Liam
“Don’t get any ideas, Stone. This is not a date.” Roxy points her finger at me like a weapon when we enter the elevator.
She’s standing as far from me as possible, and I want to inch closer to get a hit of that lavender Roxy scent.
My self-control must have stayed on the West Coast. I step farther away, just to make sure I don’t sniff her.
“I wouldn’t dare. I’m very compliant with the no-fraternization policy.” I smirk.
The memory of her mouth on my lips, her hands on my chest, and her wet pussy on my thigh fills the small space around us.
Roxy groans, pink tainting hercheekbones. She covers her face with her hands. “This was a mistake,” she murmurs into her palms.
“You mentioned that already,” I grumble.
It’s quite satisfying to see her squirm. While she’s revisiting the memory with way more regret than it warrants, my gaze drops to the soft sway of her ass.
The linen pulls taut over every curve when she shifts her weight. The pants hug that artwork of an ass before they flare out, hiding her legs, which, in my opinion, is a travesty.
The leather jacket seems overkill given the current heatwave. Or my perverted need to see more of the corset she’s hiding underneath.
The urge to see her naked punches through me, sharp and sudden, and now I’m the one squirming. Fuck. This is going to be a long evening.
Frankly, I’m surprised she agreed to this date. Not a date. It’s not a date, but a celebration of our win with Hearthstone Foods.
We walk across the street to the steakhouse.
“I don’t understand why you are in a celebratory mood,” Roxy says as we enter the restaurant. “It must have stung that I was the one presenting to Vireon.”
It didn’t, but I can’t tell her that. She’s been snooping around enough to uncover holes in my story. As far as she’s concerned, Merged is my target. And I need it to stay that way.
The restaurant is full of the business crowd and low chatter. The warm, smoky scent of seared meat curls through the air. This place buzzes with the same relentless energy as the first time I was here.
The night I met Roxy.
The night before she met me.
Maybe I should tell her I’m Romeo, but I don’t think that would go down well with her. The way she reacted to our kiss with a happy ending, she would be mortified if she knew what else we had already done together.
But now I can’t erase from my mind her swaying hips as she bent over for me that night. I shift my weight.
“It doesn’t matter who presented. We got both parties on board in the end. That’s a reason to celebrate.”
And get to know you better. Well enough to get to your father.
She stops halfway to the hostess and studies me, with a frown that suits her almost as much as her smile.
“What?” I shrug. “This is more of a competition for you than it is for me.”
She scoffs. “You’re so sure you’ll win, aren’t you?”
The hostess grabs two ridiculously large menus and leads us to our table.
I put my hand on the small of Roxy’s back as we navigate between the tables.
The motion is automatic, but I’m immediately too aware of her heat. Fuck, I’m going to spend tonight at half-mast.
At the table, I pull a chair out for Roxy and nod to the hostess, who luckily gets the message and scurries away.
