Page 72

He leaned forward to ensure his next words were for her ears only.

“Allowing me to pleasure you not once, or twice, but three times in a night . . . is also kind of personal, don’t you think?”

He allowed the very decent Pinot to slide down his throat as he awaited her answer.

“I wish he would just fuck me already.”

Lawrence nearly choked on his wine.

“Pardon?”

“You mentioned last night, after asking for my inner thoughts, soooo . . .” The minx grinned over the rim of her glass.

One point, Toni.

“How about you, Mr. Mysterious? What kind of things run through your head?”

“At the moment”—he lowered his voice again—“I’m thinking how sweet it would be if you were sitting next to me, rather than way over there. That way, I could run my finger all the way up your thighs to where you’re wet and ready for me. I would slide inside easily, using my thumb at an honest attempt to make you call out in front of all these lovely diners.”

He shifted in his seat, less comfortable than he’d been a moment ago.

He forged ahead anyway.

“Those thoughts are sometimes tempered with ones of the first time I saw you, standing with Alessandra in Murphy’s Pub. Though I was there to protect her, I found it difficult to look away from you. When you reached up and piled your hair on top of your head, I remember thinking that I couldn’t decide if you were more beautiful with your hair up or down. Later I realized it didn’t matter. That you were taken.”

It was as good a time as any for their food to arrive. Thanking the waitress and ordering two more glasses of wine, Lawrence glanced back at Toni, whose seductive gaze had been replaced by a more serious look.

“I noticed you too.” She sighed. “I felt like a high school girl again, urging Alessandra not to look. But of course she did.”

He remembered it well. He’d heard every word they’d exchanged that night.

“And I felt shitty just about every time I looked at you after that. Having a boyfriend and being attracted to another man, really attracted, was a new one for me.”

“Why did you feel shitty about that? You never once crossed a line.”

“Guilt is kind of my middle name.”

They weren’t talking about her ex any longer.

“It’s understandable, but won’t accomplish much. Other than to eat you up inside.”

I know better than most.

If only he could take his own advice.

“Easier said than done.” Toni lifted her glass. “To overcoming guilt and living our best lives.”

A worthy toast. He raised his glass as well and drank deeply, but the feeling of being watched forced his attention away from Toni. The restaurant’s bar was clear across the room, but he spotted the man immediately.

“Who is the guy with the navy and white striped shirt at the bar?” he asked Toni.

She took a sidelong look, discreet enough not to be noticed. “Matt Bowman.” She cut a piece of her chicken marsala. “He’s a bit of an asshole, like his boss.”

Lawrence didn’t need to ask. “He works for Tyler.”

“Yep.” When Toni took a bite, she closed her eyes, a small moan escaping from her lips. “So good.”

She noticed him staring and realized how that sounded. “Sorry.”