Page 47

His eyes narrow. “What things?”

“I appreciate what you did, promising me that I can keep my job at Velvet. But we can’t see each other.”

“I realize that.” He adjusts his collar, like it’s too tight, but it’s already unbuttoned. “I told you that.”

“I just wanted to be clear. Because it felt like there was something left unfinished between us…”

“Like what?”

Just say it.“Well… it felt like youwantedto kiss me.”

His eyes darken hotly. “Yes. And you kissed me back.”

“You pressed me up against a wall!”

“You used your tongue.” His heated gaze drops to my lips, and stays there.

I clamp my mouth shut.

Okay… I did not expect him to bring that up.

And who can remember whose tongue did what? It was hot and wet andfuckinggood, and how was I supposed to keep track of such things?

I turn away, trying to gather myself, then turn back. “Do you have any idea how freaked out I was to find out that I’m notallowedto be involved with you? You knew that, and you still introduced me to your family as your lover. You could’ve warned me.”

“Yes. And you could’ve read your employment package, and the contract you signed.”

“Yeah. I guess I could’ve.”

I mean, I did. Mostly. That contract wasthick.

I guess I can see why now. Life lesson learned.

“And that is why you need to quit,” he says.

“Uh… pardon me?”

“Let’s sit down.” He pulls down one of the chairs that are turned up on the tables, then another, and waits for me to sit. I slide into a chair nervously.

What is this new flex? He’s here to tell me that kiss meant nothing to him? That it was just some kind of test, which I failed… and now I’ve lost my job, because I broke the rules?

I try to bite my tongue as he sits down, but I can’t. “Couldn’t you have just fired me in the first place, if that was where this was always headed, and saved me the trouble of lying to your family?”

His jaw clenches. I suppose he doesn’t appreciate my tone. “That wasn’t where this was headed. But my family isn’t comfortable with our relationship, even though I told them it’s over now. Which is why I got you a new job.”

“What new job?” I ask skeptically.

“A better job. At an exclusive private club that I do not own.”

“That is not what we agreed on.”

“I know. But we both know this is what’s best. You and I…” His gaze snags on my lips again. “We can’t be a thing.”

My heart thumps wildly. He feels it too, is that what he’s saying?

This dark, sweet, sticky pull between us…

Nope.I am not getting side-tracked here. I don’t care how hot he is.