Free Little Black Book by Tabatha Vargo, Melissa Andrea Page B

host said . He grabbed two menus and started toward the back of the room.
    I’d never been inside such a place. Crystal chandeliers hung above my head and mirrors were strategically placed around the room to reflect the candlelight, making the room look even larger than it already was.
    Sebastian walked smoothly through the dining room , captivating his audience and demanding their attention. I watched in bewilderment as everyone stopped to gawk at him. He pulled my arm through his and that’s when I realized they were also watching me, the girl on his arm.
    “I hope you’re hungry .” He pulled me closer. “Because I’m starving.”
    His words brushed across the side of my neck and sent a wave of chills down my arms.
    Everyone was staring at me. I self-consciously looked down at my outfit and knew right away I hadn’t dressed nice enough. I looked like an uptight school teacher going on a field trip, while ladies around me were dressed in satin, lace, and diamonds.
    My hand on his arm began to sweat and I closed my eyes and tried to breathe.
    “Don’t be nervous. You’re the most beautiful woman in the room.”
    “Everyone’s looking at me,” I whispered.
    “No. Everyone’s looking at me. I always come here alone. These people have never seen me with a woman before.”
    “Then why did you bring me?” I asked as he helped me into my chair.
    Leaning over me he whispered. “Because deal or no deal, you’re my Jessica.”
    I had no idea what his obsession with calling me Jessica was, and again, I began to think that maybe Sebastian Black was certifiable.
    When he sat down across from me, I worked up the nerve to finally ask something that had been bugging me since the first time we’d talked.
    “Why do you refuse to know my name and why do you call me Jessica? Is that what you call all your girls?”
    I tried not to fidget, or make uncomfortable eye contact, as I waited for him to answer my question.
    When he finally did, I was thankful for the break of silence. “I most definitely do not call anyone else Jessica. Only you, and for a very special reason.”
    He didn’t elaborate and I was left to question what exactly that meant.
    “Would you care to explain why that is?”
    “Actually, I don’t. Not right now anyway.”
    He definitely made it clear I wasn’t going to get anything else out of him. I guess I should’ve known. For the short time I knew him, it was obvious Sebastian Black could be very stubborn and determined.
    Once the waiter came and filled our glasses with wine, we were left alone. He sipped his wine and stared at me, making me even more nervous than before.
    “So you come here a lot?” I asked, trying to break the ice.
    “Yes,” he said simply. He wasn’t going to make this dinner easy at all.
    “You don’t talk much .”
    He sh rugged. “I’m not good with idle conversation.”
    “I thought you didn’t… date?”
    “I don’t.”
    “Then what is this?”
    “I told you what this is. You’re proving you’re worth the risk.”
    “And how am I supposed to do that?”
    He stared at me for the longest time, then raised his eyebrows.
    What the hell was that supposed to mean?
    It was then the waiter came back to our table to take our order. When the waiter left, I continued with my questions. With every answer, I became even more curious about Sebastian Black.
    “The others… they don’t have any problems with your rules?”
    “If they did, they wouldn’t be one of my girls.” He was so matter of fact. “You were ready to accept my offer, did you have a problem with my rules?”
    My head s napped up. I didn’t like having the situation thrown in my face. “I needed it.”
    “So you’re saying you’re different?”
    “Yes.”
    “Because you need the money?”
    “Yes,” I insisted.
    “And what makes you think any of the others didn’t also need the money?”
    I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. The truth was I didn’t know, but I wanted badly to