Page 56 of Stanton Adore

10

Natasha

Ninety minutes later Joshua and I are waiting to be seated at my favorite Italian restaurant. “Table for two, thanks,” he asserts to the waiter, without as much as a smile.

“Ah, yes, this way.” The waiter motions to the front of the bay windows that lead out onto the street. He looks around.

“We need to be at the back of the restaurant,” Josh says as he adjusts his cuff links. I frown at him, affronted by his rudeness.

“OK, this table at the back then.”

Joshua smiles. “Thank you.” Beautiful Josh has disappeared, and Mr. Stanton has come in his place. That became apparent an hour ago when a bodyguard arrived at my apartment with an overnight bag, full of clean clothes for him. After a heated discussion and a small tantrum from yours truly, he finally agreed to the bodyguard travelling in a separate car from us. If I have him for one frigging night I’m not sharing, not a chance. He looks edible of course, jeans, white shirt and a navy blazer. He oozes confidence and sex appeal—no wonder he attracts so much attention. The forty-thousand-dollar Rolex watch doesn’t help the situation either. I am so punching above my weight here.

“Why do we have to sit at the back?” I frown. “I wanted to sit near the window.” He follows me silently and pulls out my chair for me to take a seat. Oohh, manners. He sits, ignoring my question as he looks around. He calls the waiter.

“I’ll have a bottle of Barossa Valley Shiraz, thank you.” He turns his eyes back to me.

“Answer my question,” I snap.

He raises his eyebrows in silent defiance. “Natasha, I really don’t want the paps to find me here. I like privacy.”

I huff. “Could have fooled me,” I mutter under my breath. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he snaps.

“Joshua, I’ve had a Google alert on you, and every time I turned on my computer, I’ve had to endure every damn date you’ve been on for the last five years. I would say you thrive on the attention on your love life.”

He sits back, obviously annoyed at my challenge. “I do, do I?” He raises an eyebrow.

“Yes, I think you do,” I answer. The waiter arrives and pops the cork then pours a little into the glass. Josh tastes it.

“That’s fine,” he replies, his eyes not leaving mine. The waiter pours me a glass.

“Will that be all?”

“Yes, thanks,” I answer. Josh takes a sip and his eyes bore into me as he leans back in his chair. He’s pulling a power stance. Give me a break.

“Why would you have a Google alert on me?” He tilts his head to the side while he runs the side of his forefinger back and forward over his lip. He’s thinking. I’ve already worked out this mannerism.

“You know why,” I answer, slightly embarrassed. Obviously because I don’t have one cool bone in my body. “Josh, I’ve told you my feelings haven’t changed. Of course I want to know what you are doing.”

“And what have you found out?” His smugness is starting to piss me off.

I shrug my shoulders. “Lots of things.” I take a sip of my wine and look around the room.

“Like what?” he snaps.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I do wide eyes at him.

“Are you looking for a fight tonight?” His arrogance is seriously pissing me off and I raise my eyebrows at him. He has the audacity to smile and bite his lip.

“It turns me on when you get angry you know.” He sips his wine as he narrows his eyes at me.

I smirk, unable to hold it in. “No, I just wonder why you can’t be seen with me. But you’re more than happy to be seen with every other woman in the United States.”

He rolls his eyes. “You can’t be serious. Did you ask me to take you out for dinner so you can fight with me about my past?” He takes another sip of his wine, his eyes not leaving mine.

“That depends, Josh, is it your past or your future?”

His eyes burn into me. “Both,” he replies.