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‘No. Unless you want to?’ Cameron hits the button for the second floor and stays by the lift panel. More space between them is good.
‘Maybe.’ Jules shrugs and leans into the back corner of the lift. ‘But what if I introduce myself to someone and they ignore me or shut me out of the conversation or something?’
She fiddles with the strap of her handbag, projecting unexpected nervousness.
He steps in and covers her fidgeting hand with his own, giving in to a swift and undeniable urge.
She sucks in a sharp breath as their hands touch, her eyes widening.
So much for keeping his distance. It’d be rude to pull away now though and he doesn’t want to anyway. ‘Think of it this way. If someone came up to you and said hello, would you say hello back or ignore them?’
‘I’d say hello, of course. Wouldn’t anyone?’
‘Exactly.’
‘Oh.’ She laughs softly, chin dropping for a moment. ‘I see your point.’
That’s his cue to move his hand. It goes back into his pocket, though that was a shit deterrent earlier. ‘But if you’re not interested, we can always grab a drink, listen to the speech, then bail.’
‘We? You wouldn’t want to hang around?’
He turns to face the numbers above the door as they count down. Every decreasing number brings increasing tension to his arms as his hands curl into fists. ‘There are some people here who … I’d rather not see tonight.’
There’s a slight pause. ‘People from Cable?’
His tongue grows heavy. ‘Yeah.’
The lift doors open and Cameron takes long strides away from the conversation.
Jules doesn’t ask anything further as they join the check-in queue outside the function room where the welcome event is being held. It’s not too busy when they step through, only a few people mingling in small groups around the space. The bar at the back of the room has a queue though, and a handful of the tabled booths around the walls are already taken.
‘I’ll grab you a drink?’ Cameron offers. A quick scan of the room hasn’t revealed any Cable staff yet, but it’s inevitable they’ll be here. He could do with the liquid fortification.
‘I’ll come with you. I don’t know anyone here.’
They join the bar queue, Cameron still with hands in pockets. Jules cranes her neck to look at the ceiling. Cameron glances up to where two massive chandeliers are sparkling. It’s a bit gothic, with the velvet curtain–draped walls, but Jules seems enthused, and her fascination gives him a chance to appreciate the length of her neck and the smooth expanse of her skin. He could lean in and kiss her right below her ear, or under her jaw.
Wow. He lasted an entire two minutes without noticing how attracted he is to Jules. He pinches himself through his pockets to nix the desire and eagerly steps up to the bar to give his order. Maybe alcohol can dull that too.
‘I’ve heard this welcome night can get a little boozy,’ Jules comments.
‘It’s true. Get any group together and put a cap on the bar tab, and people tend to go in hard and fast.’ He presses his lips together at the poor word choice.
‘Is that your technique?’ Jules braces her hands on the edge of the bar. ‘Hard and fast?’
Fucking hell. Is she trying to make an innuendo? He’ll take it over her digging into his history at Cable.
‘Depends.’ His body leans against the edge of the bar while his brain reprimands it for getting so comfortable.
‘On what?’
Cameron’s pulse speeds up but there’s something in Jules’s eyes, ocean-blue under the lights, that feeds his recently re-awakened desire when he replies. ‘My drinking partner.’
Eyes on her face, Cameron catches the minute widening of her eyes. The biting of her lower lip is more obvious and damn is it sexy. Ignoring the need to touch her bare skin is getting bloody hard with the way his body is leaning into hers.
He keeps his attention on Jules, ready to back off, rein himself in at the slightest hint of discomfort. She holds her ground. In fact, he’s certain her eyes drop down to his lips for a split second.
His heart beats wildly against his ribcage.
