Page 35 of Embriagado

“Are you done? I’m fucking starving!” Nacio yelled from near the pool, ruining my moment.

Fucker.

“You can eat in the hotel, if you want,” Ariyan offered.

“Trust me, you don’t want us here.”

“Are you sure?”

“He’s like an endless pit when it comes to food. He’ll finish up your buffet.”

Ariyan’s face lit up as he chuckled, making me so damn hot for him.

“Anyway, we’ll get out of your way now,” I said, fearing I’d pounce on him if I kept this close.

I was ready to go back to Nacio when Ariyan placed his hand on my arm, stopping me.

“Mr. Rivas… Is there any way you’re free tomorrow?”

9

SANTIAGO

With both hands clenching the steering wheel, I glanced out the window. The harbor landscape, with its tall cranes and hundreds of stacked shipping containers, spread out across the distant skyline. And while I drove the van, to my left was Ariyan, checking his phone for directions. To be fair, when he asked me yesterday if I was free, I’d had other things in mind. Turns out, he needed a hand picking up some flowers for the hotel and just didn’t know how to operate a van alone.

“Not to be rude, or something…” I started saying, grabbing his attention. “But shouldn’t you have a driver for stuff like this?”

“I do, or at least I did, until he was arrested for DUI.”

My brows snapped together, and looking away from the road, I stared at him. “For real?”

“Yes.” His eyes didn’t leave the screen. “Take a right here, please.”

Pushing the blinker down, the annoying sound bugged my ears until I took the turn and it shut off.

“And aren’t there any other drivers?”

“I’m searching for one—turn right again.”

I took the turn.

“It’s not that I don’t like helping you, yeah?” I opened my palms before holding the wheel again. “It’s just that I wonder why you keep giving me all this extra work.”

“So you noticed it, huh?” Placing his phone down on his lap, he turned to look at me.

My lips stretched into a half smile. “Kinda hard not to.”

“And here I thought I was being subtle…” He sighed.

“What are you hiding, boss?” I grinned, too full of myself.

“Well…” He tapped his lips. “If I’m being honest, I find you very reassuring, Mr. Rivas.”

I sat up in my seat, eager to hear more. “Reassuring?”

“Yes.”

I was used to getting hot, sexy, stupid, but reassuring? That was new. And to be honest, I wasn’t even sure what it meant.