“It’s not too late to go home.” Zahra uses her menu as a shield to block the entire left side of her face.
When I booked a reservation at the finest restaurant in Orlando, I didn’t expect her to protest the moment we sat down. Ever since the hostess showed us to our table at the back of the restaurant ten minutes ago, Zahra’s been flushed and unable to sit still. I thought wine would help with first-date nerves, but she’s already guzzled one full glass.
Is she afraid to be out in public with me? I highly doubt any paparazzi worth their salt would be prowling the streets of central Florida waiting for a celebrity.
I frown, pulling down her menu. “Is it too fancy?”
“No—I mean yes! I mean, look at this menu.” She pulls it back up, flaunting it to me while shielding both our faces now. “Any place without prices and lots of French words is a red flag for my bank account.”
“You’re not paying,” I speak in a dry tone.
“Yeah, well, it would be presumptuous for me to assume we wouldn’t go halfsies.”
“Halfsies.” I choke. “What has gotten into you?”
“Nothing.” She bites her lip. Her skin goes from pink to red, giving away her inability to lie about anything.
“Are you always this nervous on a first date?”
She frowns. “I’m not nervous.”
“You drank a two-hundred-dollar glass of wine in ten minutes.”
Her entire face pales. “Two. Hundred. Dollars?!” she whisper-shouts. “Why would you spend that much on a bunch of old grapes?”
I can’t hold back my laugh. It’s barely audible over the people surrounding us.
Her eyes slide from me to another table across from us where a blond male and female sit.
“Do you know those people?”
She jumps in her chair. “Who?”
I blink at her.
Her shoulders slump as she slides a few inches farther down her chair. “Yes.”
“Who are they?”
“The blond guy with tiny hands and a massive forehead is Lance.”
You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. Of all the places? Here? This would never happen in Chicago. There are too many damn people to run into someone I hate.
I blame the lack of restaurants here that I frequent back at home.
Maybe I can build one on Dreamland property to avoid this from happening again.
Again? You’re not staying here past the vote.
I grab my wineglass and take a long sip to quench the sick feeling in my stomach.
Her eyes flit from me back to that damn table at the center of the room.
I frown. “Do you want him back?”
Where the fuck did that come from?
“What?!” Her voice draws the attention of some neighbors. “God, no.”
“Then forget about him.”
“Easier said than done. He’s right there with her. I hate seeing them because it reminds me—” Her voice trails off.
Of how he broke her heart, I finish in my head.
I hate seeing Zahra this upset. She usually has more positivity in one finger than a damn squad of Super Bowl cheerleaders. Her distress makes me feel unsettled. Like I want to fix it, but I have no clue how especially when I don’t know the first thing about dealing with an ex.
“Let’s play a game.”
What the fuck are you doing?
She perks up, finally dropping the menu and giving me her attention. “You’re all about games tonight.”
“Would you rather go skinny-dipping in the middle of the ocean or run naked through Dreamland in the middle of the night?”
“I hate running but I hate sharks more so definitely running naked through Dreamland.”
I smile. “Naughty girl. You could get caught.”
“Good thing I know the boss,” she taunts.
The way she smiles at me makes my heart take pause. It’s strange—like my entire body can’t help but go haywire whenever I’m around her. Whether it’s itchy skin, a tightening chest, or a bizarre urge to kiss her, I’m battling a ton of sensations. Sometimes all at once.
“Your turn.” I grab her hand, tracing her knuckles with my thumb. Her breath always hitches when I do it, so it’s easily becoming my favorite way to keep touching her while in public.
“Would you rather never read a book again or never be able to check the stock market?”
“Hitting me where it hurts.” I rub my heart with my free hand.
She smiles. “The fact that you have to think this one over breaks my heart.”
I offer her a knowing smile. “I’d have to give up reading books. Sorry.”
“Well, this was fun while it lasted.” She pulls her hand away teasingly before I latch onto it again.
“You said I never could read a book again. Audiobooks don’t count.”
Her mouth drops open. “You—that’s. You can’t cheat like that!”
“Life’s all about semantics.”
“Dating a businessman sucks.”
I want to kiss the pout off her face. “I gather it’s a bit of a change from the wonderful company you picked up on the dating apps. What about the electrician with the mother?”
She points a finger at me. “I’ll have you know that Chip was a very nice man.”
“Who brought his mother along on the date.”
“I thought it was sweet.”
“She asked you if you had a fertility tracker.” I take a sip of my wine.
Zahra drops her head back and laughs up to the ceiling. Making her laugh fills me with the deepest sense of pride, knowing I could make her day brighter in some small way.
A new realization hits me hard. For the first time on a date, I’m having fun. There’s no predestined agenda or cold conversations about work and business. I’m genuinely interested in hearing anything that comes out of Zahra’s mouth, and everything is only amplified when I make her laugh.
Part of me wishes I could be like her where I could live without abandon and move on from past issues that seem to make an appearance at the worst time. It’s not possible for someone like me. I’ve become jaded from life, so being around Zahra is refreshing.
I’m aware that I’m playing a dangerous game with Zahra by toeing the line between dating and more. I can’t pursue much more with my deadline and my end goals. At least not with my future in Chicago and hers cemented into the very foundation of Dreamland.
But we can enjoy the present and live for today. That much I can promise.
Zahra waves her hand in front of my face. “Your turn.”
I shake my head and return to the conversation. Zahra and I switch back and forth, with her choosing the most outrageous questions for me to pick from. I’m not sure where she comes up with ideas like skiing in a pair of boxers or riding a jet ski across the entire ocean but her imagination is endless.
That’s why you hired her.
We spend the entire dinner in our little game, branching off into different conversations depending on what kind of answer we give.
Zahra considers her next set of crazy options when Lance steps into our proximity. He gapes at us, his eyes switching between Zahra and me. She hasn’t even noticed him yet, too immersed in her head.
I keep my eyes glued to his as I pull Zahra’s hand up to my lips and give her knuckles a kiss. She sucks in a breath and her cheeks turn the prettiest shade of pink for me. Lance’s jaw clamps down, making him resemble a squashed tomato with a mop of blond hair. He’s absolutely average in every sense of the word—from his Brooks Brothers button-down to his poorly pressed khaki pants. I’m sure I could find a dozen like him at the local outlet mall.
I place Zahra’s hand back on the table and stand to my full height. Lance has to tilt his head back to stare up at me.
I button my jacket before saying, “Lance Baker. I’ve heard about you.”
He stands taller like a peacock. “Mr. Kane. I wanted to stop by and say hello. Zahra and I go way back.”
My blood turns red hot, pulsing with each breath. Lance extends his hand and I merely stare at it with every ounce of disgust I feel toward him.
“She told me about your Nebula Land submission.”
He drops his hand by his side like a rejected stray. “Oh yes. I was shocked my proposal was accepted.”
My fist itches to familiarize itself with his face. This piece of shit thinks he can get away with stealing Zahra’s idea? It dawns on me that he believes Zahra kept quiet about the whole thing. What a piece of shit. He probably thinks she’s too nice to rat him out, and since he never got caught, there was no reason for him to worry.
Fuck him. I’ll seek out revenge in Zahra’s name.
“Oh, Lance. Hi. Weird seeing you here.” Zahra’s voice is wooden.
“I’m celebrating my anniversary.”
I keep my face blank despite the urge to tell him to fuck off.
Zahra’s entire body tenses. “Isn’t it considered bad taste to celebrate the time you started an affair?”
Lance’s eyes bulge. His already red cheeks take on a purplish hue.
Warmth seeps into my chest at Zahra’s straightened spine and steel gaze. It makes me…proud of her. Of the way she can stand up to others like she has to me.
I pull her into my side. I’m tempted to hide her for the rest of her life, protecting her from idiots like Lance who abused the kind of gift she is.
The wave of possessiveness hits me out of nowhere. I should be surprised, but I’m not shocked. I’ve always been territorial over everything. Toys. Money. Business ventures. And now…a woman. Although the idea is new, the feeling is not.
Lance turns his attention on me.
“Mr. Kane. I’m sorry to interrupt. I didn’t realize you and Zahra were in the middle of a business meeting tonight.”
“We’re not,” I offer in a dry voice.
Zahra shivers as I trace her arm with my finger. Lance’s eyes track the movement before ending at my hand pressed against her waist in an intimate gesture.
“Well, I’m sorry to intrude on this…outing.”
“Why did you then?” I counter, keeping my voice flat.
His mouth opens and closes again. I don’t bother waiting for his limited brain cells to make up some pathetic excuse.
I wave over the hostess. She comes over and places herself between Lance and me.
“Mr. Kane. Can I help you with something?” She keeps her tone light and professional.
“I’d like to send this man’s table a bottle of Dom Perignon on my tab.”
She beams. “Of course. What occasion are we celebrating?”
“His job promotion.”
The hostess disappears with a massive grin on her face.
Zahra’s body goes rigid beside me. I caress her hip, toying with the strap of lace through the fabric of her dress. Her body melts into mine despite Lance staring at us openly.
“Job promotion?” he squawks.
“It’s come to my attention that you have been a dedicated Dreamland employee for years.”
He nods with a grin. His eyes move from me to Zahra, and I’m tempted to shield her from his gaze. The way he looks at her makes me think he believes she talked him up to me.
He’s such a waste of good oxygen.
I’m absolutely disgusted by him. “You’re officially being transferred to Dreamland Shanghai to work with the Creators there. Effective immediately.”
All the blood drains from his face. “Shanghai? China?”
“It appears you have two reasons to celebrate tonight. Congratulations.”
He sputters some more. His discomfort makes me want to smile, but I hold back. There’s only one person who deserves my limited supply and it’s definitely not this degenerate.
I look down at Zahra, only to find her already staring up at me. The smallest smile graces her lips, but her eyes tell me everything. She rises on the tips of her toes and places a soft kiss on my cheek.
Her lips make their way toward my ear. “You’re so getting laid tonight.” Her hot breath makes the back of my neck heat, and suddenly I’m very interested in getting the hell out of here.
Screw dates at restaurants. They’re grossly overrated and highly restricting. I’m not sure what I was thinking bringing Zahra to one when she’s the kind of person who likes to sit on floors and binge takeout food together.
I give Zahra’s hip a squeeze in acknowledgment.
“Congratulations on Shanghai. You should be so proud of your accomplishments, Lance.” She gives Lance one last wave over her shoulder before she returns to her chair.
A small part of me rejoices in the fact that she doesn’t offer him a smile. Those are all mine, fuck him very much.
Lance stares at her with his mouth agape. The way he ogles at her makes me want to deck him right in his crooked nose.
I clap a hand on Lance’s tense shoulder and lean in, the gesture seeming friendly to anyone else. “There’s a reason men like you hurt women like Zahra. It has nothing to do with her and everything to do with what you’re severely lacking.” I take a moment to look down at him, not bothering to hide the disgust in my eyes.
All the blood drains from his face, and his body shrinks into itself. It brings me a completely different sense of satisfaction to affect him like this. I’m sure it’s only a fraction of the discomfort Zahra probably feels in his presence, but I’m glad to deliver it.
I give him one last pat on the shoulder before turning away.
Zahra’s already seated in her chair. Her wide eyes bounce between Lance’s retreating form and me. “Are you really sending him to Shanghai?”
“That’s up to him.” I pull out my chair and sit.
“How so?”
“He can either go to Shanghai or hand in his resignation. It doesn’t matter to me as long as he gets the hell off my property.”
She grasps my hand. “Why would you do that?”
I shrug.
“You really do like me.” She bats her long lashes.
“I already told you this earlier.” I shoot her a soft smile, which only makes her beam like the goddamn sun in return.
She grabs the dessert menu from the center of the table. “Actions speak louder than words.”
“And what do my actions say?” I lean in and grab the end of her hair, pulling her toward me, so our mouths are only a few inches apart.
“That you care more than you’re letting on.”
I close the gap between us and kiss her. “Don’t go wishing for things that can’t happen.”
The corners of her eyes soften, reflecting an emotion I haven’t seen from her yet. “That’s okay. I’ll dream big enough for the two of us.”
The strange warmth surging through my veins is quickly doused by a chill. That’s my biggest worry in one single sentence.
