Page 41 of Hello Darling

“Oh that’s right—you don’t eat with gym members, do you? Company policy? Well, my membership is limited anyway and I don’t know if you’ve heard, but life is short. When a pretty boy English film star invites you to dinner you should take him up on his offer because it may be the last.”

“Okay. I’ll let Jude Law know that I changed my mind.”

“Psshh. I’ve had dinner with Jude Law. He eats like a beast—it ain’t pretty.”

“Well good. I’m not into pretty.”

I lean in and whisper in her ear. “I think you’re getting into it.”

“I don’t think either of us really wants to get into it in a restaurant.” She bites her lip and runs her fingers through her hair while letting her eyes trail down my body—God help me. “However,” She says, voice barely above a whisper. “I will see you tonight.”

“The great American cut-to-the-chase. Bless your heart. I’ll order in.” I type something into my cell phone before handing it to her. “Here’s my current private disposable mobile phone. Add your number.”

The contact name isSassy AmericanGirl.

“It makes me sound like a doll or some Korean romantic comedy movie on Netflix, but I’ll take it.” She adds some numbers, returns my phone to me.

I immediately send a text to that number, but I don’t write what I really want to say, until I can confirm that she did in fact give me her real number.

Her phone vibrates in her pocket, which pleases me.

She rolls her eyes when she sees my text, which simply says:Hello darling

I watch as she adds my number to her contacts and types in words that are clearly not “Evan Hunter” or “Richard Diver.”

She tilts her phone so I can see the screen and I burst out laughing when I read:Randy BritishActor.

“That’s me,” I say. “But only when it comes to you.”

“Sure.”

“It’s true. More than ever when it comes to you, it seems.”

We both look over to make sure her brothers aren’t listening or in some way concerned by the fact that she and I are alone together in here. They certainly don’t appear to be. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that they’re both rooting for us to get together. If they only knew what filthy thoughts I’ve had of their only sister…Sometimes it really does come in handy, being English. There is currently only one person in America who has even the faintest idea of what a “horndog” I am, but it’s all thanks to her.

“We should be heading back to the marina soon,” she says. We are speaking in hushed tones, and it only adds to the sexual tension. “When would you like me to arrive at your house?”

“Well, I’m intermittent fasting, so I have to finish eating by seven…Food, that is.” I try to stifle a laugh, but even I can’t pull off a line like that.

She nudges me and bursts out laughing.

“I’m so sorry about your mother”is what I really want to say. What I’ve wanted to say for a while. But something tells me she doesn’t want to hear it unless she’s told me about it herself, and something tells me she won’t be open to having that conversation with me for quite some time. I’ll wait.

I can’t wait much longer to part those shapely legs and shag the living daylights out of her, but I’ll wait patiently for her to open up to me in other ways.