She nodded lethargically, her eyes closed, as if unable to speak.

“Shit. I’m sorry, princess. I got caught up in the moment. What can I do?”

Thick lashes fluttered open, revealing green eyes I’d come to love. They connected with mine, and it was at that moment I realized that this was more than lust. It was a sizzling attraction that was being fed every moment we were together. I wouldn't lie—it spooked me a little.

“No, I’m fine. I’m just tired. You wore me out,” she murmured, pulling even closer to me. A familiar, sweet lavender permeated the air. Since Nina had been sleeping in my bed every day for the past three days, my bed reeked of it. Hell, my entire room smelled like her. I shouldn’t like it half as much as I did.

“Then I guess it’s not a good time to bring up the company dinner that I have coming up.”

“Hmm,” she hummed, rubbing her palm around my stomach. “Why not?”

I’d thought long and hard about this, but save for hiring an escort for the night, I didn’t have any other option. “Because I was hoping you’d come with me.”

A pregnant pause, then her head snapped up to look at me and all traces of languor vanished from her face. “What? You mean like a date?”

I nodded. “I wouldn’t ask, but my original date canceled at the last minute, and I can't go alone. It's a crucial work event for a project my company is trying to get, and the rumor mill says Cornerstone Corp's CEO values personal relationships.

“Apparently, a stable relationship signals reliability—a quality he’s looking for in potential partners. Family values and all that shit. I don't quite get the logic, but I can't miss this opportunity.” I didn’t understand it because it made little sense. How would being in a relationship prove that I could handle a project? Either way, I couldn’t attend alone.

She made a sound at the back of her throat. “So, I'm the second choice, then?”

“Again, I would not ask if it wasn’t extremely important. This is work stuff.”

Nina shrugged, intertwining her hands and using them as a resting place for her jaw on my chest. “Fine. As long as I get to wear something pretty, I’m good. Is there a dress code?”

“It’s a formal event, so I’m guessing a decent evening gown might do the trick.”

“Decent? There’s no such thing in my wardrobe.”

I couldn’t have helped the laugh that rumbled inside me even if I'd tried. “Why do I find that easy to believe, princess?”

She giggled. “Let’s just say I like clothes that show a little skin. Or a lot.” She slapped my arm playfully when I gave her a knowing look. “Don’t judge me! I’ll have you know that your sister isn’t the saint you think she is. We’re partners in crime. You should see us at the club.”

I was still laughing. “I don’t doubt that, butI’llhaveyouknow that she only became tainted the moment you walked into her life.”

Nina’s grin told me I was spot on. “She needed someone to spice things up, and I came through. I don’t regret it.”

My mind traveled back to nine years ago when our family was still trying to recover from the shitstorm that we’d been through after Dad’s tragic death. “I won’t lie and say that it hasn’t been a relief to me that Lindsay had someone there for her, especially when I couldn’t be. That period of our lives was the worst.”

Nina was silent for a few beats. She balanced her jaw back on my chest and her gaze, earnest and sympathetic, remained on me. “Lin never told me what really happened then. Do you want to talk about it?”

My shock was evident. I thought the girls shared everything with each other.

“Thank you,” I told her, cupping her cheek. “But no. I don’t really enjoy walking down memory lane, particularly when I’m in bed with a hot woman.”

Her cheeks colored a sharp red. Her eyes left mine, lingering on my stomach. “And does that happen very often?”

I interpreted her hoarse voice and averted gaze as sheepishness. “Are you asking if I fuck a lot of women?”

She huffed. “Jeez. When you put it like that, it sounds so cold.”

Fuck.We should have had this conversation before we started. I hoped she wasn’t thinking this was anything other than what it was.

“I’m a man, Nina. Of course I have sex. Sometimes, with one woman on some days, and sometimes with different women on others.”

Scowling, Nina climbed off me, her jaw set. Her naked body was too exquisite to ignore, and I found myself ogling her breasts before I mentally scolded my dick for losing focus. Now was not the time.

“Congratulations. Didn’t know you were the current Johnny Sins. Thank you for informing me. Next time I feel like being shoved into the ‘one woman on some days’ category, I’ll come spread my legs for you.”