Free Finding North (Naïve Mistakes Series) by Rachel Dunning Page A

had some water in my mouth as he asked that. Yeah, you can guess what happened!
    Of course, he immediately pulled out a cloth and started wiping at my leg. He didn't mean shit by it but I must tell you that by that time, any physical touch on my skin was enough to set me on fire.
    "I think I need some more water," I said to him. He poured it. I downed it, then held out my glass again. He chuckled. Hurry up with the fire extinguisher, bud . He poured it again. I downed it, again. I felt steam coming out of my ears.
    "Um, no, I don't work at Bloomingdales."
    "I didn't think so. So, you're, um, still in school?"
    "Yeah," I said, sounding almost like it was a Guilty plea at a hearing. I gulped the water again. I felt the romance was dying quickly.
    "You think I have a problem with that?"
    "I dunno."
    "You're seventeen years old, Leora."
    "Almost eighteen."
    "OK, almost eighteen. There are seventeen year old girls who act like they're ten"—Oh, did he know Bianca?—"and there are seventeen year old girls who don't. Hell, there are thirty year old girls who act like they're ten!" Yip, I think that's gonna be Bianca as well one day... "We're just having a drink. A night out. Let's just see what happens."
    He gave a very confident smile. Lights reflected off his pale skin. I wanted to tell him he reminded me of Robert Pattinson in a way (only because of the Britishness and Pale Skin- ness ), but then I thought of his ten-year-old analogy and I decided not to bring up my fascination with the Twilight series or Robert Pattinson just yet.
    "So, Mr. Williams..."
    "Yes, Ms..."
    "Caivano."
    "Caivano!? Wow, that sounds like something out of Goodfellas or Casino ."
    "Yes, so you better watch out!" I pointed at him. "Robert De Niro fan?"
    "The biggest. You Italian?"
    "Hey, wait, I had another question —and yes, I am Italian. But only by gene-pool. The only word I know in Italian is pizza . So, Mr. William's..." (I tried the English accent again, failed miserably) "why are you taking this lowly young girl out on the town? I mean, surely you could take anyone you wanted to? You could have gotten one of those Silicone Valley babes out at the club as well." (Great, here I was again, questioning a good thing with my suspicious nature. Was I about to blow this date before it had even begun?)
    His face went cold for a second. "Well, you just seemed interesting, is all..." He looked out the window, breaking my gaze.
    Interesting... I decided not to push it. "OK, it's fine. I was just—"
    "Because you look uncannily like someone I used to know, that's why," he interrupted. "She was someone...very special...to me. So, no mystery. No love at first sight. But she's dead now" — Say what!? My throat caught. It seemed everyone tonight was telling me people were "dead" like they'd broken a nail or something!—"and, you and I are sitting here with a very special bottle of Chardonnay (which I will probably end up drinking all alone because you don't drink and then making an arse of myself) and one finely superior bottle of Perrier Mineral Water, Madame!" He raised his glass. I smiled at him and we toasted.
    I made a note not to ask about that again.
    "So, we're here," he said.
    He got out the car and opened the door for me, stuck his arm out for me to grab. I stepped out and he put my coat on my shoulders. We went up to a rooftop of an office building. It looked like a place for the staff of the place for lunch or something. There were several tables there but one of them was set with a bottle of Perrier an another of Chardonnay (of course, just like in the limo), and candle light. There were also two patio heaters by it to counter the crisp evening wind. He'd thought of everything.
    "We do their software. I pulled some strings. They have the best view from here. Of course, during the day, this rooftop is used for the staff—"
    "But at night it's used for romantic getaways by consultants who provide software?"
    "Precisely. You learn fast, Miss Leora