Page 6 of His Lair

“I’ve got you.” He smirks.

“This isn’t a date, Mr. Ru—Sammie,” I quickly correct myself. “I can pay for my meal.”

“So, if this were a date, you wouldn’t have an issue with me paying?” he counters.

“Probably not.” I shrug.

“Fine, it’s a date.” He turns and heads to the counter.

His words repeat over and over in my head.It’s a date.Shit. I cannot be on a date with a man I’m supposed to be surveilling.

When Sammie returns to the table, I slam my twenty down. “This isn’t a date. If it were, I’d be wearing a nice dress, maybe even heels. I wouldn’t be sitting here in my work clothes.”

“Okay, fine. Let me take you out on a date then. Tomorrow night,” he says.

“That wouldn’t be right. It has to be some sort of conflict of interest or something,” I say, looking for the quickest way out of this conversation.

“I’m not your employer. I’m just your employer’s friend. So, tomorrow night. I’ll pick you up after your shift,” he says.

“I have to use the ladies’ room.” Standing from the table, I pick up my bag and make a beeline for the bathroom.

Shit, what is it about this man that has me so frazzled?

As soon as I lock myself in the empty stall, I pull out my phone and call Emmanuel’s number. He will tell me I can’t go on a date with his friend and that will be that. I just need someone else to talk some sense into me.

“Lailani?” he answers after two rings.

“I have a problem,” I whisper into the receiver.

“What?”

“Your friend, Sammie Russo.”

“What about him?”

“He wants to take me out on a date,” I explain.

“Why are you whispering, and how the fuck is Sammie wanting to take you out on a date a problemfor me?”

“Because you need to tell me I can’t date your friend,” I huff.

“Has he done something? Because he might be my friend but so are you, Lai, and I will kick his ass if he’s done something to you.”

“Other than ask me out, no.” I roll my eyes towards the ceiling. “And we are not friends.”

“Yet, here you are, calling me about your dating life. Don’t you have girlfriends for this kind of stuff?” Emmanuel’s voice is full of amusement.

“You know I don’t. Just tell me I can’t date him and I won’t,” I grumble. “He’s a job. That’s it. Right?”

“I can’t tell you not to go on a date with Sammie. Besides, the bastard is persistent. If he wants to take you out, he will wear you down until you agree. If he bothers you too much and you want me to step in, just give me a call,” Emmanuel says and then the line goes dead.

“Asshole,” I hiss at the phone.

Chapter Three

Iwatch with amusement as Lailani inhales her burger. She’s not like other women. She doesn’t pretendnotto be hungry.

“You got a little something…” Picking up a napkin, I lean over and wipe the sauce from the side of her mouth.