Cherry Creek - Dani Matthews Page 0,38
lightly.
“I'm by myself. I just left work and thought I'd eat out tonight.”
“Mind if I join you for a few? I ordered take-out, so it should be up shortly.”
“Go for it,” I say as I try not to stare at him for too long. He really is hot. I still feel that strong pull towards him, but it's not as strong as it had been the first time we'd met. He sits down across from me, and I try not to admire his broad shoulders or the fact that his blue shirt brings out the gray in his eyes.
Trace smiles, focusing all his attention on me. “How are you settling in?”
“It's taking some getting used to.”
His expression turns curious. “I get the feeling that you're still less than thrilled to be here. Anything happen to put you off of our town?”
Yeah, all the secrets are pissing me off. I keep my mouth shut, though, and remind myself that Trace works for Khristos. Everything I say might just be repeated. “Everything is fine,” I lie. “It's just an adjustment, that's all.”
He nods. “Is Roman introducing you around?”
“We don't really have all that much in common,” I say as I push my empty plate aside.
Trace looks surprised. “Why do you say that?” He reaches for a pink packet of sugar from the small, ceramic container at the edge of the table. It looks tiny in his large, tanned hand, and he begins to idly roll the packet between each of his fingers.
“He seems kind of...wild,” I say tactfully as I watch him play with the packet briefly before I look back at his face. I find his gray eyes fixated on me. “I'm about as opposite from wild as you can get,” I reveal.
“He's your cousin. You should try to get to know him. Roman’s a bit reckless, but that doesn't mean he expects you to change who you are. He'll meet you halfway if you let him,” he assures. “How are things going with Khristos?”
“He's always busy.” Fact is, I'm glad he's so busy. The man is good at making me feel apprehensive.
“Have you asked him for his time?”
“Well, no. Not really. He's always gone,” I say a bit awkwardly.
Trace nods slowly as he sets the packet of sugar back in the ceramic holder. “He has the club to run, so his evenings are taken up with business. If you want to spend time with him, I'd approach him in the morning or afternoons.”
“I'll keep that in mind.” I'd rather learn more about Trace, so I ask, “What do you do for Khristos? What exactly is your job title?”
“I guess you could say I'm his personal assistant. I do things he doesn't have time for,” he says as he picks up my plate and sets it in the far corner of the table.
“Like what?”
“Running errands,” he says, shrugging his shoulder. “Or I take meetings with clients or employees if he's unavailable at the time.”
“And you drive him around?”
“Sometimes.”
I think over what he said, and I can't help but think that he's awfully young to be an assistant, especially to someone like Khristos—who's quite successful for his age. Unless Khristos likes surrounding himself with people closer to his own age. I guess if that's the case, it makes sense.
The waitress walks up to our booth with a take-out bag for Trace. He smiles warmly at her before she turns her attention on another table. His gaze shifts back to me, and he looks at me questioningly. “I'm all paid up, so I'm good to go. I'll walk you out,” he offers.
“Sure.” I'm always up for spending more time with him. We exit the diner, and it's now going on eight. The sun is still bright, but it's beginning to sink in the sky as the evening wears on. I make a move to turn right, to walk back towards Sinfully Yours while Trace turns left—to go towards the diner parking lot.
He stops walking and looks back at me questioningly. “Didn't you drive here?”
“I was in the mood to walk.”
“I'll walk you back to the store,” he says as he walks over to me.
“That doesn't make any sense. Then you have to walk all the way back to get your own car,” I point out.
“I can drive you,” he offers as he smiles down at me.
My feet are beginning to ache from all the walking I've done today in these heels. “You win,” I say with a smile. It’s not really my feet