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Scraping his teeth across his bottom lip, he looks back up at me. My eyes widen when his fingers reach up and wind around a strand of hair that’s fallen in my face.
I somehow manage to regain a scrap of composure and swat his hand away. “That is the last thing I want to do.” Needing room to catch my breath, because this man is sucking it straight out of my lungs, I place my palms on his chest and push him back.
But the hard planes of his body and the heat I can feel radiating under my hands catch me off guard, and my fingers involuntarily tighten into his shirt.
Wicked intent flashes in those blue eyes. “You sure about that? From where I’m standing I’d have to disagree.”
I scoff, shaking my head. “You’re unbelievable. Walking in here as if you own the place, invading my privacy. Then you have the nerve to suggest that I— That I—” God, I can’t even say it.
He rakes his eyes over my face, making me burn hot, then settles his gaze on my mouth. “That you…?”
I force myself to let go of his shirt and take a deliberate step away. “Enough, Mr. Turner. Tell me why you’re here, or get out.”
Disappointment flashes across his face briefly before it’s replaced by that damn cocky smirk. And dear God, why does it do things to my body that it shouldn’t? I needy, yearning pull grips me low in my belly, diving further south the longer he stares at me.
“Go to dinner with me.”
“What?” My eyebrows knit together at the abrupt change in conversation.
“Dinner, Avery.” Even though I’ve tried to put distance between us by reverting to using his last name, I can’t deny how much I like the sound of my name on his lips. “You know, the meal at the end of the day, sometimes shared with other people. Occasionally with wine and good conversation. Let me take you to dinner.”
“Why?” My suspicions suddenly rise above all the other crazy things I’m feeling. “What are you after?”
It’s clear he’s trying to manipulate me. I should have seen it immediately. He’s using his charm against me to try to make me stop the protests. To clear a path for him to do whatever he wants.
“What makes you think I’m after anything?”
My eyes narrow. “Men like you always have ulterior motives.”
He flinches, and for a minute I feel bad, though I’m not sure why. Does he feel bad about the kind of man he is?
“Just let me take you to dinner. After that, you can decide for yourself what you think about me.”
I can’t deny I want to. I want to see what he’s up to, maybe discover a weakness. But it’s more than that. I also want to spend more time with him. And as dangerous as that is—no, as fucking stupid as that is—I find myself nodding my head.
“Fine,” I concede.
The smirk slips again, revealing that genuine smile for the second time. “I’ll pick you up at eight.”
And just like that, he’s gone, leaving me wondering what the hell just happened.
Finn
Avery stares at me from across the table, her mouth hanging open, her eyes full of confusion and disbelief. I almost can’t believe it either.
I haven’t told anyone my full plan. Not even my assistant. Yet I just poured out all my secrets to a woman I hardly know. A woman who holds more power than she even realizes. Her movement has grown to epic proportions, and she could use this information against me.
Ruining everything. All my plans to bring New York into the future by making the MTA the most forward-thinking and revolutionary mass transit system in the world could blow up before they even get started.
Why did I do it? Why did I tell her everything and hand this power over to her on a silver platter?
Because I see something in her that I recognize in myself. Passion to do the right thing, to stand up for what you believe in and make things happen. And I believe that she will see my side of things in this situation.
At least I hope she does. I hope she doesn’t take everything I think I see in her and prove me completely wrong.
Avery shakes her head, the purple and platinum waves falling around her shoulder in a mesmerizing dance that makes me want to wrap myself up in her.
“You’re serious.”
