pace, with no dance moves, but it wouldn’t have mattered how slow or fast he came. Power and authority rolled off of him in waves. His aura filled the entire beer garden, and even the staff paused to watch him walk past.
I heard someone whisper to their friend, “Is he famous?”
“Sssshhhh,” was the response.
The closer he got, the more evident it became that guards were following him. More whispers started. Someone pulled out a phone, but the guard closest to her moved to block her. He said something, and the phone disappeared. I had no clue how he managed that, but I tried to fixate on it, focus on that woman whose eyes were suddenly much bigger than they’d been mere seconds ago, because while I was watching her, I wasn’t watching him.
Closer. Closer.
The tingles rose in power, zapping me. But I was calm.
When I looked up, he was staring right at me, a mocking glint in his eyes. He smoothed a hand down the front of his shirt, as if stroking a tie that wasn’t there, before he folded into the chair beside me. He moved the chair over as he sat, and his thigh pressed against mine for a moment before he settled in his seat.
“What?” I asked.
He didn’t answer, shaking his head before turning to face the manager as she approached.
“Mr. Bennett.” She folded her hands in front of her, her head dipping as if she were going to bow, but decided at the last second just to lower her head in a brief nod. She cleared her throat, her neck becoming red. “It’s a pleasure to have you here tonight.”
Oh, yes. That guard had really schmoozed her.
She reached up, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.
She was a plain-looking woman, and she wore the same uniform as her staff: a white button-up shirt over black dress slacks. The only thing setting her apart was the manager tag on her blouse and the fact that she was the one greeting us.
Kai spoke to her as Brooke leaned over the table, talking over them.
“All I have to say is if there’s a chance we can get this one—” She pointed at Kai. “—to a nightclub, I will have died and gone to heaven.”
Kai shot her a look, but continued speaking to the manager. She had stepped closer, bending her head, and oh—what a coincidence—the top three buttons of her blouse were open. I was fairly certain only one had been opened when the first guard bought the table behind us.
Shifting in his seat, Kai reached over to touch my side, but he continued as if he wasn’t aware of the touch. He knew. His fingers pressed into my side before drifting to the top of my leg. He so knew. I caught the faint grin teasing his mouth. He was enjoying this too.
He must have seen me eyeing the manager like a starved hawk seeing a rival falcon on the next perch. And why I was using animal metaphors was beyond me. I needed to get out. Well, I needed to get out more than I had today.
Maybe a nightclub visit was in order…
But no. I had plans.
There was a reason I’d asked to come here, had asked to stay here. I just hadn’t entirely figured out my plan. But glancing at a nearby clock, I saw I still had time.
“Thank you,” the manager finished, nodding before she left.
Kai leaned back, putting an arm over the back of my chair.
I stiffened.
Brooke and Jonah noted the movement, but Brooke didn’t stop talking.
I tried to tune in. She was asking for Jonah’s recommendation on the first shot for the night when Kai touched my shoulder, pulling me back into his side. He moved his head as if he were looking past me, his lips right next to my ear.
“You abandoned me earlier,” he said, his breath tickling me. “I could’ve used your backup.”
I turned my head just slightly so our eyes could meet. “You were handling it just fine. Besides, you left me in the lurch earlier than that.”
“I had work to do.”
He eyed me, daring me to bring up my parting words from our argument.
A flush worked its way up my back, my neck, and he felt it, his hand moving to the back of my neck. His thumb began rubbing in circles, which caused another tickling sensation to vibrate over my skin.
“Is your work done?”
Now he smirked. “You tell me.” He looked meaningfully over his shoulder.
I