"Tristan, do you ever go to clubs?" I asked impulsively, curious to know if my mental ramblings had been correct.
He stopped talking about what kind of art he thought the Atlanta suite could use and turned his head to look at me. There was a devilish look in his eyes that made them seem to dance in the light of his office.
"No. Why? Would you like to go out tonight?"
"Could we?" I asked excitedly, thrilled at the idea of not only getting out after weeks of being stuck in the hospital but also seeing him in a different setting.
He nodded and stood from his chair. As he passed by me without a glance, he said, "Of course. If you'll excuse me, I have to arrange a few things and deal with some work issues, but I'll meet you in the dining room at seven for dinner and we'll go out after that."
His leaving was so abrupt I wondered if I'd done something wrong. He hadn't smiled or even touched my hand as he left. His tone had been decidedly all business compared to just minutes earlier, but I guessed he had important work to do, so I set about studying the Atlanta suite in the hopes that I could add something unique to it.
After I'd done a few hours of work, I headed to my closet to search for something to wear that night. That morning when I'd reached for my work clothes, I'd been so nervous I hadn't paid attention to all the gorgeous clothes that hung next to them. I had no idea when I'd purchased the wardrobe I stood staring at, but I was sure it cost a fortune. Designer names, cashmere and silk, and dresses unlike anything I'd ever owned before filled my eyes.
I pushed each beautiful outfit past me, vetoing some because they were too long and others because they just didn't feel right for the night ahead, until I found a little black dress hidden all the way in the back. I held it up in front of me and measured it against my body. It was perfect. Hanging to about three inches above my knees, it showed enough skin to entice while still allowing me to look classy.
On the floor sat over a dozen pairs of shoes, each one more beautiful than the last. Black pumps, red stilettos, tan patent leather sling backs, but none of them seemed right for that little black dress. Then I spied a pair of gold stilettos on the far right side of the closet, hidden behind other shoes and knew instantly they were the ones.
I wanted this night to be one I'd remember forever. Tristan had repeatedly said we would make new memories, so tonight would be the first of many, or at least I hoped it would. I still wasn't sure how I felt about him, but between the jealousy that had nearly consumed me as I looked at those pictures with him and the women he called actresses and the desire he'd created in me as I sat in his room the night before and in his office that morning, I knew one thing for sure. I wanted to know more about him than the caring boyfriend and the accommodating boss.
I wanted him.
Five o'clock came and I took one last look at myself in the mirror. Smoldering sable eye shadow and the perfect red lipstick gave me the sex symbol look I was aiming for, and my dress and shoes screamed seduction. I just had to hope that Tristan was on the same page and hadn't fallen out of love with me after my coolness toward him.
By the time I reached the dining room, I was a complete nervous wreck. I didn't know how I'd handled the first time with him before, but this Nina felt like she was going to pass out from anxiety as she walked down the hallway from her room. Seduction had never been my strong suit, and an attempt to seduce a man as stunning as Tristan Stone made me feel like I was totally out of my league.
I only hoped he truly did still love me.
Chapter Five
Tristan
"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes, as you ordered," Rogers announced as he walked into the dining room.
I waited for something else to follow his dinner information, but instead he simply stood silently watching me. "Is there anything else, Rogers?"
He shook his head. "No, sir."
My second sir of the day. Another person in my house who wanted to call me something entirely too formal.
"Sir, Rogers? There's no one but the two of us here, and even if Nina was here, she's heard you call me by my given name before."
"As you wish, Tristan."
Why did I have the distinct impression that my butler was giving me the cold shoulder? "Is there something you want to say, Rogers? And if it has anything to do with our conversation the other day, don't bother. I'm not interested in hearing it again."
"Then I have nothing to say," he said as he turned to leave.
"I do. Make sure Jensen is ready to go tonight. I'm taking Nina to the city."
Rogers stopped his movement toward the doorway and stood still as Nina entered the dining room in a dress that was nothing less than stunning. She wore the gold shoes she'd worn the night of the book party at the hotel and the effect was just as incredible as that night. The memory of our time in the back of my car made me want her right then and there.
As I stood from the table to pull her chair out, I couldn't take my eyes off her. I'd never seen her look so beautiful. "Nina, I'm happy you're joining me."
She twirled around to show off her outfit and tripped over her feet, sending her stumbling into my arms. I looked down to see her face red from embarrassment, but to me she looked more gorgeous than ever.
"Thanks. I'm too smooth," she joked in the self-effacing way she always did when she was uncomfortable.
"My pleasure."
As she stood back up on her feet, she added, "Thank God you were there or I would have landed flat on my butt."
"I'll always be there, Nina."
We took our seats and her eyes lit up when Rogers began to bring the platters of food in. "Is that roast beef? I love roast beef!"
"I know. I thought it might be nice to have one of your favorites tonight."
Nina rolled her eyes and smiled. "I swear you don't miss a trick, do you? I better start learning some things about you so I can do nice things like this for you sometime."
I loved the idea of Nina thinking about me enough to surprise me, even if I hated surprises. That I couldn't express that had nothing to do with her and everything to do with me.
I felt Rogers' stern eyes staring at me as she talked of how excited she was about our planned night out. His disapproval filled the room, threatening to ruin all the happiness she felt and I wanted to feel. I couldn't stand his glaring at me as if I'd done something bad by falling in love with her.
Taking my attention away from Nina, I waved my hand in his direction. "Thank you, Rogers. That will be all for tonight."
He glared at me and bowed in a way that was undoubtedly meant to mock me. "Sir."
I stuffed down my anger at him and turned back to see Nina looking at me with reproach. "Are you always so short with your butler? He might smile more if you were nicer."
"I doubt it."
"Have you tried?" Her blue eyes looked like they were staring into my soul, like they were searching for the answer to her question.
Sheepishly, I answered, "No."
"Well, you can't know if you don't try. How long has he worked for you?"
"He's been with my family since I was a child. He's known me longer than anyone else in the world."
"Oh. Have you always been like this with him?"
I thought back to the countless times Rogers had picked up after me, first when I was an insolent child who cared nothing for his belongings and then when I became an adult and cared even less for the effect of my actions on others. How many times had he cleaned up some mess I'd made, making sure some female was driven home and sworn to silence or whisking me away from someone's apartment before I could get arrested for possession of enough coke for a small town?
"Are you hungry?" I asked, changing the subject.
She grimaced, marring that gorgeous face for just a moment. "Guess we're done talking about your cranky butler. That's okay. I am hungry, though."
"Good. We'll eat dinner and then head to the city."
Dinner was fantastic and by the time we left for the city hours later, Nina was laughing and full of smiles. It took every ounce of restraint on my part not to tell Jensen to forget the drive, sweep her into my arms, and take her back to my room to show her how much I loved her. I wanted to believe she'd worn the sexiest dress in her closet for me, but even if that was the case, we were still playing the game all first time lovers play—a light touch here, a sexy glance there, and no one truly sure of the other person's feelings, even though I'd told her I loved her more than once since coming home from the hospital.
I loathed the idea of going to a club, to be honest. After far too many nights spent in supposedly the best places in the city doing things anyone with a conscience should be ashamed of, I'd sworn off the city's nightlife, except for the functions required because of my position as the head of Stone Worldwide. I never even visited the clubs my company owned, but Nina wanted to go out to a club, so I had little choice.
If it made her happy, I'd go.
Jensen dropped us off behind a club called ETA just outside of the West Village, and we snuck in the back door unseen by any of those leeches with cameras. ETA was an enormous club that claimed to afford a person all the privacy he or she desired as they sat amongst hundreds of other like-minded individuals. Its name meant Estimated Time of Arrival, a not-so-clever ploy to get patrons thinking even more about sex. Years ago, I would have been happy to come all over every square inch of the place, but tonight I planned to find as secluded a spot as possible for Nina and me and hopefully she'd enjoy herself.