Page 78 of Honor

I step even closer to her. It’s so close that I could literally move just a few inches to kiss her.

She licks her bottom lip as she drops her gaze for a second before it’s back on my face. “I know it’s not a requirement that you like me. You tolerate me, so that’s something, right?”

My cock is aching inside my jeans. I’m so fucking tempted to tug her closer so she can feel the outline of it pressing against her while I ask her if that feels like a man who doesn’t like her.

Hell, I’m tempted to kiss her before I haul her over my shoulder, take her to the bedroom that I’m staying in, and fuck her until morning.

“You said you wouldn’t hold anything I said against me,” she reminds me. “So you can’t.”

I drop her hand, but mine lands on her hip and not by my side.

Her gaze drops to it. “Reid?”

“I like you,” I say –no- I fucking growl those two words out through clenched teeth because I’m barely holding onto my self-control.

Her eyes sear into me. “As much as you like Norbeta?”

A laugh escapes me as my finger catches in one of the belt loops on the waistband of her shorts. I tug her closer. “I’ve never liked Norbeta this way.”

Her lips part ever so slightly, and the softest sound floats out. “Do you mean the way I think you mean?”

“What the fuck is taking you two so long?” Randall’s voice booms through the air just before he rounds the corner.

Evie scurries back and out of my reach before he gets an eyeful of the two of us.

“I got a glass of iced tea,” she announces with way too much enthusiasm for such a substandard beverage.

“Lucky you,” Randall says and means it.

Evie sees an opportunity to flee, so she does just that with the glass of iced tea.

“I want a beer.” The groom-to-be sneaks past me on his way to the fridge. “Do you want one?”

“Sure,” I toss the word out without a hint of the crushing frustration I’m currently feeling.

“Pete says you’re going to make Evie work tonight.” He shakes his head. “Cut the girl a break, Reid.”

“We have unfinished business,” I say honestly. “Something tells me Evangeline won’t mind spending a few hours alone with me tonight.”

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

Evie

As soon asdinner is over, I race back into the bedroom I’m staying in. It’s my place of solace for the weekend. On the drive up, I imagined a getaway with just Lottie. I thought we’d lounge by the pool, walk along the beach, and talk endlessly about her wedding.

I was completely on board for that, but now, I’m facing two days with a bunch of men I don’t know and one I want to know a heck of a lot better.

The problem is that man is my boss.

I rest my back against the bedroom door and give the room a more thorough glance than when we first arrived. That was only a few hours ago, but it feels as though days have passed.

The room is spacious. As soon as you enter, there’s a sitting area to the left comprised of two armchairs and a small table with a lamp. It’s the ideal spot for reading. The tufted dark gray headboard of the massive bed is against the far wall near a window. I already know that the gray and white linens on the bed will be as soft as a cloud.

Lottie said I could have this room because she was pretty sure I’d never had a beach vacation. The comment was clearly meant to be a joke since, during the drive today, I rattled on about how I’d been longing to take a trip to any beach for years.

A soft knock at the door startles me. I stand still, hoping beyond hope that it’s anyone but Reid. If it is him, I need to stay as quiet as possible so he’ll eventually give up and wander away.

“Evie?” Lottie’s voice calls from the other side of the door. “Are you in there?”

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