Page 90 of Manhattan State of Mind

“Morning,” he announces with a megawatt smile, and the team responds like a well-rehearsed choir.

My breath catches as he strolls over. He looks so damn self-satisfied.

There are two options for him to sit.

My eyes land on the vacant chair beside me. Panic surges.

Please don’t sit here, please don’t sit here…

He strides past the other chair.

My silent prayers are left on read.

Don’t, don’t…

But he does, easing into the chair next to mine with that satisfied smirk.

He murmurs my name in that low rumble that sends shockwaves straight to my clit.

“JP,” I squeak back, sounding like I’ve just swallowed a whole lemon, rind and all.

This is shaping up to be one long, sweat-drenched day.

“Matty was just about to share the user research findings,” Taylor announces, addressing the unfairly handsome distraction to my left. “It’s about what our top spenders expect from their cashless casino experience.”

Matty, usually unflappable, visibly tightens in his seat. His eyes flick to JP. “We interviewed twenty top spenders. They love the idea but want to know their data will be secure with the large amounts they’d be transferring.”

He takes a breath that might’ve sucked all the oxygen out of the air, then says, “They’d also love if we could expand the cashless experience beyond gambling to things like the spa and restaurants.”

JP leans back, a hand casually resting on my chair. “Good to know. Let’s look at how we can extend this to the rest of the resort amenities.”

“Matty and Lucy will sketch out some designs to prototype and test,” Taylor chimes in. “The hurdle might be getting the high rollers to spare their time.”

I nod, already itching to get started.

“I’ll handle that,” JP says, his gaze sliding over each of us. “You just focus on pushing the boundaries of the possibilities.”

As he speaks, his leg brushes against mine under the table. It’s probably accidental, but my body jolts like I’ve been hit by a Taser.

“Moving on.” Taylor scans her notes. “Wendy, what insights does the user research offer about low-income guests using the cashless casino wallet apps?”

Wendy adjusts her glasses, rifling through her notes. “Some are concerned about overspending without cash on hand. Many try it once, then ditch the wallet app altogether after that.”

Matty grins wryly. “Yeah, it’s like raiding the minibar your first night. You know you’ll regret it, but in the moment, it seems like your best life choice.”

I choke as my orange juice goes down the wrong pipe. Damn.

“Easy there.” JP’s low murmur skates down my spine, leaving a trail of goose bumps.

My face flames as I manage a nod.

The irony of it hits way too close to home, since kissing Wolfe was my version of polishing off the minibar—a deliciously bad idea that felt amazing at the time, but now, it’s like I’m nursing the mother of all emotional hangovers.

And now, Wolfe is staring at me like he’s ready for round two. His eyes say this isn’t over between us… not by a long shot.

TWENTY-FOUR

Lucy