Page 58 of His Temptation
22
LINCOLN
The loud thump of music sounds along with the thundering heartbeat in my chest as I watch my marketing executive put his hand on her waist. I don’t know what compelled me to come here tonight. I heard Morgan talking about it, heard about this guy who had the hots for my assistant. But I should have left it alone.
She can do whatever she wants. I’m the one who ended it. Yet here I am, powerless to these feelings that come alive when I think about her.
Her eyes meet mine from across the room, and time stands still. I have no plan. I can’t exactly barge in and claim her as mine in front of my employees.
Instead, I grab a drink at the bar and watch. She’s the only one who seems to notice that I’m here as her eyes move to mine every few seconds. My jaw tics with bitterness and regret every time he leans in to whisper in her ear or puts his hand too close to her ass.
I can tell she isn’t comfortable. I have to talk myself down from stepping in and beating him to a pulp. When I see her giving Morgan a hug, I throw a fifty down on the bar and wait. She waves goodbye to everyone and walks out the door, her eyes holding mine the entire time.
I follow her outside.
She spins on her heel immediately. “What the hell are you doing here, Lincoln?”
I stiffen, momentarily abashed. “I was just making sure you were okay.”
Her eyes convey the fire within. “Bullshit. You were spying on me.”
“Spyingis a strong word,” I say irritably.
“It is a strong word and an accurate one for what you were doing. What’s wrong with you? You end things with us, but you can’t handle that another man might want me?”
Her accusatory words pierce me with their accuracy.
I take a step until I crowd her space. “Fine. You want the truth? Yes, I can’t handle the idea of you with another man. I was clouded with jealousy in there. I could barely breathe, thinking of his hands all over you.”
“Ugh, you are so confusing!” she screams.
“Just … come home with me,” I suggest. “Please. I want to talk.”
Her eyes squint at me. “You think I want to come back to your place?”
“Please,” I beg. “I want to talk about this, but not here, with all these people around us.”
Her head falls back as she huffs out a breath. “Fine!”
Instant relief fills my body. I walk her over to my car and open the door.
“You can take us to my place, George.”
“Yes, sir. Hello, Miss Ricci.” George smiles in the mirror back at Kylie.
“Hi, George. Thank you for the ride.”
He chuckles. “It’s my job, but also my pleasure.”
I watch the exchange she has with my driver and realize that not one single woman I’ve had in the back of this car has thanked George for a ride. They all walk around like the world owes them these luxuries. Kylie is different. In so many ways, she is the opposite from every woman I’ve been with.
I think that’s what I like about her. She’s real. She isn’t impressed by my money or power. In fact, she seems annoyed by it most of the time. She’s been through hell and back in life, and she knows what’s truly important.
I don’t understand how she didn’t let all of it jade her. Life certainly has made me see the world in gray instead of vivid colors. Sometimes, when I’m around Kylie, I feel like the colors start to appear back into my vision. It’s both thrilling and terrifying.
When we get to my penthouse, I open another Italian bottle of wine and offer her a glass.
“Thank you,” she says as she takes the glass.
