Page 56 of Hold On Me

“So, Kingston, I have some questions about your proposal.”

The waitress interrupts us and James places his usual order—oysters for starters. Ridiculous. He’s such a dick.

“I’m so sorry. I haven’t even looked at the menu.” Penelope's soft laugh to cover her embarrassment flutters around me and a sudden thought grabs me—the menu is in French. Does she know how to read French?

Shit, I should’ve prepped her on this before too. Fuck. If only my head hadn’t been in the gutter thinking about her hair so much I could’ve prepared her. And now she’s going to look like an idiot because of me. Well, not on my watch.

“Don’t worry, Penelope, I’ll order for you.” I turn to the waitress, about to place our orders, when I’m stopped by a hand on my forearm.

“Thank you, but I’m able to order for myself.” Her tone is clipped and I raise my brow at her, but she ignores it and directs her next question to the waitress. “What would you suggest?”

James chuckles into his water and I sit back in my chair a little put out, a little turned on, and a lot irritated. The little brat.

“Um, what is this?”

After the waitress left with our orders, James and I settled in to discuss his new business venture. And even though I could make it work, I already know I’m not going to. He’s pissed me off, flirting with Penelope, making it clear he knows what he’s doing as well. I refuse to work with someone like that.

Penelope held her own though, and I’m impressed with the way she batted him off. She’s a formidable woman, I just wish she’d accept my help when I bloody offer it and realise we could be a great team if only she would allow it. This time her independence means she’s stuck with a meal she’ll hate because she was too proud to let me order for her.

Irritation prickles over my skin, and even though I know she has this damsel in distress complex, it doesn’t mean I have to like it.

“It’s what you ordered.” My voice is smug as I thank the server and smile.

“But what is it?” Her nose is scrunched up in disgust and I bring the glass to my lips to hide my amusement.

“It’s caviar, sweetheart.” James winks and I watch Penelope’s reaction intently. The last time I called her sweetheart she ripped me a new one.

Her eye twitches a little and she smiles tightly whilst fixing him with a glare. Seeing her react like this and knowing I’m not on the receiving end sends a gleeful feeling through me. James squirms under her look, and I can’t force the smile from my lips. Squirm you, arrogant bastard, squirm.

“Hmmm, um, if you’ll excuse me. I’m going to run to the ladies’ room.”

I stand as she does and dip my head to her, watching her put a little extra sway in her step as she walks away.

As soon as she’s out of sight, James rounds on me. “She’s a fucking nightmare, but one I’d like to tame.”

Count to ten, Ben. Count to fucking ten.

ONE.

“That look she gave me.” He shakes his head and laughs.

TWO.

“I wonder if she’d glare like that whilst I occupied her mouth?” He laughs again and I take a deep breath in through my nose.

THREE.

“The things I’d make her do. I mean, what's the point in having an assistant like that if you’re not getting a piece of her arse, am I right?”

My jaw clenches and I’m struggling to remember why I shouldn’t be throttling him.

FOUR.

“Are you fucking that? I mean, I don’t care if you are. Not the first time I’ve had sloppy seconds from one of my colleagues.”

And I’m done.

Reaching over the table, all thoughts lost to the red haze covering my sight, I grab his tie and pull him up to a standing position. The cutlery and dishes on the table clatter as I step forward and wrap my hand around his throat, pinning him to the back wall. He coughs and splutters, his face turning a little purple as the fellow diners look at me in horror.

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