Free Neighbors (Twin Estates #1) by Stylo Fantome

about your order or something. I mean, you acted like you didn't even know me, then you sent your assistant in with a card, what was I supposed to think?” she asked back.
    “I didn't really care, I suppose. I just saw little Katya Tocci behind a counter, all grown up, living in the same city as me. Thought it would be nice to sit down together, see what was behind that apron of yours,” he said. She willed away the blush.
    “Um … that's … flattering,” she managed to reply, and she finally got a genuine smile out of him.
    “It is, isn't it? C'mon, I have an early morning tomorrow.”
    He walked her out of the restaurant, his hand on the small of her back, burning a hole through her shirt. She expected him to say goodbye and sail off into the night in a fancy car, leaving her to hail a taxi. But he kept his hand on her as he spoke to the valet, and a minute later, a sleek, sporty, convertible Mercedes rolled up in front of them. He stepped forward and opened the passenger door, and Katya didn't even question him, she just slid into the leather seat.
    When had she become so docile? Something about him, it was like he could snap his fingers, and she would bend over backwards. Without even a thought or a question. It was bizarre. She may have been a bit of a goody-two-shoes pushover in her day-to-day life, but she wasn't the type to just let a man strong arm her in any way, either.
    “Realty is a good business,” she commented when he was behind the wheel and pulling them away from the building. He glanced at her, then watched while she slid her hand along the dash.
    “ Very good. A lot better than baking,” he replied, and it was her turn to laugh.
    “I'm sure, though baking does alright by me.”
    “I bet. Three month waiting list – was that bullshit? You seemed pissed off.”
    “I was, but it wasn't bullshit. I'm 'in demand', as they say,” she laughed, doing air quotes.
    “Nice. Address, please.”
    She prattled it off to him, then got sucked into a conversation about school. They'd taken very different paths, with him attending a prestigious ivy league school on the east coast, and her attending a culinary school in California.
    She moved in her seat to somewhat face him, her knees and head pointed in his direction while she animatedly talked about a cooking class that had gone very wrong. She hadn't noticed it happening, but sometime while telling him about the oven catching fire, his hand found its way onto her thigh. She was proud of herself that she was able to keep talking without any hint of surprise, but when he began rubbing back and forth, dipping between her legs, she stumbled over a couple words.
    He illegally parked in front of her building and walked her into the lobby. He was on his phone most of the time, and only when she got onto her elevator did he stop talking long enough to notice her again.
    “Thanks for being a good sport and meeting me,” he said. She smiled at him, not letting on that she was just a teensy bit disappointed. She wasn't entirely sure that she liked him at all, but it would've been nice if he'd asked for her number, or another date, or anything that showed he was interested in her.
    “No problem. It wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be,” she teased. There was one more tight lipped smile, then he started lifting his phone back to his ear.
    “Cheers, Tocci.”
    Then he was walking away and the elevator doors were sliding shut.
    Katya dragged her feet down the hallway and clear through her front door. Tori hollered from the bathroom, and Katya dreaded telling her how the bizarre date had gone.
    “Did you see his penis!?” the other girl yelled. Katya rolled her eyes and kicked off her heels.
    “Jesus, I'm not some total slut, you know!” she yelled back, tossing her purse to the floor.
    “Yes, you are!”
    Katya went to respond, but was interrupted by a sharp knock at the door. She groaned again and turned around, wondering who it could be at that