Wanderer 2.0, Book 1 Of The Wanderer Series

3• A Bitter Affair

I bite my lip to fight off a smile.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting anything." Paw says while looking down at me. I smile in good humor. "Not at all. I was just talking to -." I stop mid sentence after looking over my shoulder. Axel has fled the scene like a ghost in the night. I blink, lost in thought over the devilish man who dances like a dream.

He's all smoke and mirrors, and has successfully captured my attention. Color me intrigued.

"Looking for someone?"
I look back to the three before me and put on my faux smile. "Not at all. Who, may I ask, is this?" I look to Paw as I inquire about our company. I give him a playful look I keep hidden from the others in our little group. He secretly winks back before gesturing to the three strangers," Callaia, I'd like to introduce you to a few gentlemen here today. This is Dakota Lee."

The emerald eyed man smiles at me kindly," It's nice to finally meet you, Callaia. We've heard a lot about you from your grandfather."
I smile slyly," All good things, I hope."

Dakota's eyes twinkle in amusement," Perhaps."

Paw harrumphs in good humor before gesturing to the most beautifully perfect man I've ever laid eyes upon, though if my gut is right he's going to be a real pill to swallow. "This is Owen Blackbourne."

"Mr. Blackbourne will do just fine, Miss Sosa." He spouts out near robotically. I raise my eyebrows and look over to the last in line, effectively dismissing him. The gut never fails.

"And last but not least..."
Paw doesn't get to finish as the roguish blonde swoops in and grabs my hand. With a playful bow, he raises my fingers to his lips and places a gentle lingering kiss that caresses my knuckles. He looks up into my eyes, those green eyes twinkling mischievously as he huskily murmurs," Dr. Sean Green, my lady."

I have to fight back a smile. Instead I tease," My, what manners."
He grins like the cat that got the cream and gets up from his ridiculous bow. Still holding my hand, he makes the comment," You look absolutely appetizing, Callaia."

Blackbourne hums in thought, looking me over as well," That may as well be, but it's not exactly appropriate for a luncheon."
I retract my hand from Sean's and look over at him. With an arrogant tilt of my chin and a predatory curl of the lips, I bite back, " You'll find, Blackbourne, that I'm entirely inappropriate on every occasion."

He glowers at me as his blonde friend has a good laugh. Paw gives me a look of warning to which I pretend to not notice, grabbing a flute off a passing tray and sipping contentedly. Paw clears his throat," Yes, well, I did warn you three."

Blackbourne remains silent as the other three joke and chat around us. The two of us, however, are perfectly content to stare each other down. Blackbourne is like the bitter ice in Antarctica, unrelenting, cutting, so cold it stings in close proximity. I haven't the slightest idea who this man is and yet I feel as if it's just the beginning, the tip of the iceberg.

🌐

Ｓａｖａｎｎａｈ，Ｇｅｏｒｇｉａ

𝟷:𝟶𝟻 𝚙.𝚖.

Clattering dishes from the tea cart beside us breaks the chilling silence in the glass atrium. The sun beams through the glass ceiling and walls making it unbearably hot in here. I feel like I'm being slow cooked in a steamer. The paved walkways all spiral towards the marble bistro table we sit at. Amazonian ferns and exotic flowers shipped in from all over the world hide us in their high reaching patches. Grandmother breaks her sour perusal of me, barely turning her head towards the poor maid who seems to be cursed with two left feet and fumble fingers.