Page 60 of Sinful Beauty

I scan the spread. It’s more than enough for two people. “Should I have brought more?”

“Not food, love. Did you pack a bag?”

“I didn’t make it home after work. Came directly here. I can’t stay over tonight.”

He frowns. “If you wanted, I could clear a section in the wardrobe for you. Or a drawer.”

I drag a piece of cheese through honey and hold it out for him. He nips directly from my fingers.

“Want me to move in, do you?”

The reaction on his face is classic male panic.

I bark out a laugh. “Christ. I’m joking. I know that’s not what you meant.”

He narrows his eyes and shakes his head slightly, but focuses on adding a slice of meat, cheese and mustard to a cracker, then hands it to me.

“This is fun for now, and there’s no long-term future for us. I know the score.” I bite down on the cracker and it splinters, forcing me to catch the crumbs in my palm.

“No future, huh?”

I don’t know why I said it. Or I do. I need to remind myself that while this is fun, it would be foolish to lose sight of reality. Tristan and I come from two different worlds. I’ve been independent my entire adult life. I don’t need a man because I am self-sufficient. This is fun. And that’s all it is. And the panic he displayed shows he’s on the same page.

“The only way I’ll keep my hands off you is if we’re in different countries.”

What does he mean by that? I bite down on a petite crunchy pickle, a distraction from the confusion. Of course, we will be in different countries soon enough, and then I’ll be out of sight and out of mind. This is temporary and I cannot read into his flirtatious statements.

He sets about opening a wine bottle. “By the way, I’m looking into your Visa situation. There’s nothing to be concerned about.”

“What do you mean?”

“The attorney says he’ll handle it.”

“He did?”

“Might take some time, but it’ll happen. You simply need to know the right people.”

The lights in the room brighten and the itchiness of my sweater intensifies as the room seems to warm. “But Lumina is my sponsor. He can’t go around them?—”

“He didn’t. My attorney is a friend of Graeme’s.”

“How did…” A tremor crosses over me and suddenly the food before me loses all appeal. “Graeme is the head of Human Resources. Did?—”

“Calm down. He wouldn’t out us to Graeme.”

“He wouldn’t have to. Graeme’s smart. He’s going to know that you didn’t hire an attorney to help me because we’ve become friends.”

“I might.” His face contorts as if he’s affronted.

“Seriously?” I’m totally right on this. “How many others have you offered to help in this manner?” I pace the floor, imagining what Graeme must have thought. “How much does that cost?”

“Come here.” I force myself to breathe, and the panic dissipates. Those gray eyes of his are dark, yet calm, and I step forward.

He trails a finger from my throat slowly down my sweater and I watch as it descends between my breast.

He smirks, and I brush his hand away.

“Don’t be like that. Even if Graeme connects the dots, he won’t care if we’re seeing each other.”

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