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“I have loans, but I’m not broke. Consider it aninvestment.”
She’s already helped me more than that, and she won’t let me pay her. It would be my chance to do her a favor. To save her from kissing a dozen moreguys.
Once it’s done, I round the table and reach past her for the “Back in 10” sign. I flip it over, scrawl “CLOSED” on the back, and slap it on thetabletop.
“You’re free,” I say under my breath. “And so amI.”
This evening’s been a revelation in a lot of ways, but if anything, it’s cemented the feeling that started in me after seeing her at the club—that I’m drawn toher.
And that’s why I’m getting out of here—because I don’t like that feeling, and I’m sure it won’t help the work we’re doingtogether.
“Wes.”
I’m ten feet from the booth when her voice stopsme.
My eyes drift close for a moment before I turn back to her. “Yeah.”
“Don’t you want a date? You singlehandedly saved Rome, plus you paid for like ten ofthem.”
Sayno.
But I’m moving back towardher.
“Nine,” I say instead, stopping close enough she has to tilt her face up to hold my gaze. “And we had adate.”
“The night we met?” Rena laughs, glancing past me at the room full of people. I’m distracted by her flushed cheeks. How the pink looks against her red lips. “Come on. You thought it was a really confusing business meeting with lots oftapas.”
“I got a kiss out of it,” I point out, aware of every inch betweenus.
“In private. Tonight I’ve been trying to scandalize the room.” Rena’s gaze drops to the camera in my hand. “But so far, I haven’t had muchluck.”
She shakes her head, sending a piece of hair that’s fallen out of her hairstyle bouncing around herface.
My hand and I are going to have a conversation later because it’s notobeying.
I tuck the strand of hair behind her ear. Those earrings blink in the light. They’re part of the same spell being woven by her low voice, her red lips, her scent, like vanilla andhoney.
Before I can talk myself out of it, I bend down and press my lips to the corner ofhers.
The breath she draws in trembles as if I startled her, even though she had plenty ofwarning.
She’s softer than I remember. Her skin, the curve of her lower lip. Almostvulnerable.
The clicking noise has her jerkingback.
I lower the camera and take the photo from it, tossing it on the table. “Asouvenir.”
Her eyes shine in surprise. “If you were always this self-assured, you’d sell that program in notime.”
But I’m only half noticing her words, because that piece of hair’s fallen again. This time, instead of tucking it back, I twist it around myfinger.
The silky feel of it goes straight down my spine, and I can’t resisttugging.
She inhales, a strangled little sound as her hips sway intomine.
This might be a prank to her, but my conversation with Ben was one more reminder I need her help. Everything I’m doing here, in this room and this city, relies on hergrace.
But right now, I’m thinking about the sound of her breathing and the fact that she’s pressing her hips distractingly against my thighs and I don’t even know if she’s aware ofit.
