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Ah, never mind.

“Tell you what, lovely.” I’m not good at lathering on the charm when we’re in public like this, but I’ll force it for Alessa’s sake. I don’t want her any more uptight than she already is for our date tonight. I have plans for her, all right?

Plans to make her like me again. There’s no point in a relationship if she doesn’tlikeme.

She shows me a wan smile. “All right. How much longer do we have to be here?”

She’s been embarrassed twice this afternoon. Both times because of me.

I’ll have toreallymake it up to her tonight.

Chapter 17

Julianna

We survive the party for another hour. I introduce Alessa to my father, who is much more amiable than my mother, and instantly takes a liking to her. Jordan and Ted insist on sitting down with us to go over last-minute wedding details—and to discuss the dual-bachelor party they’ll be having in Tokyo in a few weeks.

Tokyo, because that’s where they met. Also, it has a rather infamous red-light district. That they probably met in while in town for a conference.

I’ve already promised to go, although I can’t stand Tokyo, and I’m not sure how much fun I can have at a gay bachelor party. But I’ll go for my brother’s sake. I’m also his best mate, which means technically it’s my job to make the arrangements. Jordan’s best man has taken care of it, though. I only need to get on the family plane and enjoy my weekend.

By the time Alessa and I leave the party, she’s teasing me about a bachelor party.

“Okay, but what if you meet my male equal there, and suddenly you don’t want me in the picture anymore?” Good Lord, it’s a good thing I know she’s joking because I can’t believe it otherwise. I have never been truly interested in men like that, and I somehow doubt I ever will be. My brother got all of that attraction, and he can have it.

We’re in the back of my car, heading back to Portland. We’re going straight to my penthouse. I’m texting orders to Vern and a few services so my plans for tonight can go off without a hitch. “That’s not going to happen,” I assure her.

“How do I know that?”

I put my phone down and kiss her. Her rigid posture gradually goes lax beneath my kiss. “Because I don’t know how I could kiss anyone else when I have you by my side.”

It works. She grins, flattered.

I tell my driver to go above the speed limit so we can get home faster. One kiss has me slobbering like a teenager on a first date. I don’t know why Alessa has this damned effect on me, but damnit, she does.

Because she’s new, because she’s exciting. That’s what I tell myself as we enter the Portland city limits. I pull my jacket around me so she can’t tell I’m shivering from both the AC and my desire for her. I don’t want her thinking about that quite yet. Perhaps if she were in a better mood. Right now, though, I need to calm down and focus on her feelings.

Of all the F words in the world, that one must be my least favorite.

“How does dinner on my balcony sound?” I ask on our way up in my private elevator. “I’ve already had it arranged for us when we get there, but we can move it inside if we want.”

“Might be cold outside,” Alessa says.

I press her against the elevator wall, my body overpowering hers, making her mouth open and her eyes glaze over. Ah, yes, she certainly still wants me, doesn’t she?

“I’ll keep you warm, Lessa.”

I meant to say Alessa, of course, but my mouth dropped the A-ball, and now I sound like an idiot. Yet her eyes flutter in my direction, her hands clinging to my jacket.

“Lessa?”

“It’s my name for you,” I’ve decided. “Two syllables are more efficient than one.”

“Three.”

“Excuse me?”

“You mean two are more efficient than three.” Every time she grins, I seize up. Something in my chest stops working properly, and I have to focus on my body to feel normal again. That’s time and attention taking me away from my sweet girlfriend.