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“I do them now and then, but this was gross. I hate tequila. I prefer a good IPA if we’re being honest.” She flicked her tongue out to snag a bit of salt off the corner of her mouth.
Damn. Why did he have to see that little move? His blood quickened, and he struggled to tear his gaze away from that lush mouth of hers.
It hit him then. The urge to lean across the table and trace his tongue around her lips—see if she’d missed any more of those tiny specs of salt that had rimmed the shot glass.
Ah, shit.
And here I go, sliding back down the rabbit hole of lust for Tori.
*
James was watchingher mouth with a hungry expression that had nothing to do with the steaks they’d just ordered.
Usually, it didn’t faze her in the least when a guy gave her that kind of look. She’d learned to ignore it. To ignore them.
But for some reason, with James, it left Tori’s stomach a little butterfly-ridden and had her doing another swipe of her tongue over her lips.
Oh, she’d gotten all the salt, but seeing the way James’s eyes darkened made it all worth it. Gave her a sense of power that went to her head more than the alcohol.
“Anyway, I’m not one to pass up a free drink,” she explained. “Especially when it’s being offered by the guy who basically hired me.”
James’s gaze snapped from her mouth to meet her gaze. “Ryan helped you get the job?”
“I don’t know if he helped me, but he was definitely one of the guys who hopped in during the interview.”
His gaze clouded. “I see. Is that the same reason that you’re hanging out with him tonight?”
“Oh, look, you’re getting all judgy with me. Something new and fun for us.” She didn’t bother to hide the sarcasm, because they’d just settled right back into their usual behavior.
“So, should I take that as a yes?”
“You should take it as adon’t be a presumptuous asshole.” Her mouth thinned and her gaze drifted away. “Ryan invited me to walk around the lake with him and another guy at the office. Since I sit on my ass a good part of the day, it actually sounded really nice. Especially since it’s not raining and there was still a bit of daylight.”
“So, what happened to the other guy? Or was there never a third person coming?”
“I’m not really sure, but supposedly, he canceled.”
“Did he ever give you the other guy’s name?”
She hesitated. “No.”
“Don’t you think you were a little naïve, Tori?”
“It would seem I have my moments.”
She couldn’t even be mad at being called naïve, because he was right. She should’ve at least have suspected Ryan was up to something. The guy had always come across as a littletoocharismatic.
James lifted a brow, his smile lazy. “So you’re basically on a date with Ryan now.”
“If that’s what you want to call it? Though, since you’re here, it’s kind of a polyamorous-type thing, right?” she mocked sweetly. “Maybe you’re hoping for a threesome?”
“One, gross. That’s my cousin.” His gaze swept over her, spending just the quickest second on her breasts, before lingering on her mouth again. “Two, I don’t share.”
Chapter Six
Tori’s heart trippedand she blinked, trying to catch her breath.
Whoa. She hadn’t expected James to slip into some kind of alpha mode there.
