Page 20 of Bidding War

Wow. That’s a huge bank. “Do you like it?”

“Overall, sure. It’s what I always wanted to do once I knew it was a job. A career is important, but it doesn’t tell you about who someone really is, and I’d like to know more about you. If you’re up for it.”

He’s cute, friendly, doesn’t have any obvious ties to the mob, didn’t tease me and bully me into tears when we were kids, so Neil is definitely a step up. “I’d like that.”

“Maybe we take one of the booths in the back so we can hear each other without yelling?”

I chuckle and nod, then grab my drink, and we make our way to the booths in the rear of the bar. They’re nice leather things that curve around a small round table to give the illusion of privacy. Neil sits a tad closer than I expected, but that’s not a bad thing. I like that he’s open about his interest in me. So much better than a man who plays games. “Tell me, Neil, aside from being a sexy hedge fund manager, what else do you do?”

He gives a teasing smirk. “You think I’m sexy?”

“Wouldn’t have said it otherwise.” Normally, I am not this forward. But my three Cape Cods have empowered me.

He’s taken aback, and his brows lift with surprise, but he’s not put off by my forwardness. Instead, he comes a little closer. “Aside from being a sexy hedge fund manager, I’ve been spending a lot of time getting to know Boston.”

“Where are you from originally?” Say Iowa.

“Nebraska—

“Oh, I was so close!”

He laughs. “Where did you think?”

“Iowa. You look like every fantasy farmer from a romance novel.”

Oh my god, he fucking blushes. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a man do that. It’s strangely erotic. “Well, thank you for that. Maybe I should look for the women who read those?—“

I raise my hand. “I’ve read a few.”

His blush fades as he grins. “You know something, June Devlin?”

“What?”

“I am awfully glad I walked in here on a whim tonight.”

“So am I.”

He nibbles at his bottom lip for a moment while his deep green eyes glance at my mouth. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask to kiss you.”

“If you asked to, I’d say yes.”

He closes the gap between us. His voice darkens. “What if I didn’t ask? What if I just took your mouth like it belonged to me?”

“Guess you’ll have to try and find out.”

He lets out a satisfied grunt before slanting his mouth over mine. It’s a perfectly good kiss. I taste his hard cider on his lips, and when his tongue grazes at me, I feel like I’m supposed to let him in, so I do.

But it’s wrong. It’s all wrong.

It’s not Neil’s fault that it’s wrong. I’m the one with the problem. He’s not Anderson, and maybe things are too fresh, but kissing someone else feels off. I can’t help but back off and wince as I do it. “Sorry, uh?—"

“I got pushy. I’m sorry, June.”

“No, no. You were fine. Great, really. You’re a heck of a kisser, actually, but it’s me. I just got out of a super intense relationship, and that felt strange for me.”

Just what every guy wants to hear. A woman hung up on her ex, blathering on about another man. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be putting this off on you. I should go?—“

But he snatches my wrist and smiles when I look back at him. “June. It’s alright. We all have exes and weird situations. I’m not upset. If you want to go, I understand, but if it were up to me, you’d stay.”

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