Lawful Lover
Page 34
Audrey’s eyes narrowed. “Well if that isn’t the same little tramp I caught in Daniel’s hotel room.”
Sabrina felt the urge to take several steps back and flee, but suppressed it. She wouldn’t give Audrey the satisfaction of thinking that she could scare her away. Instead, she simply walked past her to the sink.
“If you don’t mind.”
“So what I heard is true then. He brought you to New York to prolong this affair.”
Sabrina raised an eyebrow, wondering how she’d gotten the news about Daniel and her, when she remembered Linda and Kevin Boyd. From the dismissive way Linda had looked at her then, Sabrina could guess that she’d called Audrey the minute she’d left the Sinclair’s house that day.
“We’re not having an affair,” Sabrina corrected her coolly. If Audrey wanted a catfight, she’d be disappointed. Sabrina wouldn’t lower herself to that level.
Audrey flipped her hair over her shoulder. “I don’t know what Daniel sees in you. I suppose every man occasionally wants some fast food after dining in five-star restaurants all the time.”
The stab hurt, and her hands started to shake. Quickly Sabrina took some soap and lathered her hands to distract herself from the rage that started boiling up in her.
“Sometimes men get downright sick of pretentious, overpriced five-star restaurants after eating the wrong thing, and decide never to go back,” she countered and rinsed her hands.
Audrey blew out an outraged breath, her cheeks furiously coloring. “Listen to me, you little hussy. You don’t know anything about men like Daniel. You have no idea what he needs or wants, how to satisfy a man like him. I can guarantee you that the moment he gets bored with you, he’ll toss you out on your pretty ass. That’s when he’ll come back to me. He always does.”
Reaching for a hand towel, Sabrina hid the shaking of her hands by drying them slowly. “He left you, Audrey. He’s with me. He loves me.”
“Hah! Just because he has sex with you doesn’t mean he loves you.”
Sabrina tossed the hand towel in the basket. “No, but when a man asks a woman to move in with him, it’s a pretty strong statement, don’t you think?”
“He—” Audrey’s mouth gaped open in surprise.
Had Linda Boyd neglected to fill her in on this little detail?
“Nothing you say will change how Daniel and I feel about each other. Nothing.” As calmly as Sabrina could, she walked past Audrey, reached for the door handle and pulled the door open.
“This isn’t over. Daniel will come back to me. You’ll see.”
With a determined step, Sabrina walked outside and let the door fall shut behind her, Audrey’s words leaving a chill slithering down her spine. Did she really believe that she could get Daniel back? Silently Sabrina shook her head. No, Audrey had only spoken out of desperation. She had no power over Daniel anymore.
Taking several deep breaths, she walked back to the bar, but the place where Daniel had stood and ordered drinks for them was now occupied by another man and his date. Sabrina looked around when a waiter approached and smiled at her.
“Mr. Sinclair is waiting for you at your table,” the man announced.
Sabrina sighed with relief and followed him to the back of the restaurant where she saw Daniel seated at a small table in the corner. Daniel stood when she approached. He kissed her on the cheek, and then pulled out her chair.
“Is everything all right? I was beginning to worry.”
“Yes, everything is fine, thank you.” She took a sip of the Cosmopolitan he’d ordered for her and avoided making eye contact. Instead, she stuck her nose into the menu before her.
“You know how it is. There’s always a line for the ladies room.”
Under no circumstance would she mention the encounter with Audrey and allow this incident to ruin their night out.
She lifted her face and gave him a sweet smile. “So, tell me, what can you recommend here? I don’t think I know what half these dishes on the menu are.”
He returned her smile. “Everything is good here, but I can make a few recommendations if you’d like.” Then he winked. “I’ll recommend things on the lighter side. We don’t want to go home completely stuffed and unable to move, do we?”
She couldn’t miss the twinkle in his eyes that told her just what he was planning to do once they got home.
“You’re a rascal, Daniel Sinclair! An incorrigible rascal.”
“Is that a bad thing?” he murmured, leaning over the table, his gaze sinking into hers.
Sabrina felt the urge to take several steps back and flee, but suppressed it. She wouldn’t give Audrey the satisfaction of thinking that she could scare her away. Instead, she simply walked past her to the sink.
“If you don’t mind.”
“So what I heard is true then. He brought you to New York to prolong this affair.”
Sabrina raised an eyebrow, wondering how she’d gotten the news about Daniel and her, when she remembered Linda and Kevin Boyd. From the dismissive way Linda had looked at her then, Sabrina could guess that she’d called Audrey the minute she’d left the Sinclair’s house that day.
“We’re not having an affair,” Sabrina corrected her coolly. If Audrey wanted a catfight, she’d be disappointed. Sabrina wouldn’t lower herself to that level.
Audrey flipped her hair over her shoulder. “I don’t know what Daniel sees in you. I suppose every man occasionally wants some fast food after dining in five-star restaurants all the time.”
The stab hurt, and her hands started to shake. Quickly Sabrina took some soap and lathered her hands to distract herself from the rage that started boiling up in her.
“Sometimes men get downright sick of pretentious, overpriced five-star restaurants after eating the wrong thing, and decide never to go back,” she countered and rinsed her hands.
Audrey blew out an outraged breath, her cheeks furiously coloring. “Listen to me, you little hussy. You don’t know anything about men like Daniel. You have no idea what he needs or wants, how to satisfy a man like him. I can guarantee you that the moment he gets bored with you, he’ll toss you out on your pretty ass. That’s when he’ll come back to me. He always does.”
Reaching for a hand towel, Sabrina hid the shaking of her hands by drying them slowly. “He left you, Audrey. He’s with me. He loves me.”
“Hah! Just because he has sex with you doesn’t mean he loves you.”
Sabrina tossed the hand towel in the basket. “No, but when a man asks a woman to move in with him, it’s a pretty strong statement, don’t you think?”
“He—” Audrey’s mouth gaped open in surprise.
Had Linda Boyd neglected to fill her in on this little detail?
“Nothing you say will change how Daniel and I feel about each other. Nothing.” As calmly as Sabrina could, she walked past Audrey, reached for the door handle and pulled the door open.
“This isn’t over. Daniel will come back to me. You’ll see.”
With a determined step, Sabrina walked outside and let the door fall shut behind her, Audrey’s words leaving a chill slithering down her spine. Did she really believe that she could get Daniel back? Silently Sabrina shook her head. No, Audrey had only spoken out of desperation. She had no power over Daniel anymore.
Taking several deep breaths, she walked back to the bar, but the place where Daniel had stood and ordered drinks for them was now occupied by another man and his date. Sabrina looked around when a waiter approached and smiled at her.
“Mr. Sinclair is waiting for you at your table,” the man announced.
Sabrina sighed with relief and followed him to the back of the restaurant where she saw Daniel seated at a small table in the corner. Daniel stood when she approached. He kissed her on the cheek, and then pulled out her chair.
“Is everything all right? I was beginning to worry.”
“Yes, everything is fine, thank you.” She took a sip of the Cosmopolitan he’d ordered for her and avoided making eye contact. Instead, she stuck her nose into the menu before her.
“You know how it is. There’s always a line for the ladies room.”
Under no circumstance would she mention the encounter with Audrey and allow this incident to ruin their night out.
She lifted her face and gave him a sweet smile. “So, tell me, what can you recommend here? I don’t think I know what half these dishes on the menu are.”
He returned her smile. “Everything is good here, but I can make a few recommendations if you’d like.” Then he winked. “I’ll recommend things on the lighter side. We don’t want to go home completely stuffed and unable to move, do we?”
She couldn’t miss the twinkle in his eyes that told her just what he was planning to do once they got home.
“You’re a rascal, Daniel Sinclair! An incorrigible rascal.”
“Is that a bad thing?” he murmured, leaning over the table, his gaze sinking into hers.
