Page 79 of The Grand Duel
“So, you plan to date? You’ll date men from the internet?”
My body burns at the question. At the fact he even wants to know the answer. “You make it sound weird, but yes, I guess so. It depends what they’re like.”
He nods, lips thinning. “Good, that’s good.” His jaw goes sharp, teeth clenching. “You’re young. It’s how it should be for you.”
How it should be?
I watch him unapologetically, wondering just how much of his life he’s lost to his craft and why he deprives himself of building relationships when he seems more than capable of committing to them. Unless he’s not as close to his friends and family as he’s made out, but I’ve seen how he treats Edna. I think there’s more to this man. In fact, I’m almost certain there is.
“It’s how it should be for everybody,” I eventually say. “Nobody should be alone in life, Charles.”
He says nothing, just watches me right back as if I’m a meteor being broadcast on the telly.
“We all deserve to feel…wanted, don’t we?”
His eyes drop to my lips, and my stomach bottoms out at the fire behind them, the way he traces over them with his gaze.
I swipe my tongue out to wet my bottom lip, and he snaps out of whatever trance he’s in.
His nostrils flare, gaze dropping away in a flash. “Maybe.” He clears his throat. “Finish up. We should head back to the office.”
SEVENTEEN
Lissie
“So, you work two jobs? One full time?”
I smile down at where Leah is knelt, refilling bottles on the bottom shelf. “It’s not as drastic as you’ve made it sound. My day job is ridiculously well paid for what I do, and this place is more for enjoyment at the end of a day than a job.”
“Tell the truth, Shoes.”
I turn and shoot daggers at Christian. “What’s your problem now?”
He smirks and looks away.
“That’s wild. You must be making a fortune,” Leah concludes, getting up and heading out of the bar and across to an empty table that’s just been vacated.
I chuckle after her.
The club is slowly starting to buzz around me, the bottom level loud with members beginning to wander upstairs. With no one to serve right away, I make my way to Christian and lean over the bar, just staring at him as he surveys the club.
“Are you falling in love, Jovie baby?”
My lips twist, and I shake my head.
He looks up at me. “What?”
I raise my brows. “Thetruth. I wanna hear it, seeming you knowsomuch about me.”
He shrugs, a little too frank to be playful. “You work yourself to the bone to avoid all your problems—presumably your parents, given you’ve never mentioned them. Nothing revolutionary.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Why are you all up in my shit?”
“You asked.”
“Well, next time I ask for the truth, lie to me.”
I make my way to the other end of the bar where Leah is now standing with one of the other girls, both hands still wrapped around the empty glasses she’s collected. I take them from her, offering her a smile.