Chapter Fifteen

Romy

My knee frantically bobs up and down as I impatiently wait for this seminar to end. I’ve barely paid attention at all. I know I should, but I can’t help it. The topic is yet again something that I’m already well-educated in.

I mean, my inability to focus obviously doesn’t have anything to do with Aiden Montgomery or his magic tongue.

Or his expert cock.

Or his striking good looks.

Okay, all of that is a lie. I’m thinking about all of those things—not to mention how sweet he is and how good he makes me feel about myself.

Yes, Aiden is certainly turning out to be everything I never imagined him to be.

I wonder if he’s sitting in his seminar thinking about me. Oh my goodness, listen to me. I sound like a high school girl whose crush is in a different class down the hall.

Fuck it. I don’t care.

I consider pulling out my phone and sending him a dirty text to ensure that he’s thinking about me, but maybe I’m not quite adventurous enough for that.

Not yet anyway.

Instead, I stay trapped in my thoughts until the speaker finally wraps things up. When he does, I walk out into the hallway and see the team-building mixer is starting in the big ballroom across the hall.

The doors to the room Aiden is in are still closed, so I fire off a text telling him to meet me in the mixer. My throat is dry, and hopefully, this thing has some refreshments.

My eyes scan the large room as I walk in and immediately zero in on the food table. I head straight for it and grab one of the bottles of water sitting on the end.

Opening it, I chug half of it down and look for a corner to hide in until Aiden gets here. He’s the only person I even remotely want to interact with.

But when a random guy comes walking up to talk to me, I realize I’m not going to get that lucky. He’s not a bad-looking guy—reminds me of a Ken doll. But he’s no Aiden.

Not even close.

“You look a little out of place,” he says, showing off teeth that are so perfect I’m convinced they’re veneers.

“Should I be offended?” I ask.

“Not at all. I was just thinking how someone as gorgeous as you stands out in a room full of testosterone.”

“Maybe it’s just a lack of options.” I put forth my strongest sarcasm, but he doesn’t pick up on it.

“No, I don’t think that’s it.” He looks at me with lust-filled eyes, but not in the same way Aiden does. This guy is creepy with the way he’s leering at me.

When I don’t say anything, he adds, “What are you doing here all alone, honey?”

Before I can even open my mouth to respond, a deep voice comes from behind me, filling the silence.

“She’s not alone.”

Aiden.

He stands beside me, and I feel his fingers lightly graze my arm. I know I said we should keep a low profile while in public, but I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to see him, and I want this other guy to get the hint and go away.

So, I wrap my arms around his waist and lean up to kiss him. It’s just a short peck on the lips, but it’s enough to get the Ken doll to walk away.

Once he’s gone, I look up at Aiden. “Sorry. I know I said no PDA, but I needed to get rid of that guy.”