Braver (22 page)

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Six o’clock had me sitting in the front seat of that gorgeous Porsche, wearing a simple black dress and heels and toting my new phone in a little wristlet Casey had loaned me.

“Any preferences on dinner?” Liam asked, after he’d opened the door for me and complimented me on the dress. “There’s this new place I got reservations for, but we can go wherever you want.”

“We can go there,” I said. “I’m not a picky eater.”

“I’ve heard it’s good,” he said.

That was all the warning he gave me before pulling up outside of Mash. A valet opened the door for me and helped me out as I stared at the long line of people waiting outside of the glittering restaurant.

“Isn’t this one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city?” I asked, trying to close my mouth.

Liam offered me his arm and I had no choice but to take it.

“I’m not sure,” he said. “But it did take me a couple of weeks to get the table.”

“Weeks?” I said. “I heard it takes months.”

“Maybe I greased some palms,” he said, grinning. “I can kind of afford it.”

We were seated immediately, before anyone waiting in the line.

“Can I suggest a wine for you?” Liam asked, looking over the menu.

I shook my head. “I don’t really drink,” I said.

He blinked a couple of times before shutting the menu. “Good for you. Neither will I.”

“It’s not a thing,” I protested. “You can enjoy your wine as long as you let me drive that divine Porsche of yours again.”

Liam laughed, ordering two waters. “Did you enjoy it?”

“Drives like a dream,” I said, my smile loopy just thinking about it. “I think that’s probably the best investment you’ve ever made.”

“You’re may be right,” Liam agreed.

The waiter came back with our waters and paused.

“You said you’re not a picky eater?” Liam asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

“That’s right.”

“Do you mind if I order for you?”

I grinned and shook my head. “Go right ahead,” I said. “I’m not sure what’s good here, anyway.”

“Everything,” the waiter put in, leaning forward.

“We’ll both have the stuffed lamb chops,” Liam said, handing the menu to the waiter.

“Right away, sir,” the man said before hurrying off.

“Ooh, I like lamb,” I said, rubbing my hands together. “I’m excited to try it stuffed.”

“I’ve heard very good things about it,” Liam said. He paused a moment before looking at me, propping his chin up on his fist. “Listen, thanks for coming out with me.”

“Thanks for inviting me,” I said. “You didn’t have to.”

“I did,” he said. “The things I said to you weren’t fair after everything you’d done for me.”

“It was nothing,” I said. “I got to take a drunk rich guy’s Porsche on a joyride across New York City. It was my pleasure.”

We both laughed.

“Can I tell you something?” Liam asked. “You have to promise not to be pissed off at me.”

“I can promise to try not to be pissed off at you,” I said, cocking my head at him. “What is it?”

“You’re really pretty,” he said, smiling. “Especially without all that makeup.”

I laughed and covered my face. “That was all very new to me,” I said, “but thank you. I try not to wear five pounds of makeup on a regular basis.”

We chatted some more, the time passing quickly before the waiter came back with covered trays, revealing them with a flourish. My mouth watered at the succulent piece of meat before me, rosemary-encrusted and stuffed with minced fruit and other goodies. On the side was a mashed vegetable tailored for the main dish, which was the restaurant’s namesake.

“I think you made the right decision with this,” I said, taking up my knife and fork.

The first bite exploded with flavor, the meat having been roasted with the fruit inside. The lamb had been infused with the fragrant stuffing.

“So good,” Liam groaned. I blushed, unwillingly being transported to the night before, when I’d had him groaning for different reasons.

“Want to come back tomorrow night?” I joked, taking a sip of water.

“Only if you’re by my side,” he said, making me melt a little inside. Liam was a charmer.

“Just give me a time and place to be,” I teased. “I will so take you up on this.”

A few minutes passed in amicable silence, both of us noshing on our dinners.

“Do you think you’ll always be a stripper?” Liam asked with feigned casualness.

I stiffened, but he held his hands up. “I’m just asking,” he said. “From what I can remember, you’re pretty good at it.”

“It’s not a permanent thing,” I said. “Just until I find something else.”

“Well, what would you rather be doing?”

I thought for a minute. “Something with helping people,” I said. “My roommate’s going to school to be a nurse, but I get squeamish. Maybe something with kids. I’m not sure. I’m kind of getting back up on my feet.”

I didn’t want to talk about my past, but there it was: an opening for him to ask. If Liam was weird about me being a stripper, I could only imagine his reaction to the knowledge that I used to be a prostitute.

He seemed to sense my reluctance to talk about it and smiled. “Well, if you really wanted to help people as a career, I could use some help.”

“Ha ha,” I mugged. “I think I already helped you once.”

“No, I’m serious,” Liam said. “I could use a personal assistant. I’ve been vetting people because there’s some privacy issues involved, but you’ve already seen me at my absolute worst.”

I shook my head, not sure what I was hearing. “Are you offering me a job?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Why not?” he asked. “I feel like I can trust you. You tolerate my stupidities. And you say you want to help people.”

“I don’t want to strip for the rest of my life,” I said. “It was just a temporary fix for cash.”

“You wouldn’t have to worry about cash,” he said. “You can even stay in my spare bedroom. In fact, I’d prefer that. It’d be rent free, of course, because you’d never be off duty.”

Stay in that gorgeous penthouse free of rent? Get a job that didn’t involve selling my body?

“I’ll sign my contract now,” I said, grinning.

Liam laughed and lifted his water glass. “To Miss Collette Bell, my new personal assistant and roommate.”

“Please, just Cocoa,” I said, clinking my glass with his. “Nobody calls me Collette.”

“Cocoa it is,” Liam said. “Now, how about some dessert to celebrate?”

We shared tiramisu before leaving the restaurant for the night.

“Do you mind if we stop by my place?” he said. “I just wanted to show you some of the things you’ll be doing. We don’t have to if you think it’s too late.”

“No, it’s fine,” I said, feeling full and happy. “I’ll just text Casey and let her know not to expect me before she goes to work.”

“Oh,” Liam said. “Do you need to go to work, too?”

“Not anymore,” I said, smiling.

I whipped out my little phone and shot off a quick message to Casey. “Going to Liam’s and don’t want you to worry,” it said.

The response lit up my phone. “Sex on the first date? Naughty girl!”

I had to smother my smile. “Not what you think — it’s a business proposal.”

“Better not be a business proposal about that body,” Casey typed back.

I shook my head and put my phone away.

We arrived in no time, the traffic light. The doorman smiled as he recognized me from last night, giving me a discreet thumbs up. I tried to shake my head at him, but stopped when Liam turned to look at me.

“Your penthouse is beautiful, by the way,” I said when we reached it. The city was sparkling as it had been the night before. I could get used to a view like this.

“Thanks,” Liam said, vanishing down the hallway.