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His gaze scanned over her face, down her body. Dahlia forced herself not to shift. Trey turned back to the ring, seemingly uninterested. Did I just shoot my shot…and miss? If there was a handbook, surely the first rule of work etiquette was to not flirt with her boss. She had to smooth out the major faux pas. A distraction and change of subject seemed like the most plausible solution.
“My window got fixed, just as you predicted. I made the call just like you told me to, and he showed up the next day. Crazy, right?”
Trey kept his eyes on the cage, not even acknowledging her statement.
“So, um…” She racked her brain, trying to come up with anything work-related. There was something, a question, that had plagued her mind for weeks. “Can I ask you something?”
Trey seemed to hesitate before glancing down from the corner of his eyes and arching his brow. She was learning quickly. This was Trey-speak. All it took was a look.
“It took me forever to even get an interview and the job, and when I turned it down, you convinced me to take it, even getting me fired. Now, you’re giving me what everyone calls the prime spot at bar one.”
“Is there a question?”
“Why didn’t you just give me the interview when Sloane asked for it months ago?”
His gaze darkened, and he slowly turned back to the ring. She should have kept her mouth shut and just took the offer to watch in their VIP spot for exactly what it was. A nice gesture. She’d read into it and was now left in a very awkward position.
When she saw Kyle enter the ring, a sense of relief washed over her. It was short-lived since he was knocked out two minutes into the fight. But it did provide an escape.
“Well, shit.” She sighed, her shoulders sagging. “That was like giving to charity.”
“He’s overly confident and unskilled.”
Trey nailed it, though for different reasons, but still, she saw the unintentional humor and burst out laughing. Dahlia cupped her mouth, shaking her head.
“Is that funny?”
“If you knew our backstory, you’d understand.” Dahlia chuckled and turned to Trey. “We dated, so I can confirm he’s overly confident and unskilled.”
What was meant to be a lighthearted joke clearly didn’t hit right with Trey. His jaw squared, his eyes darkened, and the lines deepened on his forehead. It only lasted a few seconds before his attention reverted back to the cages.
Shit!
Dahlia rocked back on her heels and pointed to the arena. “I guess I should go find my friend. Thanks for letting me hang out in VIP, Trey.”
He never looked at her, keeping his gaze on the ring, but took a step closer behind her. The move had Dahlia frozen. He wasn’t touching her, but she could feel the heat of his body. Her heart pounded, and she was unsure if she should leave. She parted her lips but felt his breath ruffle her hair.
“I didn’t give you an interview because it would have been a conflict of interest.” His deep voice wasn’t quite a whisper but low enough only she could hear.
Conflict of interest?
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to fuck you.”
Dahlia’s breath caught in her throat, and her muscles tightened. Did he just say…
She slowly turned her head, glancing up. His eyes were locked on the ring in front of him, but his features were tight, and his jaw was squared and tense. If not for his demeanor, she might have second-guessed what she’d heard.
“Trey.” Her breathy whisper was barely coherent.
Seconds passed, and he slowly glanced down at her. This look was different, expressing all the heat. His eyes darkened to almost black, and the tension traversed his face, evident in the two lines prominent on his brow. He’d never looked sexier than this very moment. She slowly leaned back, pressing against his chest. Was he waiting on consent? He had it tenfold.
It was confirmation she hadn’t misheard him. Oh. My. God. What was she supposed to do with this information? Her first instinct was to kiss him, but she was too frozen in her own shock to move. This man, who she’d harbored a crush on, fantasized about for months, and did everything she could to get his attention, had just admitted to wanting her.
“Trey!”
Dahlia was so lost in her own desire she had no idea who was calling to him other than knowing it was another man. He jerked his head, and his jaw squared. She was completely unaware of the mass chaos happening around her until she took one step forward. A member of security held out his arm, blocking her just as two men started scuffling near the elevated area. They’d fallen into it with so much force Dahlia lost her footing and stumbled back. Trey gripped her waist. She should have been more concerned about her own safety than the feel of his firm grasp over her hip.
