Page 75 of Lorcan's Obsession

I watched my words register inside her mind, and uncertainty flashed in her eyes.

“Aaand, I like what you do to me…and for me,” she singsonged, rising to her toes and capturing my mouth, nipping that discussion in the bud.

I hid my hurt and the fear that she may never feel the same way for me. I kissed her like she was the last person on this earth and I didn’t want to be a forgotten memory. When we both came up for air, we were hazed, but this time, there was no uncertainty in her eyes. What she couldn’t voice, she felt.

“Shall we eat?” I offered.

She nodded and followed the white rose petals to our table. Our dinner was amazing, with great conversations and a six-course gourmet meal prepared tableside. Tristen also discovered her new favorite French wine, Chateau La Mission Haut. She was tipsy by the time we finished the entrées and asked for the dessert to be packed for home.

“Waving the white flag already?” I teased.

She stood from her chair and sat on my lap. “No, I promised to rip that tux off you.”

I didn’t need to be told twice. I raised a finger and signaled for the waiter to bring us the check.

All things considered, this first date had been a smashing success.

28

CAUSE AND EFFECT

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Nothing like a first date in over seven years to completely freak me out. Three attempts at using kohl liquid eyeliner had ended in crooked lines on my eyelids, so much so that I gave up the exercise and washed my Salem Witch-looking eyes.

I'd slept as much as a bullfrog since Lorcan won the trivia bet and took me for our first official date. I applied concealer and dabbed the brightening cream over my dark circles, hiding my reality so the world wouldn’t judge me. On the outside, I could be the prim and proper go-getter. On the inside, I was the hot mess bubbling over with regret.

I’ll admit it. I’d been feeling insecure lately and not in control of my own life. So when Lorcan wanted to have sex with me in his home office, I decided to take some of the power back.

That’s why I took him off guard and made him come in my mouth and denied him my pussy. It might’ve seemed selfish, but he had gotten used to me dancing to his every whim. I was entitled to show him who held the power.

But my timing couldn’t have been worse. My little play-for-power scheme instantly sunk by failing Lorcan’s trivia game. And to make things worse, Lorcan told me he liked me. Really liked me.

Goosebumps assaulted my skin when I remembered the energy that transpired between us. The look he gave me when I was staring up from my knees had been filled with pure devotion. And that reverence had only increased when he took me out on the lavish first date. I saw it in his hopeful silver eyes and felt it in his quivering breath when his hands touched my body. That deep connection we shared made me feel everything. Over that night, the tide had turned for Lorcan, and he was falling for me. Hard.

And nothing scared me more. It was like an icy bucket of truth thrown at my face.

Was I ready for this? For him?

This conundrum with Lorcan would have to wait till another day. Today was an important court day for my Capstone project with Fayed, and I needed my fullest brain capacities. I sauntered to my closet to pick my outfit for the day: a turquoise-blue Victoria Beckham midi dress and six-inch glossy black Christian Louboutin pumps. The dress hugged my curves like a glove. Paired with the heels, it flaunted my sexy legs in a jaw-dropping manner. It was perfect for attending court and maybe even scoring points with the judge.

I was sipping the remainder of my breakfast smoothie when Fayed called to let me know he was downstairs waiting. His brow hit his hairline when he saw me.

“You planning on killing everyone with your looks today?”

“Well, you said your uncle’s arbitration case could last six hours. If we’re going to be observing his lawyers for research, might as well give them something to observe back.” I winked.

“Now, I wish I wore a suit. I can’t have a tent pole situation with this.” He pointed at his long, traditional white robe. “It’ll be flying like a white flag, and there’s no wind today.”

I chuckled, sliding into his red-hot Maserati. “You’ll be fine, Fayed. The entire time we are in court, just picture me topping you in our finals. That oughta do it.”

“No, it won’t,” he grumbled, placing his hand over his groin and adjusting his dick before closing my door. “'You topping me' paints a very different picture in my head, Tristen.”

I laughed at his bluntness, and we settled into our banter all the way to Downtown. There, we attended the intellectual property arbitration, which lasted a painful five hours and ended in defeat for Fayed’s uncle. Still, I'd taken lots of notes and had gotten lots of looks for my stunning outfit, so it wasn’t a total bust.

“Will your uncle be mad he lost the case?” I asked, stretching up tall and then touching my toes after the long period of sitting.

“A wounded ego, maybe. He’ll cry about it in the next family meeting, then someone will shut him up by offering to reimburse his loss. Which will offend him more.” He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“Rich people problems, huh?”

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