Page 46 of The Unplanned Wedding

"You’re smart; you can come up with an excuse, I’m sure."

Her lips thin. "I believe that should be possible." Her voice is polite, but her cheeks have gone red again. Poor little July. She has no idea how much I enjoy the fact that her features always give away her true feelings.

You can’t hide from me, little one.

What. The. Fuck? I cannot have seriously come up with a sappier endearment for her.

The Maître d’ glides over and places our drinks in front of us.

I grab my tumbler, toss back my drink, then growl, "Another."

He takes my glass and retreats while my assistant gapes at me. "Are… Are you okay, Sir?"

Fuuuuck.If she calls me 'Sir' one more time, I’m going to throw myself across this table, grab her by the nape of her neck and kiss that tempting mouth and—I shake my head. Nope, I cannot allow her to take over my thoughts so completely. I need to figure out how to keep her at a distance. It’s why I lift my chin and growl, "Except for the exceedingly boring company I’ve been subjected to for the past twenty minutes, I’m fine, okay."

Her eyes grow wide, then her features crumple.

Instantly, I’m struck with remorse.Fucking hell, did I have to hurt her like that?

She manages to get control of her emotions, then draws her spinestraight. With measured movements, she slides her tablet back into her bag. "I don’t believe we have anything else urgent to discuss for this evening, so if you will excuse me…" She rises to her feet, then turns and walks across the floor.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.I spring up and stalk after her, "Stop, July."

16

June

I ignore him and keep walking. He overtakes me and plants his bulk in between me and the path to the exit.

"Let me pass, Sir." I swallow.

He draws in a sharp breath. I sense the tension in him ratcheting up. It surprises me enough to raise my gaze to his. When his blue eyes blaze at me, I realize it’s a mistake. I’m caught up in the sapphire depths, caught up in the vortex of emotions that I glimpse, until an avalanche of ice seems to crash down and erect a wall between us.

"I didn’t give you permission to leave," he says through gritted teeth.

"My work here is done. I need to head back." I love it when he treats me as his plaything. I want to please him. I work hard so I can hear those words of praise from his gorgeous mouth. But I also know when he’s frustrated with himself. I know he’s drawn toward me, but he also wants to resist feeling anything for me—that’s when he lashes out, hoping to hurt me. And this time, he did. And I... I won’t stand for that. It satisfiessomething in me to obey him. I love for him to order me to do his bidding, but he also has to respect me.

"You go home when I tell you to and not before,” he growls.

I firm my lips. "Why should I stay, when all you’ve done is insult me all evening?"

A bleak look enters his eyes. For a second, I glimpse his confusion, and it mirrors the conflicted feelings I harbor toward him. He’s the most conceited, egotistical man I’ve ever met. And the most powerful. And the most charismatic. And I hate him. And want him.And can’t stand him. And I still want him. Argh!Doesn’t change the fact that he caused me distress with his words.

"I’m sorry," he murmurs.

My jaw drops. "Did you just apologize?"

He shifts his weight from foot to foot. "I should not have said what I did earlier. That was rude and insufferable of me."

"And?" I prompt.

He sighs. "And I have a lot on my mind. I’m pissed off about a few things, and I took it out on you. I shouldn’t have."

I blink slowly. "Does this have anything to do with your grandfather’s visit?"

His gaze widens almost imperceptibly—but I've learned his tells—then he wipes the surprise from his features.Guess he didn’t think I was insightful enough to figurethatout.I’m more astute than he gives me credit for. I wouldn’t have navigated my minefield of a childhood and reached here if I weren’t.

He takes a step back, then nods toward the table behind us. "Please, join me for dinner?"

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