Page 65 of Make Me Yours

I want her to be just as affected as I am.

The way I’ve always been where she’s concerned.

I grab my jacket from the hook near the door before placing a hand on her lower back as we walk to the private elevator. Every step we take, the slit in her dress parts just enough to catch a glimpse of her thigh.

The elevator doors glide open and she steps in first before I follow, hitting the button for the underground garage. The second they slide shut, the small space amplifies the crackling tension between us. The scent of her perfume hits me. It’s citrusy with a hint of vanilla. I swear it’s something that’s been burned into my memory.

She doesn’t look at me, but her body is angled just enough that her bare shoulder brushes against my arm. The contact is light, barely there, but it short-circuits something in me.

It’s taking everything I have not to pull her into my arms and kiss her the way I’ve imagined for years.

But I don’t.

Because she’s not ready.

And once I lay my hands on her, there’s no going back.

“Steele?”

“Yeah?” I say, keeping my tone steady even as my pulse kicks up a notch.

She finally glances at me, and the tenderness in her eyes catches me off guard.

“Thank you,” she says. “For everything. Not just the dress, but for letting me stay with you and giving me a job. You’re always there when I need someone.”

I reach for her without thinking, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her gently into my side before dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

“I’ll always be there for you, Lilah. Always.”

She leans into me for just a second, and it sends a crack right through my resolve.

The elevator chimes, and the doors slide open with a quiet whoosh, spilling us into the cool, echoing space of the underground parking garage.

I click the fob for the Lamborghini, and the headlights blink. We walk side by side, our steps echoing on the concrete. Once we reach the car, I open the passenger door.

“Chivalry?” she teases, sliding onto the seat, her dress riding higher on her thigh as she settles on the buttery leather.

With my gaze locked on hers, I lean in. “You’re damn right. Only the best for my lucky charm.”

Even though she rolls her eyes, her smile lingers as I closethe door and walk around to the driver’s side. The second I slide in, the scent of her perfume wraps around me again.

The engine purrs to life, and we ease out of the garage, merging onto Lake Shore Drive with the skyline glittering beside us. The lake reflects the lights of the city in fractured, shimmering ribbons.

The radio hums in the background, filling the space.

“We don’t have to stay for more than an hour or so,” I say, my hand resting on the gearshift close to her thigh.

She glances at me. “I’m sure there’ll be lots of people who want to meet you.”

“Maybe. Doesn’t change the fact that you’re the only one I want to talk to.”

Her lips curve as she rests her head against the cushion. “Rina isn’t about to let that happen.”

“You’re probably right about that.” I flick a glance her way. “Guess we’ll just have to avoid her for the night.”

We’re less than five minutes away from arriving at a charity event full of cameras, reporters, and half of the city’s most influential movers and shakers. Right now, all I want is more time with Lilah in this car to pretend the rest of the world doesn’t exist. She looks so damn good, I just want to keep her all to myself.

As soon as I pull up to the front entrance of the building, a valet rushes around to open my door as another one helps Lilah out of the vehicle. The second we step onto the red carpet, cameras go off like fireworks.