Page 43 of The Last Good Man

“You know where I live, yet you don’t know my full name?”

“I want you to tell me your name. It’s more romantic, isn’t it?”

A shred of irony threads through his voice.

I try to retrieve my hand.

He stops me, gripping me firmly.

“I don’t like to be teased,” I say sternly, and his smile loses its edge.

“I was sincere.”

The tone of his voice agrees with his words.

“Your name, babe.”

“Melody Hill. I’m an investment banking VP, overseeing mergers and acquisitions,” I say, not aiming to impress him as much as to remind myself who I am.

The edges of my identity surreptitiously fray whenever I’m in his presence, and now is no exception.

If he is impressed, he hides it well.

On the other hand, it makes no difference. It’s not like we’re real friends or anything.

The other reason for offering him some information was to prompt him to do the same.

“Nice to meet you, Melody Hill… Super sexy VP. You’ve done well for yourself,” he says with admiration, which is more than I usually garner from anyone introduced to me.

“I can’t complain.”

“Thomas–guy must be in the same line of business,” he murmurs, his eyes gliding down the length of my body.

“Yes, he is.”

Our eyes connect again.

“Too bad he can’t get it up from all that work-related stress,” he jokes.

“I’ve already told you.Hecan get it up.”

“Yes, you’ve told me, darling. How could I forget.”

He unexpectedly brings my hand to his mouth and presses his lips against the back of my knuckles, a flicker of pleasure swirling down my spine.

“Although,usually, getting another man’s dick up is a deal breaker for me.”

I yank my hand out of his when he breathes out a chuckle.

I look away to hide my smile.

“You,Jax London, make so many claims and have no basis for them.” I swing my eyes back to him. “You have no right to tell me what to do or not do. We met at my––”

He flicks his finger up, signaling I must use his preferred word.

“Whatever… Shrink,” I mutter.

“I like you,’” he says, sounding like a justification, before I continue.

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