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Chapter 458
Chapter 458:
Sloane grabbed her designer clutch with frantic but efficient movements. She threw a fifty-dollar bill on the table for the valet, shouted a string of cursing apologies, and bolted out of the private alcove as though the building were on fire — giving neither of them a chance to process her exit. It left June with the quiet suspicion that Easton might have deliberately orchestrated the HVAC “malfunction” simply to get his cousin out of the room.
The heavy velvet curtain swung shut behind her. The alcove was suddenly plunged into a thick, suffocating intimacy.
June cleared her throat, acutely aware that she was now completely alone with Easton. The air in the small room felt ten degrees warmer.
Easton did not miss a beat. He smoothly signaled the waiter, settled the exorbitant bill with his black card, and rose from his chair. He reached down and lifted the heavy biometric lockbox from beside June’s feet. The weight was substantial, but he handled it with a steady, firm grip that made it look effortless.
“Well,” Easton said, a charming, self-deprecating smile playing at the corner of his mouth. “It appears I have been demoted to your personal chauffeur for the evening p>
June let out a soft laugh, the tension easing slightly. “I suppose I have no choice but to accept p>
They walked out of the restaurant and into the cool Manhattan night.
A sleek black Porsche Panamera idled at the curb. Easton tipped the valet, opened the passenger door, and placed his hand protectively over the roof frame as June slid into the low leather seat. He walked around, got in, and merged the powerful car smoothly into the flowing city traffic.
The interior of the Porsche was a cocoon of dark leather and soft ambient light. A low, rhythmic jazz track drifted through the high-end sound system, its tempo settling into something that felt uncannily close to the beating of June’s heart.
Dо𝘄𝗇𝗹𝗼𝘢𝗱аb𝗅𝗲 р𝗗𝖥ѕ о𝗇
June watched the passing streetlights blur beyond the window, then turned her head toward him.
“So,” she began, keeping her tone casual. “You mentioned a boring corporate negotiation earlier. Was it a difficult merger p>
Easton kept his left hand loosely on the steering wheel. He shifted gears, the engine purring beneath them. A slow, calculated smirk touched the corner of his mouth — the look of a man ready to drop his bait.
“Actually,” he said, letting the pause stretch for exactly one beat. “It wasn’t a corporate negotiation at all p>
He exhaled a long, dramatic sigh. “It was a blind date. My mother forced Sloane to set it up p>
June’s eyes widened. She turned completely in her seat to face him. The idea of Easton Hahn — a man who radiated power, wealth, and devastating elegance — needing a blind date was almost absurd.
“A blind date?” she repeated, her curiosity fully ignited. “How did it go p>
Easton shook his head, his gaze fixed on the road. He arranged his expression into one of perfect, wounded pride. “A complete disaster. She found me incredibly boring. Apparently, I only know how to talk about litigation and contract law. She left before dessert p>
June let out a genuine, ringing laugh. She didn’t believe it for a single second — he was being modest and self-deprecating, surely.