Lawful Lover
Page 27
“I can’t wait to get onto the Ferris wheel and kiss you up there,” he whispered to her, pulling her closer.
“Daniel Sinclair? I’ll be damned!” a familiar male voice drifted to him.
He lifted his head and saw a man approach, whom he recognized immediately. He was tall, way too handsome for his own good, with short, dark hair and stunning blue eyes that had captured many an innocent girl in the past. Yes, Paul Gilbert was a handsome devil with charm and money to boot—family money.
“Paul Gilbert.”
He offered his hand and Paul shook it firmly, grinning.
Paul’s gaze instantly swept over Sabrina.
Daniel turned to her. “Sabrina, this is an old school friend of mine, Paul Gilbert.” He glanced at Paul. “Paul, this is my girlfriend, Sabrina Palmer.”
“Nice to meet you,” Sabrina said politely, extending her hand to him.
Paul took Sabrina’s hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it. “Mmm, stunning.”
“Oh.” Sabrina pulled her hand from Paul’s and blushed.
Sabrina only blushed when she was flattered or embarrassed. He assumed her blush wasn’t a result of embarrassment.
Daniel scowled and pulled his arm tighter around Sabrina’s waist.
There was no denying that Paul was handsome and charming. He also had a reputation as a flirt and a philanderer. It had never bothered Daniel much. Until now.
“It’s been a few months, Paul. What’s new?” Daniel said, bringing the conversation away from Sabrina, and onto a less touchy subject.
“Still working for the same firm, but I got promoted.”
“Yeah?” Daniel asked with little interest, secretly wondering how to get rid of him so he could continue his evening with Sabrina.
“Yes, they made me partner. I’m totally stoked! Came home for the weekend to celebrate with my folks.”
Daniel craned his neck. “Where are they?”
Paul made a dismissive hand movement. “You know them. They’re rarely up past nine o’clock. So I figured I’d check out what’s cooking in the neighborhood, see who’s out and about, if you know what I mean.”
Daniel nodded. He knew exactly what Paul meant. He was cruising for chicks. And the way he was eyeing Sabrina now made Daniel uncomfortable.
“So, you’re going to Zach’s birthday party at the end of the month?” Paul asked.
“Absolutely. You?”
“I’m not a hundred percent sure yet, depends on whether I have to go to Chicago that week or not. My firm wants me to meet a few people there and see if they’re interested in doing business with us. You know how it is. Those things can change in a minute.”
Daniel nodded. “You’re right. Well, good luck. And enjoy your evening. Might see you at Zach’s,” he said, turning to the window of the ticket booth. “Two tickets please.”
He put the money on the tray and accepted the tickets the woman handed him.
“Oh, you guys going onto the Ferris wheel? I just bought a ticket myself.” Paul lifted his hand, holding a ticket.
“Great,” Daniel said, suppressing a scowl. Apparently Paul couldn’t take a hint.
“Well, shall we?” Paul asked, pointing toward the short line at the Ferris wheel.
Reluctantly, Daniel took Sabrina by her arm and followed Paul to stand in line. At least the Ferris wheel’s little gondolas only held two people at a time. Once the ride started, he would be alone with Sabrina again.
“So, Daniel, are you still working your butt off in your own company?” Paul asked.
Before Daniel could answer, the woman standing ahead of them in the line, turned. “Daniel? Daniel Sinclair?”
Daniel’s gaze shot to her. “Eve!”
She was as pretty as ever and hadn’t changed since high school. Long blond hair cascaded over her shoulders in soft ringlets, and gray eyes sparkled sweetly. Her lips were painted in a bold red, accentuating their fullness.
Eve pushed past Paul, barely glancing at him, and grabbed Daniel’s hand, clasping it with both of hers, her eyes wide in surprise. “Oh my, Daniel, it’s been such a long time. What a wonderful surprise.” She ran her eyes over him. “You look great.”
“Hi, Eve. It’s nice to see you, too.” He pulled his hand from hers. “You remember Paul Gilbert, right?”
“Yeah, hi, Paul.” Eve barely gave Paul a second glance, then turned her attention back to Daniel. “I was in the city a few months ago and was going to look you up.”
“Daniel Sinclair? I’ll be damned!” a familiar male voice drifted to him.
He lifted his head and saw a man approach, whom he recognized immediately. He was tall, way too handsome for his own good, with short, dark hair and stunning blue eyes that had captured many an innocent girl in the past. Yes, Paul Gilbert was a handsome devil with charm and money to boot—family money.
“Paul Gilbert.”
He offered his hand and Paul shook it firmly, grinning.
Paul’s gaze instantly swept over Sabrina.
Daniel turned to her. “Sabrina, this is an old school friend of mine, Paul Gilbert.” He glanced at Paul. “Paul, this is my girlfriend, Sabrina Palmer.”
“Nice to meet you,” Sabrina said politely, extending her hand to him.
Paul took Sabrina’s hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it. “Mmm, stunning.”
“Oh.” Sabrina pulled her hand from Paul’s and blushed.
Sabrina only blushed when she was flattered or embarrassed. He assumed her blush wasn’t a result of embarrassment.
Daniel scowled and pulled his arm tighter around Sabrina’s waist.
There was no denying that Paul was handsome and charming. He also had a reputation as a flirt and a philanderer. It had never bothered Daniel much. Until now.
“It’s been a few months, Paul. What’s new?” Daniel said, bringing the conversation away from Sabrina, and onto a less touchy subject.
“Still working for the same firm, but I got promoted.”
“Yeah?” Daniel asked with little interest, secretly wondering how to get rid of him so he could continue his evening with Sabrina.
“Yes, they made me partner. I’m totally stoked! Came home for the weekend to celebrate with my folks.”
Daniel craned his neck. “Where are they?”
Paul made a dismissive hand movement. “You know them. They’re rarely up past nine o’clock. So I figured I’d check out what’s cooking in the neighborhood, see who’s out and about, if you know what I mean.”
Daniel nodded. He knew exactly what Paul meant. He was cruising for chicks. And the way he was eyeing Sabrina now made Daniel uncomfortable.
“So, you’re going to Zach’s birthday party at the end of the month?” Paul asked.
“Absolutely. You?”
“I’m not a hundred percent sure yet, depends on whether I have to go to Chicago that week or not. My firm wants me to meet a few people there and see if they’re interested in doing business with us. You know how it is. Those things can change in a minute.”
Daniel nodded. “You’re right. Well, good luck. And enjoy your evening. Might see you at Zach’s,” he said, turning to the window of the ticket booth. “Two tickets please.”
He put the money on the tray and accepted the tickets the woman handed him.
“Oh, you guys going onto the Ferris wheel? I just bought a ticket myself.” Paul lifted his hand, holding a ticket.
“Great,” Daniel said, suppressing a scowl. Apparently Paul couldn’t take a hint.
“Well, shall we?” Paul asked, pointing toward the short line at the Ferris wheel.
Reluctantly, Daniel took Sabrina by her arm and followed Paul to stand in line. At least the Ferris wheel’s little gondolas only held two people at a time. Once the ride started, he would be alone with Sabrina again.
“So, Daniel, are you still working your butt off in your own company?” Paul asked.
Before Daniel could answer, the woman standing ahead of them in the line, turned. “Daniel? Daniel Sinclair?”
Daniel’s gaze shot to her. “Eve!”
She was as pretty as ever and hadn’t changed since high school. Long blond hair cascaded over her shoulders in soft ringlets, and gray eyes sparkled sweetly. Her lips were painted in a bold red, accentuating their fullness.
Eve pushed past Paul, barely glancing at him, and grabbed Daniel’s hand, clasping it with both of hers, her eyes wide in surprise. “Oh my, Daniel, it’s been such a long time. What a wonderful surprise.” She ran her eyes over him. “You look great.”
“Hi, Eve. It’s nice to see you, too.” He pulled his hand from hers. “You remember Paul Gilbert, right?”
“Yeah, hi, Paul.” Eve barely gave Paul a second glance, then turned her attention back to Daniel. “I was in the city a few months ago and was going to look you up.”
