“I was hoping you would like me because I buy you food.”
I chuckled. “It doesn’t hurt…but that’s not why I like you.”
We ate in comfortable silence, stealing glances at each other across the table. His mind seemed to be racing behind his eyes, because he eventually said, “Has a man ever gone down on you before?”
I felt the heat creep up my neck. “Why do you ask?”
“You seemed to enjoy it.”
“Is there a woman in the world who doesn’t enjoy that?”
“Answer the question.”
I was embarrassed to comply. “No…”
“That was your first time?”
“Yes.”
Most of his salad had been eaten, so he set his fork on his tray and put his entire focus on me. “I’m surprised. You have a nice pussy.”
“Thanks…you have a nice dick.”
“I think they’ll go well together.”
I wasn’t so sure about that part. He was so thick and long that it probably would hurt the entire time. We would have to do it at least a dozen times before I could actually enjoy it, but since he only screwed virgins, that didn’t seem possible. “So, what can you tell me about your family?”
“My father died about ten years ago. Heart attack.”
“Oh…I’m sorry.”
He didn’t seem too sad about it. “My mom is still around. She’s a socialite in the city.”
“Socialite?” I asked, having no idea what that meant.
“She’s a rich person who hangs with the popular crowd, basically.”
“Is she rich because you’re rich? Or was she rich before?”
“I come from a wealthy family,” he admitted. “My father started the company I own now. It was much smaller at the time, but my brother and I turned it into the behemoth it is today. Now we have luxury hotels all over the world with top-of-the-line service. My father was successful but small-minded. I transformed it into something better.”
“I heard that you and your brother have bad blood.”
“Don’t believe everything you read,” he said. “But yes, that’s true.”
“That’s too bad.”
He shrugged and didn’t elaborate. “We keep it professional.”
“But you don’t have a relationship outside of work?”
“Not at all.”
“What about the holidays?”
“We get together for my mom. But that’s it. Once she’s gone, we’ll stop the charade.”
I couldn’t imagine hating a family member. “What happened?”
He shook his head like he wasn’t going to answer. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“We’re getting to know one another. You think I’m going to judge you?”
“No. I just don’t want to talk about it.” He held my gaze with ferocity, like he dared me to ask him again.
I didn’t. “So you took over the family business the second you were an adult?”
“No. I took a few years off and traveled across Europe.”
“Ooh…that sounds fascinating.”
“Yes, I had a good time. I returned to the States a couple years later, took over the company with Coen, and then my father dropped dead from a heart attack. Now it’s been almost a decade and so much has changed.”
“Yeah…I can only imagine. How’s your mother?”
“She’s good. Had a few boyfriends but I chased them off.”
“Why would you chase them off?” I asked with a laugh.
“They weren’t good enough for her. They only wanted her for her money. I really dig into the guys that show interest in my mom to make sure they’re being genuine.”
“That’s sweet…”
“I hope she meets a good guy eventually. I want her to have a companion. My father died young, but she’s got a long way to go.”
“When the time is right, I’m sure it’ll happen.”
“Maybe,” he said noncommittally. “So, I’m guessing you want the house, kids, and the white picket fence.”
“You say it like it’s a bad thing.”
“No. It was just a question.”
“But your tone was pretty stern there.”
He shrugged. “You know I’m not a fan of monogamy.”
“Well, yes. I do want all those things—minus the picket fence. Those are a bit out of style.”
He chuckled. “True.”
“I was thinking of a townhouse in the city. Something big enough for the kids to run around in, something close to the good schools, and something reasonably close to work. But with my debt following me everywhere I go, that may never happen.”
“A real man isn’t going to care about that.”
“I would,” I argued. “If a guy told me he was $600,000 in debt, I’d run.”
“But you’re a woman, so it’s different.”
“How so?”
“The man is supposed to take care of the woman, not the other way around. If he was stupid enough to get stuck in that situation, then he doesn’t have the qualifications to be a good partner anyway.”
Both of my eyebrows arched as I was deeply offended by what he said.
It took him a second to understand my reaction. “That’s not what I meant. Don’t take it out of context.”
“Why else would he be $600,000 in debt?”
“Gambling. Most men get into debt from gambling, not student loans. It’s a sad statistic, but true nevertheless. I don’t think getting an education should ever be a mistake. Something needs to be done about the problem because we have a lot of young people who want to better themselves, but now it’s impossible to do that. It’s a scary thought, because we need working professionals in our lives.”