Betrayal (Infidelity Book 1) - Aleatha Romig Page 0,18
or hormones. Whatever it was, my B’s became D’s. I didn’t know what to do with them and complained that they made me look heavy. Again, it was Chelsea who told me to embrace them. She promised that the doors my education and intelligence didn’t open would be flung open by my girls standing proudly at attention on my chest.
I lifted the glass and took a sip of the wine. The flavor was crisper than other chardonnays I’d had. “I like it,” I exclaimed. “It’s crisp, not as sweet as others.”
His pale eyes relaxed. “I knew my wife would have a discerning palate, or is it your tongue?”
While I struggled with the appropriate response, Mrs. Witt came back, filling the silence and leaving me with my mystery man’s suggestive smile. She placed a tray of cheese, olives, and crackers on the table and just as quickly disappeared, leaving us alone.
“Thank you, again,” I said, “for saving me from Max.”
“So that’s what he’s calling himself this week.”
I motioned around the patio. “Is this what you do? You save women from the resort leeches and lure them to your lair?”
“My lair? Am I Batman?”
“Are you? I don’t know.”
He smirked. “If only I could make a living at doing just that, but alas, no. You’re my first rescue.”
I stopped my reach for a piece of cheese and looked back up at him. “Your first?”
“My first rescue,” he clarified. “Hardly my first.”
“Why?”
He lifted his glass toward me in a toast. After I lifted mine, he said, “To you, Charli with an i, and to learning more about you.”
After our glasses clinked and we both took a sip, I asked the question that I’d been dying to know ever since our morning encounter. “You seem to have a clear advantage. You know my name, but I’ve yet to learn yours.”
“Do I?”
“Do you what?”
“Do I have an advantage?” He leaned closer. “Do I know your name? You see, I had the resort’s reservations scoured. I wanted to send a gift to your room and confirm our dinner, yet Charli was nowhere to be found.”
I took a deep breath. “Well, I’m here with my sister. I guess my name isn’t on the reservation.”
“Your sister?”
“Yes, and you? If I were to have the reservations scoured?”
The sun had now fully set, falling below the water and the darkening sky was beginning to fill with stars, especially over the water.
“Would you believe, Batman?” When I didn’t respond, he said, “Bruce Wayne?”
Though I pursed my lips, I felt the twinkle in my eyes.
“Since I suppose you could have the reservations scoured, you’d have the advantage of being able to zero in on this suite.”
Why hadn’t I thought of that?
“But I’ll save you the trouble.” He lifted his right hand over the table. As I reached to take it, he turned mine and lightly brushed his lips over my knuckles filling me again with warmth. “Let me introduce myself. Charli, I’m Nox.”
“Knox?” I repeated his name, more like a question. “Like Fort Knox?”
“In some ways, but without the K. I do however have a thing for locks and security.”
Retrieving my hand and allowing his name to roll through the corridors of my mind, a smile graced my lips. His name was perfect—unique and powerful—like the man seated across from me.
He went on, “Tell me something about you. How did your parents come up with the name Charli. Surely they knew what a beautiful girl they’d had.”
I shrugged. “If you’re asking if they wanted a boy, I can answer unequivocally yes. However, Charli is short for Charles, my grandfather’s name.”
Nox grinned. “Well, the name Charli is as lovely as you.”
Mrs. Witt returned with salads and our conversation waned. It wasn’t awkward silence, but comforting in a way. We knew very little about one another, but what little we knew surrounded us like the glass partition, protecting us from whatever lurked beyond.
“Nox, what do you do?” I smirked. “Besides rescuing women? Oh, and wearing a cape?”
“Like I said, you’re my first rescue, and I reserve my cape for at least the third date.”
So this is a date.
“I run businesses,” he said between bites.
“Businesses?” Maybe the presidential suite wasn’t indicative of his wealth. Maybe he was there on the company’s money.
“Yes. It’s really not that exciting. I travel a lot. That’s how I knew that Max and his friend were up to no good. I’ve stayed in Del Mar on numerous occasions.”
“I’d like to think that I would’ve seen through him, but I still appreciate