Page 19 of Tempting All The Way

“Thank you,” he says with a smirk.

“You requested a different dessert?” Lucy asks him.

“Honey’s my new favourite flavour,” he says in reply.

“Excuse me.” I stand abruptly and practically run out of the dining room, his words from the nightclub playing on repeat in my mind.

“Fucking honey.” That’s what he said while he was licking his fingers clean of my… well, you know what. Damn it. Entering a bathroom, I lock the door behind me. I splash my face with cold water. I need to get out of here. I can’t be blushing at the damn dinner table.

It’s almost over, I tell myself.

Except I know Mr and Mrs Christianson will soon move the gathering to another room for after-dinner drinks. I can’t be trusted around Xavier—that much is clear. I just need to come up with an excuse to leave. Steeling my nerves, I exit the bathroom and reclaim my seat at the table.

Lucy’s eyebrows draw down at me. “Are you okay?”

“Ah, yeah, I just feel a headache coming on,” I tell her.

“I can take you home,” she offers.

“Do you mind?” I ask, knowing full well she’s dying to get out of here just as much as I am.

“Not at all.” She smiles. “Mum, Dad, Shar’s not feeling well. I’m going to take her home.”

“Oh, honey, is there anything I can get you?” Shirley asks.

“Oh, no, I’m okay. I’m sure I just need to sleep.”

“Okay, well, you call if you’re not feeling better tomorrow, and I’ll get the doctor to come see you.” Mrs Christianson smiles. And I fully expect to have a doctor show up on my doorstep in the morning. If it were left up to me, and I actually were sick, I’d be taking a trip to the free clinic, not having a doctor perform a house call.

Lucy and I stand, and I make the mistake of looking at Xavier as he follows suit. “Lucy, you stay. I’m heading that way. I can drop Shardonnay off. I have an early case in the morning. I need to leave anyway.”

“What? No, it’s fine,” she says, then glances from me to her brother. I’m not sure what she sees, but I see red and the impending murder of my best friend at the smile that spreads across her face. “Actually, Xav, that would be really great if you could. I’ll just crash here tonight,” Lucy replies, hammering down that final nail in my coffin.

“I’m going to kill you,” I hiss at her.

“Sorry, not sorry.” She shrugs before plopping back down on her chair.

Chapter Ten

Shardonnay’s honey scent fills the interior of my car. She’s been silent since she slid inside with a huff five minutes ago.

“Want to talk about it?” I ask, unable to take the silence any longer.

“Nope,” she says, popping the P on the end of the word.

“Okay, well, I do. So you can just listen I guess.” I look over at her and I’m met with a scowl. “First, I should apologise for what happened at the club Friday night, and I would… if I were actually sorry.”

“Wait, is that your version of an apology? Because that’s not how they work,” she interrupts me.

“It’s not an apology. Like I said, I’m not sorry. I’m not sorry I danced with you and I sure as shit won’t apologise for giving you a mind-blowing orgasm.”

“It was hardly mind-blowing,” she mumbles.

“Well, maybe I should have another go at it then? See if we can get you there,” I’m quick to suggest.

“Rule number one: No fornicating with employees or associates of the firm.” She recites my own rules back to me.

“Rule number ten: Under no circumstances, make lunch meetings with clients. You broke that one on your first day.”

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