Traded(39)

During the rest of the car ride, Ashton asked question after question, wanting to hear every detail.

“I can’t wait to see you in it.” He squeezed my hand.

“You’ll have to wait a few weeks. I have to meet the rest of the cast and rehearse before opening night.”

“You have to rehearse?”

I couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped my lips. “Of course we do. How else do you expect everyone to learn their parts?”

He shrugged. “I guess I never really put much thought into it. But I’m glad I get to take you out to celebrate.”

My face hurt from smiling so much. It had been years since I felt this carefree.

And I loved it.





CHAPTER 11





Ashton




Elena was glowing, her radiance shining through her whole personality. The corners of her eyes crinkled as she explained all about the play and it was amazing to see her so animated. So content.

Alan had called me not long after her audition, asking all sorts of questions about her background, but I didn’t know she’d got the part until she told me in the driveway. She must have aced it. I hadn’t lied when she’d asked whether I told him to give her the part. The assumption that I might have had something to do with that was like a kick in the teeth, but I reminded myself she wasn’t used to good fortune falling in her lap.

It felt like I was seeing a whole new side of her—a side that was even more attractive than I’d seen so far. Her confidence turning me on so badly I was thinking about bending her over the hood of the car and fucking her until she screamed my name. The only thing that kept my dick firmly in my pants was the need to have her willingly. If she wanted to try some of the things I enjoyed, she needed to do it on her own terms.

The restaurant I chose happened to have a dance floor. I didn’t know if Elena danced but all day I’d been dreaming about her soft sweet body pressed to mine. When I made the reservation this morning, I made sure the table would be private, but close to the dance floor. Owning three restaurants in town had its perks. My restaurants were the place to see and be seen. The money I made far outweighed the money people paid me in interest on the loans, and every other restaurant owner in town was more than willing to accommodate my requests, knowing I’d do the same for them when they needed it.

After we were seated, Elena picked up her menu, studying it like she did every time we went out to eat. I waited, knowing the question was coming.

“I can’t decide,” she said.

I had a feeling that even before Dominic, she hadn’t spent much time in restaurants like the one we were currently in.

“What are your two choices?” I’d figured out pretty quickly that Elena always wanted two things off the menu but couldn’t choose between them. The first time I told her to order both, she’d balked at the idea so I’d changed tack and helped her narrow down her choice. If one of the options was what I happened to be ordering, it was easy because we’d order both and share. If not, well, then ordering took a little longer.

“I either want the lamb chops or the seared tuna.”

“I’m getting the lamb if you want to try some of mine and get the tuna.”

“Oh, that sounds perfect.” She closed the menu and sat it on the table, her arms drawing together, my eyes captivated by the tops of her breasts, so beautifully displayed above the red strapless dress. Her creamy flesh would taste divine under my tongue.

We placed our order, including a bottle of wine, and our waitress brought two glasses, allowing us to sample the flavor before she poured. She took a sip and set the glass down, watching me. I lifted a brow.

“I forgot to thank you for the phone when I saw you earlier. I’ve never had a smart phone. The one I left at the apartment was a prepaid cell. I had to limit the number of calls I made so I wouldn’t run out of minutes. It was nice to feel connected to the rest of the world—even if it took me ages to figure out how to use the damn thing.”

Asshole had a smartphone; I knew that for a fact. He’d texted me multiple times over the years to arrange drop offs and new loans, and the fact that he hadn’t allowed her the simple pleasure of contacting friends and family made my blood boil. I took a sip of my wine, using the time to tamp down my anger.

“You’re welcome. Now you can get a hold of me anytime. Speaking of the phone, why didn’t you text when you got the part?”

Her cheeks turned the same color as her dress.

“I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Reaching across the table, I slipped my hand across her upturned one, caressing the inside of her wrist lightly with my fingers. “I like surprises.”