Page 47 of Reckless King

I try to concentrate on what Rebecca, my head of marketing, is saying. She’s providing an update on the VR tours we’re designing around the 3D renderings we’ve received from the architectural team.

“We’re still working on some of the glitches, but they should be ready for the groundbreaking ceremony.”

“Thanks, Rebecca. Let me know if any other issues crop up.” I scan the marketing team assembled around the conference table. “If that’s all, we’ll wrap it up here. Thank you, everyone.”

There are the usual murmurs and sounds of chairs pushing back, but I stay seated. Usually, I’d be the first one out the door, since I’m the kind of guy who likes to keep moving. But today seems to be the exception.

I wait for everyone else to leave. Then, with a glance at my watch, I finally rise from my seat and head out.

Cole catches up to me as I stride down the hallway. “You want to join me for lunch?” he asks.

Normally, I’d say yes. It’s been nice getting to know my brother again after years of almost-estrangement. But I’ve got something more important to do today. “Rain check?”

“Of course,” he says. “Or we can grab a drink after work.”

“Sounds good. I’ll let you know when I’m done for the day.”

He nods and peels off to enter his office, while I continue toward the elevator, giving Jeremy a call as I go.

“Where to, Mr. King?” he asks once I’m seated in the back of the town car.

I tell him where I want him to take me, and he nods. Once we’re headed toward True Brew, I settle back against the leather. I hadn’t planned to visit Violet at work, but since she did such a good job at the gala on Saturday, I’ve decided to see if I can give her some marketing advice for her coffee shop.

Although maybe that’s just the excuse I’m giving myself to see her again.

I had more fun on Saturday night than I’ve ever had at an event like that. It was so enjoyable, in fact, that I didn’t want it to end. After that kiss, the one that had me wishing we were somewhere else—somewhere without witnesses—I was hard pressed to think about anything but doing it again. For the rest of the night, I kept her close to me, conscious of the avaricious eyes wandering over her.

Considering our relationship isn’t real, it shouldn’t have bothered me that she was attracting so much attention. In fact, I should have been happy. After all, the whole point of what we’re doing is to draw attention to my newfound commitment. What better way than to have a beautiful woman on my arm?

But instead, I spent the whole night wishing I could keep her to myself. The urge to take her somewhere private and taste her again was difficult to resist. Luckily, I was able to. I doubt that’s a boundary she wants to cross.

It’s one I shouldn’t want to cross either.

Twenty minutes later, Jeremy pulls over just down the street from the coffee shop. I don’t get out right away, giving myself a minute to take in the shop front. What I see makes me smile. Since the last time I visited, Violet has made some changes. There’s a chalkboard sign out front that’s been decorated with a drawing of a steaming cup of coffee and a couple of pastries. The weekly specials are listed on it, and down at the bottom, there’s a social media handle for the shop. I make a mental note to follow the account.

In addition, she’s scraped off the old-fashioned painted shop name and replaced it with a bright cursive decal that fits her personality far more than the old one.

“You want a coffee?” I ask Jeremy.

He grins at me over his shoulder. “I wouldn’t say no to one.”

As we approach the shop, I peer through the windows. Even with the changes Violet has made, the place is still mostly empty. Violet and Jarrod are standing close together in front of the ancient espresso machine. A stab of irritation hits me in the chest when he puts his hand on her back, rubbing it as if he’s reassuring her. Has she told him that she has a boyfriend?

The bell jangles as I push the door open. Violet looks over her shoulder, surprise flashing across her face when she sees me. It’s soon replaced by a smile, but I’m too far away to tell whether it reaches her eyes.

“Grab a seat,” I tell Jeremy, though I don’t look away from Violet.

She turns back to Jarrod, and he looks over at me too, his brows arching. I give him a steely smile, and by the way he drops his hand from where it was still resting on her back, he got the message I was sending with that expression loud and clear.

Violet squeezes his arm, then heads toward me. Her honey brown hair is pulled back in a ponytail, her black tank topstretches over the swell of her full breasts and her tanned legs look insanely long underneath her denim cutoffs and apron.

She looks fresh-faced and gorgeous, and I don’t take my eyes off her, even as I sense Jarrod’s scrutiny.

The question of whether he knows about us beats too urgently through my veins.

What is she going to do when she gets to me? Will she give me a hug? A kiss? Or will she keep me at arm’s length? An unfamiliar and completely irrational jealousy smolders to life inside me, and I have no idea how to control it. Then again, should I have to? To everyone in this room, she’s my girlfriend. Why wouldn’t I want them to know she’s mine?

As always, once I make a decision, I don’t second guess myself. The moment she reaches me, and before she has a chance to speak, I curl my fingers around the back of her neck. “Yes or no?” I ask quietly enough that only she can hear.

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