grapes he’d set out for
dessert.
“I’ve got something for you.”
She tensed but didn’t say anything.
Rabb walked to the shelf and grabbed the phone he’d picked
up earlier today. He went to the sofa and sat next to her. “You need to have a
phone. I don’t like the idea of you not being able to call for help if you need
it. Plus, I’d like to be able to be in contact with you at all times.”
He held the phone out to her but she didn’t take it. “I can’t
afford a phone,” she began.
“I can,” he snapped. He took a deep breath and clung to his
patience. “Look, I understand all about pride. I get that you want to do
everything by yourself, and I respect you for that.”
She shifted on the sofa and curled her legs beneath her.
“But?”
He chuckled. “But there’s a difference between being
independent and letting pride get in the way of safety. You need this.” He held
it out to her again.
Her face pale and solemn, she reached out and took the phone
from him. “I’ll pay you back.”
Rabb wondered what Eliza would think if he went over to the
wall and banged his head against it a few times. He decided it was probably
better he didn’t test that theory. He loved that she was independent, but that
particular trait was making things a lot harder than they had to be.
“It’s on my plan so it’s not costing much at all.” He took
her free hand in his and brought it to his lips. “The fact is you need help and
I can give it to you.”
She glanced at the tree and then back at him. “I hate being
a burden, bringing my problems to your door.”
Rabb swore inwardly, but managed to keep from repeating the
words aloud. “Look, we all need help sometimes.”
“Even you?” From the expression of doubt on her face he
could tell she didn’t believe him.
“Yes. Even me. You don’t think my family hasn’t helped me?”
Unable to bear not touching her any longer, he sat back on the sofa, scooped
Eliza up and settled her in his lap. She tugged at the hem of the shirt. He
didn’t mind the fact it rode up, giving him a great view. He liked looking at
her legs, but he also didn’t want her to get cold. He tugged the throw blanket
his mother had insisted he’d needed when he furnished the place off the back of
the sofa and spread it over Eliza. He was grateful his mother had insisted on
the damn thing. Up until now it had only seemed like a dust catcher.
“Thanks.” She tucked the edges around her legs and sighed.
“How has your family helped you?”
Rabb laughed. “You think Nevar and I could have started our
club in such a perfect location if our parents didn’t already own the damn
building? We couldn’t afford the normal rent on a property this prime. For that
matter, I wouldn’t have been able to afford this apartment until recently. Our
parents have helped us every step of the way. And there’s no way I’d be a
partner in a place like Hatter’s if I didn’t have Nevar by my side. It’s not
easy to find a business partner you can work with. One you can trust.”
Eliza tilted her head to one side and studied him until he
began to get uncomfortable beneath her scrutiny. He wished he knew what the
hell she was thinking.
“I never thought about it that way,” she began.
Rabb leaned back and propped his feet on the coffee table.
The motion made it impossible for Eliza to remain sitting upright in his lap.
She fell back against his chest, sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.
This was how it should be. How it would be.
He wanted to enjoy this moment because what he was going to
tell her next was going to make her mad with him. “I hired a private
investigator.”
“What?” Eliza bolted upright and would have been out of his
lap in a heartbeat if he hadn’t wrapped his arms around her to keep her there.
“What have you done?”
“What needed to be done.” He hated having to explain himself
to anyone, but this wasn’t just anyone. This was Eliza. “It’s a
dessert.
“I’ve got something for you.”
She tensed but didn’t say anything.
Rabb walked to the shelf and grabbed the phone he’d picked
up earlier today. He went to the sofa and sat next to her. “You need to have a
phone. I don’t like the idea of you not being able to call for help if you need
it. Plus, I’d like to be able to be in contact with you at all times.”
He held the phone out to her but she didn’t take it. “I can’t
afford a phone,” she began.
“I can,” he snapped. He took a deep breath and clung to his
patience. “Look, I understand all about pride. I get that you want to do
everything by yourself, and I respect you for that.”
She shifted on the sofa and curled her legs beneath her.
“But?”
He chuckled. “But there’s a difference between being
independent and letting pride get in the way of safety. You need this.” He held
it out to her again.
Her face pale and solemn, she reached out and took the phone
from him. “I’ll pay you back.”
Rabb wondered what Eliza would think if he went over to the
wall and banged his head against it a few times. He decided it was probably
better he didn’t test that theory. He loved that she was independent, but that
particular trait was making things a lot harder than they had to be.
“It’s on my plan so it’s not costing much at all.” He took
her free hand in his and brought it to his lips. “The fact is you need help and
I can give it to you.”
She glanced at the tree and then back at him. “I hate being
a burden, bringing my problems to your door.”
Rabb swore inwardly, but managed to keep from repeating the
words aloud. “Look, we all need help sometimes.”
“Even you?” From the expression of doubt on her face he
could tell she didn’t believe him.
“Yes. Even me. You don’t think my family hasn’t helped me?”
Unable to bear not touching her any longer, he sat back on the sofa, scooped
Eliza up and settled her in his lap. She tugged at the hem of the shirt. He
didn’t mind the fact it rode up, giving him a great view. He liked looking at
her legs, but he also didn’t want her to get cold. He tugged the throw blanket
his mother had insisted he’d needed when he furnished the place off the back of
the sofa and spread it over Eliza. He was grateful his mother had insisted on
the damn thing. Up until now it had only seemed like a dust catcher.
“Thanks.” She tucked the edges around her legs and sighed.
“How has your family helped you?”
Rabb laughed. “You think Nevar and I could have started our
club in such a perfect location if our parents didn’t already own the damn
building? We couldn’t afford the normal rent on a property this prime. For that
matter, I wouldn’t have been able to afford this apartment until recently. Our
parents have helped us every step of the way. And there’s no way I’d be a
partner in a place like Hatter’s if I didn’t have Nevar by my side. It’s not
easy to find a business partner you can work with. One you can trust.”
Eliza tilted her head to one side and studied him until he
began to get uncomfortable beneath her scrutiny. He wished he knew what the
hell she was thinking.
“I never thought about it that way,” she began.
Rabb leaned back and propped his feet on the coffee table.
The motion made it impossible for Eliza to remain sitting upright in his lap.
She fell back against his chest, sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.
This was how it should be. How it would be.
He wanted to enjoy this moment because what he was going to
tell her next was going to make her mad with him. “I hired a private
investigator.”
“What?” Eliza bolted upright and would have been out of his
lap in a heartbeat if he hadn’t wrapped his arms around her to keep her there.
“What have you done?”
“What needed to be done.” He hated having to explain himself
to anyone, but this wasn’t just anyone. This was Eliza. “It’s a
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