“Seeing someone that you’ve slept with,” she replies with a shrug. “We aren’t even together; I have no right to feel anything.”
“Oh?” I say, a smug grin appearing on my face. “Pretty sure you just called yourself my girlfriend.”
“I was pissed off, Tane,” she says dismissively.
“That’s bullshit, and you know it. We always knew we would end up together, always.”
She doesn’t bother trying to deny it, but she does come back with, “If you always knew it, maybe you shouldn’t have f**ked around so much.”
Ouch. The truth hurts sometimes.
“It’s not as simple as that, is it?” I reply quietly.
She sighs. “I guess not. It’s just not a good feeling to know so many women have had you. I know that I have to let it go, though. At least, the rational side of me knows that.”
“And the other side of you?”
She raises a brow. “Don’t tempt me.”
“I’m sorry it hurts you, but to me they don’t mean anything. No one matters to me except you,” I say, my lips tightening in a slight grimace. “Julia was a huge mistake. I knew it the second after it happened. I’m sorry.”
She sighs and walks up to me, placing her hands against my chest.
“Maybe we can still get our happily-ever-after,” she replies, looking up at me.
Hope swirls in my chest.
“Yes, we can,” I say softly, smiling. I wrap her in my arms, my fingers drifting down her back.
“You still owe me two more dates,” she mumbles into my chest.
I chuckle. “You just want the questions, don’t you?”
“I like the dates too.”
“You think the dates will ever stop? Because they won’t. I won’t ever stop showing you how thankful I am to have you in my life, no matter how long we’re together,” I tell her.
She sighs contently. “I’ll hold you to that.”
“Come on. Let’s go to Gage’s,” I tell her.
She lifts her head. “Should we wait for the taxi to come and pick up your assistant first?”
I can’t help it; I laugh. She can’t help but be kind and thoughtful.
“You better start looking for a new one,” she tells me in a sharp tone.
“I will.”
“A male.”
“Yes ma’am.”
She smiles. I grin.
All is right in the world.
Chapter Seventeen
Giselle
On our fourth date, Tane surprises me the most.
He tells me to dress up, and I do. I wear a black bodycon dress with a completely bare back. It reaches my knees, balancing out the show of skin. My hair is loosely curled and my makeup is simple. I love seeing his eyes roam over my body, widening slightly as he takes me in.
“You look incredible,” he says, kissing my cheek. He opens the passenger door for me and I climb in.
“So, where are we going?” I ask once he gets into the driver’s seat.
“Be patient,” he says, making me narrow my eyes at him.
When we pull in front of the Hilton, I’m confused. A lot of people are walking in, all dressed to the nines.
“It’s a fundraiser for breast cancer,” he explains as we walk into the hotel lobby. “And I am going to play.” I can’t help but feel proud of him.
“Did they ask you?”
“Yes, my new personal assistant,” he looks at me with an amused expression as he says it, “told me they had contacted her. She said I was on a break but would ask me. It’s for charity, and I’m doing nothing, so why not.”
Great. Another female personal assistant. I put that aside, because I trust him.
I smile up at him. “I think it’s great. How do they raise the money?”
“Entrance tickets and food—all the proceeds go to charity.”
We walk into a function room and I watch Tane set up. He looks so sexy, brow furrowed in concentration as he sets up his fancy laptop and equipment. A lock of his dark hair falls on his forehead and he pushes it away agitatedly. I grin against my wine glass. He doesn’t even realise how sexy he is. A few minutes later he walks over to me, flashing me an apologetic look.
“I’m sorry,” he says. “I don’t want you to spend the whole night alone.”
“It’s okay. I’m happy to be here, seeing you in your element.”
His green eyes turn soft. “I’m glad you’re here too, and I hope you like it. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to impress someone more in my life.”
I laugh at that, my eyes crinkling. “I’m already impressed, so you don’t have to worry about a thing.”
“Have any requests for me?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.
“None that you would enjoy,” I reply with a giggle. “What will you be playing tonight?”
“Tonight I’ll be playing a mash up of mainly mainstream music that everyone will know and have fun dancing to.”
“Probably a good idea,” I reply, taking another sip. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” he says, leaning closer to me.
“I know that you don’t drink, but does it bother you that I do? You’ve never said anything about it.”
“I don’t mind if you drink. My issues are my own; I don’t expect you to change. Also, I’m always around people who drink. It kinda comes with the job. I can’t expect every single person around me to stop,” he replies, pulling on a lock of my hair.