Maybe if I was lucky, we could skip rightto dessert.
Cookies could count as dinner.
“Yes.” His rough voice sent shivers throughme, but then he chuckled. “I’m looking forward to dinner. I’m starved.”
Shoot.
Well,the sooner weate, the quicker we could get to the naughty part of the night. I’d been sofucking good it wasn’t funny, and it was time for my reward. “Then I’ll haveBart pick us up.”
I should have known he’d catch it, but Iwas hoping he would just ignore it. Most people thought they’d justmisunderstood me the first time and refused to admit it.
“Bart? I’m pretty sure you’ve called thatguy a different name each time.” When I just shrugged, Silas gave me a sternlook. “Why?”
It was slightly…petty.
“He doesn’t like me.” He really didn’t. Thestick in the mud thought he was better than me.
“Then why haven’t you fired him?” Silasasked it like it was such a simple thing.
“Because I’m not technically his employer.”Silas wasn’t expecting that answer.
“What?” His head tilted to the side and Icould see him mentally going over what I’d said.
I huffed and slouched back but started toexplain. “After one of the last fender-benders, the guys got me drunk. Theyconvinced me to sign a contract that basically said since I was incapable ofsafely getting myself from point A to point B, they would hire a driver for me.The kicker is that since I’m not his employer, I can’t fire him.”
“I’m sure if you explain the problemsyou’re having with the guy, they’ll find someone else. Who’s paying him?” Silasglanced toward the door to the empty street.
“They think I’m being dramatic.” I nodded asSilas turned back, narrowing his gaze. “He’s like the tenth one they’ve hired.Some of it hasn’t been my fault. And I have no idea who’s footing the bill forit. Hell, it might even be me in some roundabout way.”
A smirk crept across his lips.
“No, I’m serious.” No one ever believed me,but somehow his teasing smile didn’t drive me crazy. “One was fired because hewas talking to the tabloids. One quit because he got pregnant and the positionis technically for a bodyguard, so that was dangerous. Another hated the hours,but he knew my schedule going in. I guess he thought that since I wasn’t hisboss, he could tell me no. Really, he was stupid.”
The current asshole wasn’t nearly as bad.That didn’t mean I liked the guy, though.
“That doesn’t explain the name thing,though, Trouble.”
I was hoping he hadn’t realized that.
“I’ll admit that I might have deliberatelymade a few so insane they quit, but I’ve grown up since then.” Six months couldreally change a person. “I’ve found less confrontational ways to make this oneinsane, but so has he. Like the name. He actually thought I’d call him Mr.Smythe.”
I didn’t care if that was his name or not,I wasn’t calling him that.
“But he wouldn’t tell me his first namewhen he started. It turns out that was one of the only things he said wasimportant when he was hired, so Tanner and Wade refused to tell as well. I knowI could hire a private investigator, but that’s ridiculous and would make Wadeupset.” So I’d learned to live with the asshole.
Well, not live with…just deal with when Ihad no choice.
If I used him enough times a week, hedidn’t seem to realize I was sneaking out, and I’d really gotten to be a betterdriver now that I couldn’t let Wade and Tanner catch me. They were worse thanpaparazzi when it came to stalking me.
Silas’s face got that dark sexy look likehe was ready to go to battle for me. It was so hot, but I couldn’t upset Wade.“No, you don’t understand. I have to just deal with it. Wade likes him. I thinkthis guy knew his husband at some point. I can’t upset Wade; he’s just startingto get back on his feet.”
His expression softened. “That’s yourfriend whose alpha died?”
“Yes.” It made my heart ache just thinkingabout it. “They were great together. It just about crushed Wade when he died,and I can’t upset him. He’s finally started smiling again.”
Wade seemed to think he’d never find loveagain, but his face lit up when he talked about the club, so I knew there wassomeone else out there for him.
Silas reached under the table and squeezedmy leg. “Trouble, I’m glad you’re looking out for your friend, but you can’tlet this continue. At the very least, it’s going to make the news at some pointwhen the wrong person overhears your driver’s little comments.”
