Page 75 of Guarded King

He leans close. “Not always.”

Freezing, I blink up at him. There’s no way I heard him correctly.

In response to my stare, he inclines his head, his lips curled up, encouraging me to sit.

When he takes the seat next to me, I turn, giving him a thorough inspection.

“Is there a problem, Miss Callahan?” There’s a hint of amusement in his voice.

“No. No problem.”

Beside me, a man dressed in black appears, holding a tray. “Wine, ma’am?”

I peek over at Roman for direction. It feels wrong to have wine when I’m technically working.

He quirks a brow at me, which I take as permission.

Turning back to the server, I give him a polite smile. “I’ll have a glass of white, please.”

“And you, sir?” he asks Roman when he’s filled my glass.

“I’ll have the same as the lady.” He gives me a lazy smile.

I cock my head and squint. He’s different today. Almost relaxed, even playful. I couldn’t guess what’s caused the change, but I’m not complaining.

When the server steps away, I pick up my glass and, holding his gaze, take a sip. The light, fruity flavor explodes on my tongue. Not wanting to lose out on a single drop, I lick the remnants from my lips.

Roman’s pupils dilate. “Good?” he says, his voice low.

“Delicious.” My own voice comes out softer than I intend, but the way he’s looking at me has my body tingling.

With his own glass in hand, he takes a sip, his eyes fixed on mine. A potent pulling sensation grows in the space between us, drawing us closer, making it impossible for me to look away from the strong column of his throat as he swallows.

“Good?” I mirror his question, my voice still breathier than it should be.

“Perfect.”

Finally finding a modicum of control, I look away, hoping like hell he can’t see the desire reflected in my expression. As I do, I discover that the table has begun to fill up with other attendees. Most of them seem to know Roman, and when they greet him, he introduces me as his assistant.

Through his introductions, I discover that the man sitting next to me, Mikael, is the assistant to the UN Sustainable Development Advisor, the man who spoke on how technological innovations have successfully advanced sustainable development goals yesterday.

The two of us chat as the first course is served, and when I steal a look at Roman, he’s watching me with his brows lowered and a muscle pulsing in his jaw.

A little thrill rushes through me. Is it possible that he’s jealous? I shouldn’t like the thought, but I do. A moment later, though, he turns away and falls into a conversation with the woman sitting next to him.

I do my best to focus on Mikael and our conversation, but all my senses are attuned to the man sitting on the other side of me. To the low rumble of his voice, to the scent of his cologne, to the brush of his leg against mine. Each detail small but building on one another in a way that makes me hyper-aware of his presence.

Throughout the three courses, a range of speakers take the stage to discuss various topics. After the dessert plates are cleared away, it’s Roman’s turn to give his speech.

As he pushes his chair back and adjusts his navy-blue suit jacket, I smile at him and mouth, “Good luck.”

He dips his head in acknowledgment, eyes holding mine for a beat too long, and then he’s gone, his powerful strides eating up the distance to the stage.

As he takes the podium and scans the people in the audience, they hush. I bite my lip at the way he so easily commands the room, my mind briefly flashing back to Lola’s words about me being attracted to a man who’s in control.

Maybe she’s right after all.

When he begins, I straighten in my chair, immediately captivated by him. His speech focuses on the future of sustainable urban development and how the King Group plans to integrate green technologies—like those from EcoTech—into future projects.

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