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Lily gaped. “Married?”
“Damn, girl. I wouldn’t mind being hitched to him,” Staci said with her sights on Eli.
“So you’re divorced then?”
I turned toward Lily. “Yes. For three years now.”
“Well, honey, the women in the building appear to be in heat.” We all turned our heads in Eli’s direction. Even from the back, he was attractive. I always enjoyed watching him walk… or rather strut. “Good thing you hate him and are utterly disgusted with him.” Lily’s emerald eyes swooped my way.
“I’m not any of that.” Oops, I spoke without thinking. It came out sounding like I still loved Eli. There was a defensive lilt in my tone. Shit.
“Oh my… well, then.” Lily took my hand and squeezed it. “Looks like you’re going to have some competition. You should’ve let him escort you to the table. Then all those bitches in heat wouldn’t have been able to stop him along the way.” She squeezed again.
Jesus, she wasn’t wrong. I plastered a smile on my face and feigned indifference. “It’s fine. You ladies have a good evening. Come on, Davina.” We hurried away. “I need a stiff drink.”
“You and me both. Tonight is going to get messy. I can feel it.”
“Just don’t leave me alone with Eli. You promised, remember?”
“Yes, yes. I remember. Let’s hit the bar before taking our seats.”
“You read my mind, cuz.” I needed to take the edge off. A little liquid courage before I sat next to my dashing ex-husband. My ex-husband, who was the most eligible bachelor at St. James Investments. My ex-husband, who looked good enough to eat. The salivating women in the room were proof of how delectable my ex shined in his black tux.
Effing Eli.He was always a head-turning, panty-melting hunk of a man. Some things never changed.
When we were together, I felt like a queen. Not because I was the lucky woman to be on Eli Morgan’s arm, but because he treated me like he was the luckiest man to have won my affections. Eli had taken doting to an extreme level. He’d once said I made it easy for him to love me with every cell in his body.
Shit, tonight might get messy… messy in my panties.
After tossing back two tequila shots each, Davina and I took our glasses of wine to our designated table. It never took long for me to get buzzed when drinking Patrón. My cheeks warmed as I approached Eli, who had his burning gaze locked on my breasts. He never had any tact when it came to me. Only in the office were we hands off each other. Everywhere else, we never shied away from PDA.
I smiled and greeted the table. Will and Miranda St. James looked stunning as always. They were the most beautiful couple. Anyone could see how enamored they were with each other. Eli and I were once like them. Then his career became his focus and I was put on the back burner. I bet Will would never do that to Miranda. I envied their love and devotion.
“Autumn, how are you?” Miranda asked as I took my seat beside Eli. He was out of his chair and helping me with mine. “I love your dress.” Miranda was a sweetheart. There was nothing unique about my black cocktail dress aside from the open back. It hit right at my knees and fit me like a glove.
“Thank you. I’m well. And you?”
She smiled at Will. “Tired. Mia’s been teething and keeping us up at all hours of the night.”
“Aww. Poor baby. She turns one next month, doesn’t she?”
“She does. I can’t believe my baby is going to be one year old.” Miranda made a sad face.
“It’s heartbreaking knowing she’s in pain,” Will said as he kissed Miranda’s temple. “It’s true what they say. When you’re child hurts, so do you.”
God, he was every woman’s dream man.
Miranda laughed. “He’s such a softy when it comes to Mia.”
“When it comes to both my girls.” Will gave her a sweet kiss on the lips. They were precious.
I felt waves of tension roll off Eli. Baby talk always made him uncomfortable. I wasn’t surprised nothing had changed. But I had a feeling seeing Will and Miranda so in love wasn’t easy either. It was just as uncomfortable for me. They were a reminder of what I would never have with Eli.
“My grandfather had told my cousin to rub whiskey on her baby’s gums. Might want to give it a try,” Eli said. I hadn’t gotten to meet Cadie, who had been born a couple of months after our divorce. A heaviness settled in my chest. I missed his family and my own. When I moved to Los Angeles, I’d left all I knew and loved, just so I wouldn’t risk seeing Eli.
I turned toward him in disbelief. Not once since I’d met Eli did he voluntarily talk about kids. And when he was forced to discuss them—because I pushed the topic—he never sounded cheery about it, like now.
His eyes met mine. “It really works.” His gaze dropped to my lips and his hand lightly brushed against my thigh.
