Page 71 of My Heart Belongs to You

“How cute you look,” Raven replied, twirling Robyn’s hair around her finger.

Robyn’s cheeks reddened. “Whatever.”

“Your hair looks good,” I noted. “Is that your granny’s scarf?”

“It is.” Her eyes were warm.

“I thought it looked familiar. You wore it the day we met,” Joseph added. The nostalgia in his voice reignited my annoyance from five minutes ago. My eyes narrowed at him.

Robyn nodded. “I did.”

“I’ve never seen a food stylist in action. Have you, Adrienne?” Before Adrienne could respond, Raven pulled her toward the bar, leaving Joseph with me and Robyn.

I looked at Robyn, interested in seeing how she handled this situation. My expression was deadpan, but inward, I seethed.

Joseph, oblivious to the tension, worsened it by saying, “It’s good to be here supporting Robyn. Seeing her vision come to fruition is inspiring.”

I rubbed my chin with my eyes fixed on her. “It is. She’s worked so hard and deserves every good thing that comes her way. I’m so proud of her.”

“Thanks, Nadir.” She looked away while licking her lips. My cheek lifted as my mouth curved into a half-smirk.

“I agree.” Joseph nodded while reaching into his blazer pocket. He looked at Robyn. “I have to take this, but I'll see you later?”

“Yup,” Robyn chirped.

The simmering tension from earlier returned, threatening to boil over. I clenched my jaw and took measured breaths.

Once he crossed the dining room toward the exit, Robyn pulled me toward the kitchen. I held her hand firmly, inviting the warmth trailing up my arm. After we reached her office, she closed the door and pressed her back against it. Her office was small. Enough room for two, maybe three people, tops. There was her desk that she kept neat and organized. Behind her desk was a file cabinet and a small window above it. On top of the cabinet were cookbooks and her recipe journals. On the walls were her degrees and a few certifications.

I sat on the edge of her desk, bracing myself for this conversation. She was two steps from me, but the distance felt like miles. My conflicting feelings made it hard to approach her. I wanted to express my annoyance, but also wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked. I was itching to kiss her until her lips were swollen or until she realized how much time she was wasting entertaining him. Neither scenario seemed appropriate. Besides, when she stood before me looking this good, why squander the chance to taste her?

CHAPTER

FIFTEEN

Nadir stared at me; the heat coming from his gaze felt like laser beams on my skin. There was something so delicious about the way his eyes feasted upon me. I pursed my lips, stifling a smile. He exuded confidence perched on the edge of my desk. My eyes trailed him, not missing a single thing about his appearance. Loose crinkly locs framed his face. I loved it when he wore his hair down. The sleeves of his light blue shirt were rolled to his elbows. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. A gold watch adorned his left wrist and his father’s gold wedding band glimmered on his right ring finger.

I waited for him to say something... anything to ease the tension between us. The fact that I couldn’t decipher if the tension was sexual or emotional made my stomach tighten. After a minute of brutal silence, Nadir smiled at me. His eyes darkened; my heart fluttered in response.

“Te ves tan hermosa, mi princesa.”

Butterflies filled my stomach and heat coursed through me.

“Gracias, mi amor.”

I ran my hands down my hair, still not over Nadir paying for it. I suspect he told Summer about what’s going on between us. She was a little too thrilled when she revealed he footed the bill.

“And thanks again for covering my hair appointment. That was sweet.”

“Anything for you. You know that.” There was a glimmer of devilry in his eyes that made my mouth water.

“I called last night.”

He looked down. “I was knocked out. Summer had me moving furniture and installing light fixtures.”

I laughed. “You loved every minute with her.”

“I did. We don’t hang out like that anymore.”