Tool

Page 57

I exhale heavily.   Delaney is standing there, looking insane in this white dress that shimmers under the lights.   It's simple and elegant and looks like it was made for her, skimming over every curve and showing off her amazing legs.

I want to take it off her immediately.   But she walks away and talks to the concierge.   I see her gesturing, her forehead wrinkled up in the face she makes when she's upset, and then she bows slightly and returns to me.

"Well, that's weird," she says.

"What?"

"The concierge says that Akira picked Chelsea up already.   They left. "

"Sweet. "  I'm not even going to pretend I wanted to have dinner with the businessman who had his eyes on my girl.

My girl.   The thought just popped into my head like it was supposed to be there.   I have the sudden impulse to say it out loud, just to make it real.   Just to see Delaney's reaction.   My girl.

Fuck that guy.   I've had to be in the same room enough with him already.

"What do you mean, sweet?" she asks.   "This is terrible. "

"Fuck that guy," I say, my voice a little too loud, and Delaney looks around, hushing me and taking my elbow.   She leads me to the elevator and pushes the up button, hard.   Then again, a second later.

"I think it takes more than a half a second for the elevator to get here," I say.

Delaney glares at me.   Shit, she's pissed.   "You can't say that here," she says.

"I can't talk about the elevator?"

"You know what I meant," she says.   "You can't say fuck anyone here. "

"The fuck I can't," I say.   "Fuck him and fuck Chelsea. "  The elevator door opens and we get inside.

"Why would she leave without us?"  Delaney asks.   "You're the most important part of this trip.   The dinner and the tour were a big deal. "

God, I can't resist the way she looks when she's upset.   She's so damn cute when she's angry that I want to hug her.   But more than that, I want to tear her dress off.   I put my hands on her arms, and press her up against the side of the elevator.

"Gaige, what are you doing?  Not here," she protests.

"I'm not doing anything," I say, looking down at the eyes I haven't gotten the least bit tired of looking at.   "There's nothing on the agenda for the weekend, right?  This was it.   The Tokyo tour tonight, right?"

"Yeah, and we're supposed to make nice with Akira," she says.   "It's a big deal.   A traditional Japanese dinner and a tour before the trip is over.   If you don't show, it's an insult. "

"Maybe he decided he wanted to take Chelsea out," I say.   "He seemed like a bit of a ladies man, didn't he?"

She shakes her head.   "I think Chelsea ditched us," she says.

"Delaney," I say, tilting her head up and looking in her eyes.   "Calm down.   It'll be fine.   I think she had the hots for Akira anyway.   Chelsea is pretty ruthless in what she pursues. "

Delaney is silent.   "Well, shit," she says.   "What do we do now?  And I swear to God, if you say we go back to the hotel room and do it, I'm going to knee you right in the balls. "

"You don't want to do it?" I ask, running my finger down her arm until I reach her fingers.   I take her hand and slide it along my chest, just because I want to feel her touch.   "It might make you less stressed. "

Delaney purses her lips and looks at me, then she finally sighs and smiles.   "There's nothing we can do about it, can we?" she asks.   "Do you want to go back to the hotel room?'

I look at her for a second, and then suddenly I don't.   When the door opens, I hit the down button.   "Nope. "

"What are you doing?" she asks.

"We just got ditched, and I've got a night with you," I say.   "A whole weekend, come to think of it.   Here you are, looking fucking stunning, and I have you all to myself.   I don't want to take you back to a hotel room. "

"You don't," she says.   "Where are we going?"

I can't resist doing what I do next.   I slide my hands underneath her, cupping her legs and picking her up.   "I'm taking you out. "

"What?  No. "

"This city is huge, and I'm not wearing anything Marlowe-related.   No one knows who the hell I am," I say.   "No one knows who the hell you are, either.   And I want a tour of Tokyo. "