Elsa followed suit and took a big gulp of wine. This would be interesting considering her mother was not known for being one who held back her feelings.
“Actually,” Victor began, but Elsa swiftly cut him off.
“No, we’re not. Mr. Black is a business associate,” she sipped on her wine some more, wishing she had stated that he was actually a ‘physical association.’
Her mother looked thoroughly puzzled. “I thought you said your name was Victor Laurenzo?”
Victor lifted an eyebrow and glared down at Elsa, but quickly recovered and flashed his pearly-white teeth, “It is. The Mr. Black thing is an inside joke.”
Elsa nearly choked on a mouthful of chardonnay. Joke? There was nothing funny about Mr. Black. He patted her on the back and smiled down at her. The silence lengthened between the three of them, making Elsa unbearably uncomfortable. She didn’t know what to say and suddenly her conversational skills were nonexistent. Her stomach growled loudly and Victor chuckled.
“I think someone needs to eat.”
She tittered nervously and looked to her mother, mentally pleading for her to speak up.
As if her mother read her mind, she asked, “So tell me, Mr. Laurenzo, what kind of work do you do exactly? Do you work with my daughter?”
His jaw tensed and Elsa spoke up for him again. “He doesn’t answer personal questions. It’s a rule of his.”
Victor’s head jerked to the side and he shot her a discomfited look. She almost laughed at the stunned look on his face, but she knew better. What the hell was he so self-conscious about? If he didn’t want to be called out about his unreasonable behaviors, then perhaps he shouldn’t be engaging in them.
“Really?” her mother asked incredulously. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” she waved her hand in his direction.
“Agreed,” Elsa dared to whisper.
He cleared his throat and casually slid his fingers across her shoulder blades. Resting his hand on neck, he gently squeezed, reminding her of her place.
“I suppose it might seem a little preposterous to someone who doesn’t know me,” he answered smoothly in his defense.
As usual, her mother was right on top of things. “And how exactly does someone go about getting to know you if you don’t answer personal questions?”
Victor simply smiled condescendingly and took a drink of water and answered without really answering. “That’s a good question, Mrs. Cassidy.”
“That’s Ms. Duchenne. I’m divorced and use my maiden name,” she politely corrected.
Elsa rolled her eyes. “He probably already knows that.” Her mother stared blankly at her. Elsa finished the last of her wine and answered her unspoken question sarcastically, “He knows everything about everyone.”
Victor’s fingertips grazed the nape of her neck again and he tugged her hair. Leaning into her ear he whispered huskily, “You are feeling brave, Ms. Cassidy. Perhaps you’ve had too much wine.”
“Perhaps,” she responded curtly as she pushed her wine glass away from her, but didn’t dare look into his eyes.
What the hell was Mr. Black doing here anyway? No doubt, making her feel uncomfortable in front of her mother was all part of the next phase of his game. Couldn’t she just get one day of rest without being submitted to a mind fuck? With her temper quickly rising, she squeezed past Victor.
“I need to use the ladies’ room.”
“Don’t be long,” he grumbled.
With each step to the restroom, Elsa was becoming more incensed that he had shown up when this time was supposed to be private time with a loved one. Apparently when he said to show her mom ‘the best of what Richmond has to offer,’ he was including himself. Egomaniac. Doesn’t he have any boundaries? Of course he didn’t. He had been stalking her for weeks.
As she stared at her reflection, she felt her mother’s familiar touch on her shoulder.
“Who is he, Elsa?”
“No one,” she choked out, shaking her head.
Her mother sighed loudly and pulled her by the hand into the handicapped stall and seated her on the toilet as she stood in front of her.
“Is he the reason you haven’t called?”
Again, she shook her head.
“I know he’s pretty to look at, but…”
“Please, Mom, don’t. It’s not about that.”
“Then what?” her mother smoothed Elsa’s hair behind an ear.
Elsa began nervously tapping her foot trying to find the words. “He needs my help.”
“Oh, El, look at me,” she kneeled in front of Elsa. “Some people can’t be helped.”
Elsa shook her head and felt as if her breath was cut off. “I don’t want to believe that.”
“Well, I don’t trust him. Any man who doesn’t answer personal questions has something to hide. I know you have the common sense to figure that out.”
She nodded. Of course she had the common sense and all along her inner voice had been screaming for her to forget about him.
“Sweetie, men are…”
Elsa couldn’t listen to her mom. “Mom, I appreciate your concern.”
“Take my advice, El. I’ve been where you’re at in your life. I’ve been hurt to…”
“I know you have, and I love you and your advice. Just not today.”
Her mother shook her head and hugged her tightly.
She gave her mom a weak smile. “I’ll work it out.”
***
Victor was getting impatient. It had been nearly fifteen minutes since Elsa and her mother disappeared. What the hell were they doing in there anyway? The Secret Lives of Women in the Restroom: that would be the title of his next book. What he wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall just to hear the private conversations of women. He shook his head and chuckled at his ridiculous thought.
Ridiculous. Elise was ballsy, too, and it wasn’t hard to see where Elsa got her cheekiness from.
The waitress brought the scotch that he had ordered right after the women left and he gulped it down quickly. Elsa was still angry with him and the sinking feeling that she may never forgive him had begun to creep into his thoughts. He meant what he said the previous day about hoping they could move forward. He crunched on a piece of ice and unconsciously frowned.
He had really fucked things up. He wasn’t learning anything from her and he sure as hell wasn’t helping her, but he couldn’t give up yet. He had given less worthy Chapters far more of his time and Elsa deserved more. He hadn’t planned on attending dinner with Elsa and her mother, but seeing how lovely she looked, he couldn’t resist the temptation. He also didn’t want to miss the opportunity to watch her interact with her mother.
When the women approached, Victor stood, allowing Elsa into the booth. She looked fantastically fuckable in her red silk mini dress. He noted she wasn’t wearing any panties or bra when she scooted in next to him and her compliance spoke to his cock and heart. The headband he bought her was just the perfect touch. He reached over and adjusted it on her head and she bristled. Yes, she was definitely still pissed.
“So what took you two so long?” he asked as he pushed a cranberry-sangria toward Elsa.
“How polite of you,” she glared at him when she realized it was nonalcoholic.
He quirked his head at Elsa. “So? What took you so long?”
Elise promptly chimed in. “We were having a heart-to-heart discussion.”
“Oh? About what?” his interest was piqued, especially when he saw the nervous glance Elsa threw her mother’s way.
“You,” Elise answered coolly.
Victor narrowed his eyes but held his composure. “And did you come to any conclusions?”
“Indeed, I did. I don’t trust you,” she stared at him contemptuously.
Wow. This woman really did have a set of balls on her. Elsa picked up her drink and sucked on the straw and kept her eyes on the table, obviously mortified with her mother’s brashness.
Victor leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table. “Is that a fact?”