AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Callan.Stop.I’m perfectly happy and nowhere near starving.I promise you.”
He gives me one last questioning look before letting it go.
We’re halfway through eating and discussing Callan’s work trip to Vancouver when I spot Penelope Rush standing on the other side of the pool near the bar.She’s with a group of women who are all laughing at something.Penelope’s the only one not laughing.Instead, she’s glaring at me.
I return her glare.
She’s pissed off with me because I won our battle this week when I had every social media post that contained lies about my clients and me removed.I used the law and won, and it was the greatestfuck youI could have given her.Slade’s interviews went well today and I’ve already seen a few positive social media pieces about him.And Mace is on track with his team who are happy with the way we’ve worked on his reputation this week.
Mean girls don’t always win and Penelope doesn’t like that one little bit.She’s used to getting her own way.
“Olivia!Callan!It’s so good to see you both.”
I’m pulled from my thoughts about Penelope when a woman Callan and I know through Rhodes joins us.Callan’s not a fan of Larissa but he pastes a smile on his face.“Larissa.How are you?”
She inches closer to him, smiling like he’s the only man here.Curling her fingers around his forearm, she purrs, “I’m well.How are you?I’ve been hearing a lot about your company growth these last six months.It’s so impressive.”
“We’re doing okay,” he says.
“Oh, hush.You’re doing more than okay.”She squeezes his arm and looks at me.“He’s so modest, isn’t he?”Before I have even a second to reply, she turns back to him and carries on.“I’ve been meaning to call and chat with you about a charity gala I’m helping plan.You’ll be one of our invited guests and I want to give you the date ahead of time so you can pencil it in your calendar.”
“You can email my assistant and she’ll make sure it gets on the calendar.”
“Oh, Callan, no.I’ll call you and we’ll set up a dinner so I can tell you all about it.”
I’ve always suspected Larissa was interested in Callan but this is the first time she’s made a move on him.He’s usually able to extricate himself from situations like this while still allowing the woman to feel good about herself, however some women are over-the-top insistent when it comes to forcing him to commit to a date and it appears that Larissa might fall into that category.I know he’ll put his foot down if she refuses to take no for an answer, but I also know he won’t feel good about doing that.
As he opens his mouth to reply, I step closer to him and slide my arm around his waist.Smiling sweetly at Larissa, I say, “I’m sorry, Larissa, you mustn’t have heard the news.”I make sure to really lean into him.“The only woman Callan’s having dinner with these days is me.”
Larissa goes still and glances between Callan and me.Her features wrinkle in confusion.“Oh.Really?I thought you two were just friends.”
Callan puts his arm around me as I say, “Nope, not anymore.”I place my hand to his chest and look up at him with what I hope Larissa will consider adoration.
She processes this slowly before finally saying, “Well, I always wondered if you two were having some benefits on the side.It sure did seem like it.”
It did?
I don’t have time to contemplate that any further before Callan says, “It was great to see you, Larissa.”
She gets the message and glides away after saying goodbye to us both.
I drop my hand from Callan’s chest and am about to step away from him when he tightens his arm around me and drops his mouth to my ear.“I owe you for that, Ace.”
I’m not sure if it’s his gravelly tone, his warm breath on my skin, or his proximity, but one of those things ignites my longing for him.My skin warms and my tummy flutters as I look up into his eyes.“Anytime.”
His gaze locks on mine.“I’m pretty sure one of your favorite songs just started playing.We should dance.”
Those flutters in my stomach intensify.I’m beginning to wonder if my radarisn’toff.Callan’s eyes hold heat and he’s looking at me in the way I’ve always wanted him to.
I give him a flirty smile.It’s on my face before I can stop it.“You just want to see me shake my ass.”The song he’s referring to is one I’ve been known to let loose with and really get my dance on to.
His eyes smolder.“Guilty as charged.”
With that, he takes hold of my hand and leads me to the dancefloor while I wonder what the heck universe I’m living in.
I think Callan might really want to see me shake my ass.
11
