’t you remember?” I asked.

“Yes.” He turned back to Daphne. “Is that a yes to the chowder if the garlic is removed?” He shook his head like it pained him to ask.

“It’s my favorite of the ten,” Daphne said.

“So…yes?”

“Without all that spice, yes.”

Justin wrote it down, but I didn’t see him write anything about the garlic. “She’ll be too busy on her wedding day to even eat any of this,” he said under his breath.

I didn’t think Daphne heard, so it was fine. And he was right. I barely remembered even sitting down at my own wedding. Daphne probably wouldn’t be eating the soup. She’d be too busy greeting everyone and receiving congratulations. But…it was her day. And she was allowed to have bland soup if she wanted.

“Justin,” I said, using my most authoritative voice.