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But stupid gut. It wouldn’t let me.
I snagged the clutch from his loose-fingered grip. Hot, almost painful tingles raced up my arm from where we brushed.
I jerked back. My eyes flickering to him to see if he noticed. Hoping that he hadn’t. But his eyes were on me again, a questioning, curious look on his face as he fisted the hand that had just held my bag. My thighs clenched. Hard.
He had felt it too.
Definitely a red alert.Time to go, Ashlyn.
“I’m Ashlyn.” I offered him one last smile before I tucked my bag under my arm and fled like the entire freaking venue was on fire.
I didn’t even stop when I passed Cici. I just grabbed ahold of her bicep and hauled us both out of the small, lingering crowd and into the open quiet of the hallway.
Cici was giggling, the twinkling sound bright and cheery against the boring wallpapered walls. “Where’s the fire?”
My thighs. I sighed wistfully, continuing until we got to one of the immense entry doors. Cici only protested as I blasted by the coat check and straight into the night. “Ash. Ash. Ashlyn Marie Grove, you better let go of me this instant.”
I stopped in my tracks. I offered a strangled smile as I finally looked at her, those laughing blue eyes smiling up at me. Even in heels, I towered over her petite form.
“I’m sorry. I just needed to get out of there.”
“Clearly. My toes are going to have rug burn after that.”
I snorted. “Can we go now?”
“Absolutely. Did you already get us a ride?”
I nodded.
Warm, soft fingers slipped between mine. “Hey, hey. What happened, hon?”
You mean the part where I met a literal Prince Charming? Or where I ran across a ballroom first, fleeing a boring dinner companion and then the aforementioned Prince Charming?
“I’m just a mess.” I pressed my free hand against my cheek, feeling the heat still flooding my face.
“You aren’t a mess. You just need a double cheeseburger with spicy fries. Stat.” Cici’s thumb gently brushed against mine. Comfort born of over twenty-five years together washed across my chest.
My phone vibrated in my hand. “Ride’s here.”
“To burgers we go.” Cici made a “charge” motion with her fist.
We piled out into the stunning winter night, ignoring the chill that swept across my shoulders. I noticed Cici doing the same. It was an unusually cold fall day for San Francisco, and I wished I had bothered to pack my coat during this visit.
The SUV pulled up, the driver waving enthusiastically as I opened the door for Cici. I was letting her choose the burger joint, so she was motivated to get in there first and convince our driver to take us through the drive-thru.
But just before she dived into the dark interior, she grabbed my arm. “Oh my gosh, Ash, look! There’s the one I wanted you to meet.” She pointed across the drive at an oddly familiar dark-haired man who seemed to sense our appraisal and turned. A heart-melting smile graced his lips.
Prince Charming in a suit.
“That’s Liam Macklen. He’s going to be CEO of Leden Co.” Cici nodded at the man, listing off the powerful real estate company based in the Bay Area. “By next year I’d bet. I’d give my left tit to work with that company. Can you imagine?” She sighed dramatically.
I shoved at Cici. “Cici, come on, the visual.”
She cackled right back at me, zero regrets for her poignant wording.
Liam Macklen. Even his name was beautiful. I smiled hesitantly across the darkness at him. I leaned in to whisper about how I’d met him earlier. But then a gaggle of barely dressed women came pouring out of the limo door he’d opened.
He wasn’t leaving.
