Page 19 of The Truth of Us

She looked at it, then at me. “Thank you.”

“You’ve had two glasses of champagne and barely touched dinner.”

Her brows rose. “Were you monitoring me?”

“Yes,” I answered without filtering.

“That is no less concerning because you admitted it,” she said, and then took a sip of ‌water.

“I disagree. Honesty should count for something.”

“Honesty should be the rule, not a celebrated exception. But I am starting to believe that is your thing… selective honesty.”

I smiled because I felt like frowning. “You sound like you want to get to know me.”

“I know enough,” she said, her finger absently wiping the condensation on the glass.

“No,” I said. “You know my reputation.”

She lowered the glass. “Is there a difference?”

There it was, a neat little slice right between my ribs. I should have laughed it off. That was what I did. Charm, deflect, move on. Instead, I stepped closer and said, “Come back to my place.”

Her entire face shut down when she said, “No.”

I laughed once. “You didn’t even let me finish.”

“I didn’t need to,” she said, stepping back from me.

“I was going to say we should discuss your observations from tonight.”

“At your penthouse?” she questioned, one perfect brow arched.

“It’s quiet,” I said, stepping into her.

“So is email,” she quipped.

“Email lacks nuance,” I said, closing the distance between us. Her mouth twitched despite herself, which I took as a personal victory.

“Elliot.”

“Harper.”

“I am not going to your penthouse after midnight to discuss PR.”

“Fine, what would make you want to come?”

Her eyes flared, so I leaned closer, lowering my voice. “Come, because you want to tell me all the things you noticed tonight, and I want to hear them.”

“Elliot...” she sighed.

But I cut her off. “Come, because I don’t want the night to end yet.”

That shut both of us up. Well, fuck. That was too honest.

Her expression changed, softening at the edges before she caught it and tucked it away behind the mask I was now recognizing.

“I can’t tell if that’s a line,” she said quietly.