Page 78 of Mr. Wicked

He looked at Holden. “Oh, he definitely feels something.”

“I’m getting pretty tired of you two acting like I’m not in this room.”

“There’s no acting involved,” Holden said, tugging at his wrinkled polo. “We’re just stating the obvious.”

“Obvious?” I laughed and reached for the bottle, adding more to my glass. “What’s obvious is that you two want me to get wifey’d up. That, for some reason, you refuse the idea of me being single for the rest of my life, like the status, for some reason, bothers you. That you want me to fall in love with this chick when she’s only twenty-two years old.”

“Now it’s her age that’s an issue?” Holden asked. “Or you’re just reaching?”

I glared at him and downed the double shot that I’d poured.

“If we keep this up, he’s going to be a wreck within an hour.” Easton reached across my desk and picked up my phone from the receiver, pressed a few buttons, and held it against his ear. “Hey, it’s Easton. I’m in Grayson’s office. Can you go grab him a bagel? No, make that a bagel sandwich with double the eggs and cheese, and get some hash browns for a side with a huge glass of orange juice and the largest coffee you can find. Thank you.” He hung up and then took the vodka off my desk. “Our assistant is running out to grab you food. Get it together. We have a long day ahead of us.”

As he took a step away, proving that he was taking the bottle with him, I said, “You do realize I have a full bar in my office, don’t you?”

Easton turned around just as Holden stood to join him, and Holden replied, “Do I have to father you, too, and bring you into my office to watch you all day and make sure you don’t get into any trouble? Or can you act like a grown-ass man and actually process what you’re feeling rather than bury those emotions under booze?”

“Get out. Both of you.”

“Eat your breakfast,” Holden countered. “We have a meeting in two hours. I better see you there.”

I lifted my middle finger.

It earned me two smiles, but I didn’t give one back.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Jovana

I was still getting over the whirlwind of our third date when Grayson walked into the bar to begin date number four. The moment our eyes connected, I somehow scored a smile, and it brought me right back to the evening we’d spent together three nights ago.

Grayson had taken me to a concert at the Garden. Imagine Dragons was playing, and Grayson and his friends had reserved an entire box. Not only had I experienced the VIP-ness of his lifestyle, but I’d also met his best friends. I’d hung with them the entire night, and even befriended Drake, Easton’s girlfriend. They all knew about our situation, but never at any point did they make me feel like an outsider. They had been the warmest, most welcoming group.

During the small breaks between songs, I’d been so tempted to ask what they thought of our arrangement, to get a read on them individually. Especially since, every time Grayson touched me, I saw a smile come across one of their faces, and satisfaction in their eyes after Grayson and I would kiss.

Of course, our box had been extremely visible to the arena. There had been strategy behind every move we’d made.

Every kiss.

Touch.

Embrace.

We always acted as though there was a camera pointed at us.

At least that was what he was probably doing.

I didn’t have to act at all.

Maybe one day I’d get to ask his friends why they seemed so pleased with what they saw, or I’d take Drake out for lunch and attempt to get her to spill.

The concert just didn’t seem like the right time.

But the timing had been right for another Instagram tease. Although I’d shared plenty of live videos throughout the concert, before the show ended, I posted a photo on my main feed. A picture that Drake had taken of Grayson and me. We were standing in the front of the box, Grayson behind me, his hands on my navel, his face buried in my neck with a look of lust across my face.

The message couldn’t have been clearer.

Especially when I included the bomb emoji along with the caption: Radioactive.

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