Page 98 of Root

I force myself out of the kitchen.

As I make my way to my room, one thought keeps haunting me.

Just one.

I think I might be falling for him.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Rush

Of course Jessie’s a master at sleight of hand, of changing the subject.

Thing is, I’m not Nikolai.

He taught me about saying nothing and when to speak the truth. I taught myself the art of sleight of hand, the skill of changing the subject.

First, to get away with shit, but being a fuck face, Nikolai saw everything. He taught me when to use it, when not to, and how to work the truth without lying.

My other skills I honed on others.

So, when she tries that on me, I see right through it, down into a desperation I’m not sure what to do with yet.

I’ve got a Brioni suit on, darkest blue like midnight with sunset blue plaid. It’s one of my favorites, and with the cream silk tie with the dots and the shirt with the sapphire cufflinks, I’m on fucking fire. We look perfect together.

The suit’s got edge and style, and she’s sexy, hot, and fierce as fuck. Like always.

I slide a finger along her silver piercings and ear cuff, and smile. “What do you think of your…steak?”

The place is one of the coolest in Queenstown. Swank and full of the rich and famous.

“I’ve never had a mushroom like this before.”

“Told you, it’s good. This place is great.”

She leans in, having deftly turned my question earlier about what had her upset and who was on the other end of the call into asking me about dessert and if people are looking at her.

I have to admire a chick who can play the game so brazenly with me. It’s all kinds of hot.

Jess nods. “It’s fantastic.”

“There’s a but,” I say.

She smiles and it’s dirty, filthy sex; desperation cloaked. “But I prefer my steak red meat, bloody and delicious.”

“What about covered in sauce and drop the bloody? I’m up for food play. Should we call it a date? Reenact the food porn scene of that old movie about hats?” Maybe it’s just the song from it that has to do with hats.

She holds my gaze as she runs her finger along the poivre sauce and then sucks it off her finger.

“I’ll order a vat, drip it on my cock, and you can have as much sauce and meat as you like, baby bunny.”

“Noted. Fuck boy.”

I take a bite of my actual steak, and she suddenly switches plates.

“Hey, no fair, Jessie.”

“Totally fair,” she says, leaning in, her hand sliding up my thigh and landing dangerously close to my balls, my cock lurching. “Are you having a reaction? Parts of you are swelling up.”

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