and a devilish grin. His navy button-down was wrinkled and his jeans and shoes were faded and worn. He didn’t look like the genius tech tycoon who’d created the trendiest devices of the day.
The last time she’d seen him he was wearing a tux, the very picture of glamour and wealth, but today he looked like an average Joe, someone you’d sit next to at a sports bar or stand in line with at the bank. Except not. He was the guy who would play that guy in a movie. Because he was that guy times a million. He was the living, breathing definition of sexy and handsome and…oh dear God, he was playing with a pool stick.
Her heart beat so quickly it threatened to leap out of her chest. That was it—he was young Tom Cruise in The Color of Money . Not fair, not fair! Young Tom Cruise was her biggest weakness. How did he know that?
Get it together, Sinclair . She took a deep, steadying breath as the synapses in her brain struggled to make sense out of what she was seeing. What was he doing here? This could not be real. How much wine had she ingested? She really should have had dinner. It was a dream, it was just a dream. He bent over to take a shot and…oh Lord, that butt was definitely not a dream.
Her mouth opened of its own accord. “What are you doing here?”
If a record had been playing, it would have scratched to a halt. All the joking and laughter came to an abrupt halt at the sound of her high-pitched outburst.
Jack shot back up to a standing position and after a brief moment of surprise, his face broke into a grin, complete with dimples, and that cute squinty-eyed smile she couldn’t resist. He threw his arms wide in welcome. “I found you!”
She edged closer and the group of men moved aside while giving her curious looks. “What are you doing here?” she asked again.
His arms dropped but he crossed the few feet of space separating them so they didn’t have to shout over the talking that had resumed around them. When he drew close he pulled an awkward leaning move as though he might hug her but then he didn’t. Maybe she had pulled back, she wasn’t certain. Either way, now they were standing there, between a group of American bros and a cranky bartender who was manning the small but packed bar beside the pool table.
She shook her head in a vain attempt to shake off the alcohol haze that was making rational thought impossible. If only she could take a moment to compose herself, to get her senses straight—to sober up a bit, at the very least. But he was here, now, standing right in front of her, mere inches away. And he smelled so good —a deliciously manly scent that had to be cologne or aftershave. No one smelled that good naturally.
He spoke first, distracting her from her mission to discover the source of his scent. “Are you okay?” he asked.
She peered up at him in confusion. “Why wouldn’t I be okay? And what are you doing here?”
“I came to find you. Ivy sent me,” he started.
Ice flooded her veins. Her mind instantly leapt to the worst possible scenario.
“Oh my God, Ivy. Is she okay? What’s wrong? Is it the baby?”
Jack eyes widened in panic and he reached out to her before quickly pulling back. “No! No, no, she’s fine. The baby’s fine. Everybody is fine.”
Holly slapped a hand over her heart, which had catapulted into double time in fear. Adrenaline coursed through her. “Don’t scare me like,” she snapped.
He took a step back. “Sorry, I didn’t meant to—”
“If they’re okay, why are you here?” She caught the bartender eyeing them with curiosity and lowered her voice.
A fresh wave of dizziness swept over her as her mind struggled to make sense of the fact that Jack Everett was in Paris, in her hostel…the man had developed one of the most successful gaming systems on the planet while still in college, she would bet everything she owned that he had never once stayed in a seedy hostel like this one.
Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “How did