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She makes a face. “Yeah, so not my type.”
“Told you!” I laugh again.
“So what did the baby do to you?” she says in a mocking, childlike tone.
I contemplate the text, working out a response. Ihatelying to Cash. But with his love for the company and his loyalty to everything James, he’ll be more opposed to a relationship between Jay and me than anyone. I blow out a breath. “He’s my brother’s best friend. And he misses nothing. It’s annoying.”
“And what didn’t he miss?” she prompts, rolling her hand for me to go on.
“Uh, that something is going on with Jay. We went to brunch yesterday and acted like we’d never met. But, uh—” I blush, embarrassed to admit what Jay did while my brothers were sitting right across from me at the table. And how much I enjoyed it. I palm my face. “Jay tried to finger me under the table.”
Sophie bursts out laughing. “Oh my God. Sweet little virginal Cat’s not such a virgin anymore,” she sings.
I glare at her. “Still a virgin,” I mumble as the elevator doors open and more people step on.
“What are you going to say?” she asks, pushing closer to me to make room for our companions.
“What can I say? I can’t very well admit that, yes, my family company’s mortal enemy had his finger in my pants while they sat across from me!” I hiss.
Two men in suits in front of us turn, one with a brow cocked, and the other one giving me a once-over. Shit. Didn’t use my library voice. Or elevator voice, in this case. My face and neck heat, and from the looks of my hazy reflection in the stainless wall beside me, I’m the shade of a tomato. I sink back and stare at the ceiling.
Sophie slaps a hand to her mouth. “Smooth,” she whispers between giggles.
“Shut it,” I snap.
I jump and almost drop my phone when it rings in my hand.
Sophie snatches it from me and ends the call. “Calm down.” She holds the device out to me. “Your brother’s not going to come through the phone and force you to tell the truth.”
I sigh and hold my phone to my chest. He could. If he asked enough questions, I would cave. Or he’d know I was lying and call me out on it. Then I’d cave. Either way, talking to him right now is a bad idea. I need a plan.
As the elevator dings our arrival on the ground floor and the doors open, my heart rate kicks up. My phone rings again, but I haven’t had more than two seconds to even think about a plan. But the name on the screen isn’t my brother’s. It’s Jay’s. I click Accept and bring my phone to my ear just as I spot him leaning against the glass wall near the door, his legs crossed, his blond hair falling across his forehead, and those azure eyes lighting up as they track my arrival.
“Hello, beautiful,” he murmurs, not taking his eyes off me.
My thighs squeeze together, and I practically trip over my feet. “Hi.”
“Come to dinner with me,” he says.
It’s not a question. I do love his confidence.
I grab Sophie by the arm and come to a halt in the middle of the lobby. If we head to the doors now, we’ll pass right by Jay, and I don’t want anyone else to know we’re together yet. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” I say to her, nodding in Jay’s direction.
Her eyes light up as she looks from him back to me. “Have fun,” she whispers before waving goodbye and strutting to the exit.
“Tell me where to meet you,” I tell Jay.
He shakes his head as he pushes off the wall and stalks toward me. He pulls his phone away from his ear and pockets it before he reaches me. “Ms. Bouvier, it’s so good to see you again,” he says with a sly grin.
“Uh, you as well, Mr. Hanson,” I enunciate a little too loudly. I almost giggle at how bad we are at this undercover stuff.
“I was just coming to see if you were available to discuss a few details for the masquerade ball.”
“Oh, were you?” I tease, easing into the ruse a bit.
He nods and swipes at his bottom lip with his thumb as he takes me in from head to toe. He’s undressing me as we speak. It’s exhilarating. Images of him naked in the pool filter through my mind. I wouldn’t mind a repeat. Of anything we’ve done so far.
“Would you be available to discuss it this evening?” he asks, pressing closer.
