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“Yeah. That’s so.” She glanced over his shoulder. The blonde watched them closely, her lip caught between her teeth. “She’s pretty. I bet she’d be a good wife. I didn’t want to ruin your chances by coming up and acting like I was the one you really wanted on you arm, when we both know—”
“You obviously know nothing.” He dragged his hand through his hair. “If I wanted to marry her, I wouldn’t have broken up with her in the first place. And you are the one I really want by my side. I made that perfectly clear the other night, when I said we’d take it slow and see where things went, but that I hoped they’d go somewhere with us naked in bed together. I was pretty fucking clear what I wanted.”
“Look, it’s fine if—” She stopped midsentence. “Wait, you broke up with her?”
“You’re damn right I did.” He dropped his hand to his side. “So next time, instead of writing a whole damn story in your head, just come the hell over. If I don’t want to be interrupted, I’ll wave you off. But you can pretty safely assume I want you to come up and show whoever I’m talking to that I’m taken.”
The jealousy that had been turning Maggie a wicked shade of green faded away, and she smiled while setting down his untouched drink. She could feel his mother’s glare burning into them both, as well as the blonde’s and her father’s.
Time to give them a show.
Resting her hands on his chest, she smoothed his tuxedo. “You mean, I should do somet
hing…” Stepping closer, she lifted her chin and studied his mouth. The wine she’d chugged earlier hit, and the room spun a little bit as she pressed her body up against his. Maybe this wasn’t the best of ideas, but she was past caring. “…more like this, next time?”
He cocked a brow and grasped her hips. “Yeah.”
“More than a touch? A kiss, maybe?”
She didn’t give him a chance to say anything that might dissuade her from showing that blonde exactly who Benjamin was with—real or not. Rising up on tiptoe, which was a lot easier with heels on, she kissed him in front of everyone. For a second, he hesitated, almost as if he was going to pull away, but instead he moaned and crushed her to his chest. His mouth moved over hers, and he kissed her back with abandon.
Swept up in a feeling that was anything but just for show, she closed her fists on his tuxedo jacket, hanging on for dear life. He broke the kiss off and let out a shaky breath. “Maggie.”
She bit down on her lower lip. She still tasted him on her. “Yes, Benji?”
Pressing his mouth against her ear, he tugged her closer. His huge erection pressed against her belly, and he whispered, “When we leave here later and get to your apartment, you’ll have a choice. If you invite me in, I swear you’ll never doubt your welcome in my arms again, and you’ll see exactly how much I want you.”
A shiver swept over her, and she didn’t let go. She wouldn’t have been able to even if she tried. “Benjamin…”
“Yeah. I know. It’s a bad idea.” His nostrils flared. “Let’s go mingle. The sooner we get this night over with, the better.”
“How long do we have to stay?”
A muscle ticked in his jaw, and he grabbed the drink off the table. He swallowed it in one big gulp then set it down. “Until they all see us, and realize we’re engaged.”
He offered his arm, and she held him close to her body, stealing a quick glance up at him. His offer burned in her mind. Even if they only had a short romance, what was so wrong with seizing the moment…
And having a little fun with a man she was desperately attracted to?
She caught her breath, because if she did this, went through with fulfilling her desire, it would change everything. Tonight would decide how the rest of their relationship went, real or fake. Would she play it safe, like always, and tell him she wanted to remain friends? Or would she let him in, even though she shouldn’t?
Guess she was about to find out because, despite her inner voice jumping up and down and screaming no…
She wanted to invite him in.
Chapter Eleven
The night had been one tedious conversation after another, followed by endless snide remarks about his engagement to someone no one had ever heard of. Not even the open bar had helped dull the monotonous company. If one good thing had come of tonight, it had been Maggie.
She’d handled the night with grace and even managed to win over a few of the older members of society while she’d been at it. The younger ones had been too busy judging them from afar to actually talk to her, but if they were too blind to see how special she was, that was their loss.
After that odd encounter with his ex, and Maggie’s even odder reaction to it, the night had been fairly hiccup free. She had remained by his side the whole evening, and the few times she’d wandered off, she hadn’t hesitated to come right back and claim him as her own. Repeatedly. He was proud to call her his.
Even if she thought it was only for pretend.
In the car on the ride home, she shifted in her seat and fidgeted with her purse. She’d been a nervous mess ever since they pulled away from The Frick, probably because of what he’d said after that kiss he couldn’t stop thinking about. That had been on him. She wasn’t ready, but when she’d kissed him like that, he’d forgotten all about rules and patience. He wanted her. She wanted him, too.
Sometimes, when her soft lips were pressed to his and her hands were on him, it was hard to remember that she didn’t want to want him. That for her, it was all for show.
