Page 21 of Unveiled

Stretching his hand across the table, Jaxon offered it to him. “Nice to meet you. I’m Jaxon. Adalyn’s husband.”

The man’s mouth dropped open, but he ignored Jaxon’s outstretched hand. Jaxon couldn’t hold back a smile at the ridiculous sight of him gaping like a fish. Dropping his hand back to his side, he shot the man a sly wink. “Thanks for taking care of her for me. I’ve got it from here.”

He turned back to Adalyn, who had been strangely silent up to this point. Wide gray eyes bored into his, and she blinked slowly, as if to make sure he wasn’t an apparition. Pulling out the chair beside her, he sank down and crossed one ankle over his knee. Angling himself toward Adalyn, he directed his next words to her. “How ya been, darlin’?”

His words seemed to snap her from her trance, and her pretty gray eyes narrowed. “What are you doing here?” she hissed.

“Came to find you, of course,” he replied. “Heard you were here, and I had to come see for myself.”

The guy leaned across the table. “Who is this, Adalyn?”

She darted a quick glance at Jaxon, then back to him. “It’s… This is Jaxon. He’s…”

“Her husband,” he supplied helpfully.

She shot him a withering glare, and the man huffed. “What is he doing here?”

“He”—Jaxon stressed the word as he threw a look at the man—“is busy reuniting with his wife.”

“I’m not your wife,” she hissed at the same time the man spoke.

“I thought you said you were a widow?”

Jaxon turned a bewildered look on Adalyn, who at least had the good sense to look ashamed. “You told him I was dead?”

“I didn’t…” Her hands moved agitatedly in front of her face. “It wasn’t… Never mind.”

He couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t even own up to their marriage. And to tell people he’d died? “That’s a little cold, even for you, Addy.”

Her guilty flush deepened with anger. “First of all, my name is Adalyn. Not Addy. Don’t call me that. Second, I’m not your wife.” She turned to the man. “I’m so sorry. I have to go.”

She jumped up, grabbed her purse, and was gone in a whirl of black skirt before either of them could say another word.

“Hey!” the guy called to her back. “The check!”

Jaxon turned a disgusted look on him. “Seriously? What kind of man takes a woman out and makes her pay?”

The man had the nerve to prop his hands on his hips. “It’s expensive.”

“Whatever.” Jaxon pulled out his wallet and tossed a fifty on the table as he flicked a glance at her nearly untouched plate. “She eats like a bird. I’m sure that’ll cover it.”

He followed Adalyn, determined to catch her before she could ditch him again. Luck was on his side, and he spotted her by the valet stand just outside. She threw him an aggravated glare as he stepped up beside her.

He remained silent for a moment, allowing his gaze to skim down her body. She’d filled out since he’d first met her, but it looked good on her. Healthy. Her bust and hips had rounded a bit, but she was still as beautiful as ever. Maybe even more so. He wanted to reach out and touch her, let his fingers trail over each dip and curve to see if they really were as addictive as he remembered or if his memory had played a trick on him. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he rocked back on his heels. “So.”

She redirected her gaze across the street, trying her best to tune out his presence.

“You drove separate.”

Her brows drew together. “I don’t see how that’s any of your concern.”

“The fact that you’re not leaving with that prick”—he hitched a thumb over his shoulder toward the restaurant—“means a lot. Believe me.”

“Your opinion means nothing to me.” She lifted one elegant shoulder. “Harvey is...”

She trailed off, either unwilling to finish or unable to come up with anything flattering. From the little he’d seen, he was more than willing to bet it was the latter. As if her words conjured the idiot, he came barreling through the door of the restaurant barely a second later. Placing himself between them, he addressed Adalyn. “Can we reschedule?”

Jaxon snorted. “So you can split the tab for that meal, too?”