I eat my ham pizza at a square table in the corner of an expensive restaurant inside the hotel. My gaze clings to the people strolling in and out of the door. Chatter fills the restaurant. As I bite into the pizza, I feel sauce smearing my cheek. I take a napkin from the holder to wipe my face. The ham is overcooked and the tomato sauce is dry. This food sucks. Twenty bucks for this? I want my money back and an apology for being served this garbage.

When Gunner strides through the door, my cheeks flame and my heart squeezes in anticipation. He’s wearing a gray custom suit with a black tie. I was hoping I wasn’t going to see him until it was time to meet with Oliver tonight. That way we wouldn’t have to talk about what happened last night. How he made me come. Hopefully, he was so drunk last night he won’t remember. That way I don’t have to feel embarrassed when I speak to him.

As he stands in line to order his food, he scans the restaurant. When his eyes land on me, I avert my eyes to the half-eaten food. Several moments later, Gunner places his plate of grits and shrimp on the tablecloth.

“Hey.” His voice is gravelly. No matter what I do, I can never stop blushing around him. I grab the glass of Coke to take long, slow sips, gluing my eyes on the ice clinking together, before I set it down on the table.

“Hi.” My voice is low.

“You can look at me, Rainbow. I won’t lick you in public unless you want me to.”

I press my thighs together as the memories of last night bleed through my mind.

I hear the smile in his voice. Slowly, my eyes lift to his.

“How’s your head?” I ask, changing the subject.

“Good. I didn’t drink enough to have a hangover.”

Great. So much for him forgetting last night.

His fork scratches against the plate as he scoops grits in his mouth and eats in silence.

What is he thinking about? Does he regret what happened last night?

His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows his shrimp. My gaze rests on my favorite part of him, his jaw. He has a small cut on his chin like he cut himself shaving.

“Are you gonna sit here and eye-fuck me? Or are we gonna address the elephant in the room?”