The O Intention(34)

More book puns. By now, I know I shouldn’t expect anything less. “If you’re not a lady, then what are you?”

“A dreamer who likes to play dress up from time to time.”

“How is that any different to a lady?”

She glares at my question and I realize its sexist undertone.

“A lady is a woman who plays the parts she’s supposed to. A dreamer plays any part they want, sometimes all of them at once.”

I process her words and it actually makes sense… not that I’m surprised. Alix is a clever girl. “And you’re a dreamer?”

She nods. “Right.”

I cross my arms and lean against my car. “And who are you playing right now?”

She plants her hand on her hip and flicks her hair. “I am the underappreciated girlfriend of one of Empyre Magazine’s most eligible bachelors, who also happens to be the Vice President of a very successful chain of hotels.”

I’m grinning and I can’t help it. “Lucky you.”

“Yeah, lucky me. When we get to my parents house though, you’ll still be Empyre Magazine’s bachelor, who also happens to be the Vice President of a very successful chain of hotels, but I’ll be the waste-of-space daughter who can’t do anything right, and has absolutely no hopes or dreams.” She rolls her beautiful eyes. “Joy.”

“It won’t be that bad,” I tell her, but she’s not convinced.

Every parent is proud of their child in some way, shape or form. Granted some find it difficult to express, like my father for example, but I know deep down he couldn’t run this business without me. He knows it too. Tonight at dinner, I’ll show Alix that her parents are, in fact, proud of her, just as much as they are of her sister and if they aren’t, then I’ll bring her back here and we’ll have our own dinner.

I circle the car and open Alix’s door. With a sly smile, she slips inside and I shut it. When I join her and shut my own door, she runs her fingers through her hair and straightens her dress. Then, she abruptly turns to me.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you not to mention that I work for you. I can only imagine the lecture I’ll get about dating my boss.”

Is that what we’re doing? Dating? We’ve been spending a lot of time together… so I guess technically we’re dating. She catches her use of words too and her eyes widen.

“I mean, we’re not dating, but as far as my parents are concerned…”

An awkward silence falls and she straightens herself in her seat once again. Not dating. Right.

“And when I don’t show up to the next family dinner?”

She thinks on it for a second before shrugging. “I’ll tell them we broke up.”

In my opinion, it’d be an easier situation to handle if I don’t show up at all, but yesterday my drunken self made a deal with her. I’ll go to her family dinner to impress her parents and in return, we don’t have to do any more lunches or dinners. It’s a bonus, I guess. The meals never seem to end well anyway. I also asked her to stay at my place tonight. The thought sends a course of excitement through my body… the excitement is tainted with fear, though. How do I even begin to impress a woman like Alix? How do I impress her sexually? I don’t even know what she likes and I’m in no position to ask. I bet she’d enjoy it if I did ask. She’d enjoy watching me try to spit out my words while turning a feminine shade of pink. It’s amazing how she can drop the ‘f bomb’ and talk about cocks all day without any discomfort and yet the mere thought of my asking her what she enjoys sexually sends a hot, embarrassing rush through my veins. I’ll never understand it.

Ever.



***



When Alix points out her parent’s house and we pull up into the driveway, my mouth falls open. Their house is gorgeous—and big—much bigger than I was expecting. You don’t really appreciate a beautiful home until you’ve lived in a hotel for a good portion of your adult life. Lots of windows span the house, from top to bottom, and the traditional light stone exterior is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.

“What did you say your parents do?”

“They’re surgeons, but both of them come from lines of ‘old money’.”

I sit for a little while longer just looking at the beautiful structure. I’d wanted my father to design the lobby in Milan with traditional ‘light’ brick, but he didn’t like it. He’s insane. Light brick is astonishing.

I switch the car off and peer at Alix. She bites on the corner of her index fingernail… I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so nervous.