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That turnabout was anything but fair.
Six
Gage paid the tab and followed Cass out of the restaurant.
Thank God he was behind her. That gave her a good three minutes to get her shakes under control.
It wasn’t long enough. By the time they hit the sidewalk and Gage gave the valet his ticket, she’d almost managed to stop hyperventilating.
That kiss still singed her lips. His touch still burned her back. Worse? She’d touched him, too. Her own fingertips had reacquainted themselves with Gage’s broad shoulders, thick hair, muscular torso. They’d explored him thoroughly and she ached to memorize him all over again.
She was supposed to be seducing him so she could get some answers about his involvement in her company’s problems. Somehow that hadn’t happened. She had to get the advantage back. Pronto.
As they waited in tense silence for his Hummer to appear at the curb, she prayed he wouldn’t try to corner her again, maybe in one of the shadowy alcoves off to the right, where he could back her up against the brick away from prying eyes and kiss her like that again. Because she could almost feel the bite of that brick against her back. Could almost feel his hands on her. His mouth.
That would be...too much. And it was all she could think about.
“Hi, Cass. I thought that was you.”
The enthusiastic female voice on her right snapped her out of the fantasy where Gage had hiked up her dress as he kissed her in that shadowy alcove and... Get a grip, for crying out loud.
Cass turned. And her heart tripped as she came face-to-face with Fyra’s accounting manager. Who was eyeing Gage with undisguised interest as she gripped her own date’s arm.
“Hi, Laurie,” Cass croaked before clearing her Gage-riddled throat.
“Fancy seeing you here,” Laurie commented and gestured to the man with her. “This is my husband, Mark. You may remember him from the Christmas party? But I haven’t had the pleasure,” she said to Gage, sticking out her hand in expectation.
Oh, no. This was not the time or place to be caught with a rival CEO. They needed to play it cool and extract themselves without—
“Gage Branson,” he announced cheerily, completely ignoring the elbow Cass had just shoved in his ribs.
Too late. She stifled a groan as Laurie’s expression lit up.
“Not the Gage Branson of GB Skin? I’m a huge fan of your body wash. I use it all the time, but don’t tell my husband,” she said with a laugh.
Cass glowered at her but Laurie just shrugged. “What? Ours is too flowery. Men’s scents are more outdoorsy. Lemon and sage and such.”
Gage grinned. “That’s what I like to hear.”
The mutual admiration club gained another member when Laurie’s husband jumped into the mix to announce his own GB Skin product preferences. This was beyond uncomfortable. Not simply because it grated to hear that Gage had one-upped her, but also because he’d just kissed her.
Could Laurie and Mark tell? Of course they could—she was probably mussed, and she hadn’t had a chance to slick on more lipstick. It was a cardinal sin to stand here on the curb with missing makeup. They’d probably noticed her naked lips the moment she’d turned around.
Okay, yes. She’d been kissing the CEO of GB Skin. Cass had kissed Gage. Strictly in the name of finding out whether he’d been the mastermind behind the leak, which had somehow turned into something else.
Her guilty conscience was probably seeping from her pores. She had to get out of here.
Cass gritted her teeth and broke in at an opportune moment. “Laurie, you know we welcome suggestions from employees on Fyra’s products. Just send me an email with your thoughts about how to improve the scents in our body wash, and I’ll get it into the right hands.”
“Oh, I know I shouldn’t be gushing over a competitor’s products in front of my boss’s boss.” Laurie’s giggle was the opposite of contrite. “But I figured it was okay to admit it. After all, I’m just using the products, not dating the CEO.”
“Oh, this isn’t a date,” Cass interjected swiftly. “Mr. Branson is...uh—”
“Providing consulting services to Ms. Claremont,” Gage finished for her smoothly. “Cass and I went to college together and she contacted me to ask for strategic advice.”
“That’s a pretty fancy dress for a business meeting.” Laurie sighed a little over it. “I would love to be able to wear something that sexy.”
