Page 75 of His Temptation
He chuckles stiffly. “No, that was a major argument when I got my penthouse. Can’t let the world know I make more money than they do.”
The elevator doors ping and open. So, there’s some jealousy his parents have of his success. That’s odd.
He grabs my hand and pulls me forward, straight to a large door that is propped open. Just walking in, I can see that appearances matter to these people. Everything in sight looks like it cost my entire year’s salary. The chandeliers, the wooden paneling, the furniture—it all screams money.
I glance down at my gray pencil skirt and white blouse. I’m so underdressed for this. All the women I see are in dazzling cocktail gowns with diamonds dripping off of them. One woman in particular has the most gorgeous blonde hair, curled to perfection, and is in a skintight nude dress with clear beading allover. Her tan is perfect, and her makeup looks like it was done just seconds before we walked through the door.
Her eyes look across the room, and she spots Lincoln. I see it in her eyes—the interest. Without hesitation, she excuses herself from the women she is talking to and walks through the crowd until she is right in front of us, though I don’t believe she notices me.
She leans forward and kisses his cheek, dangerously close to his lips. My hands ball into fists, squeezing so tightly that I might pierce my skin with my nails.
“Lincoln,” she says as her hands remain on his shoulders, “I was hoping I’d see you here.”
Lincoln offers a smile in return. “Kate. Nice to see you.”
“Oh, stop.” She smacks his chest. “No need to be so formal with me. We’re much too close for that.”
Yeah, they’ve slept together. She just made that crystal clear. I still stand off to the side like a moron with her clueless to my existence.
He looks past her and must spot someone because his demeanor changes. “I’m sorry, Kate. I need to go say hello to my parents. I’ll have to catch up with you later.”
She smiles up at him like he’s the most important person in this room. “You’d better come find me later.”
He turns to me and nods his head for me to follow him. We walk side by side up to a group of several older people talking and laughing. They all stop the moment we approach.
“Oh, hello, dear,” a slender woman, wearing a cream dress and draped in diamonds, says as she leans in and kisses his cheek.
“Mother,” he replies stiffly.
He nods his head at the man standing next to her. “Father.”
God, this is so uptight and uncomfortable. My skin itches with how weird all of this feels. Are these people always this fake?
“Nice to see you, Lincoln,” a tall man in the circle says. “Pretty impressive numbers you turned out last quarter.”
Lincoln’s mouth spreads into a thin-lipped smile. “Yes, they were. My staff has worked hard to make it happen.”
Everyone in the circle laughs.
“Oh, please. We all know staff can be worthless. It’s the leader’s vision that makes those numbers happen,” Lincoln’s father says. “You need to take the credit for that.”
I try to keep my jaw from hitting the floor at such despicable words.
“I’d like you to meet my assistant, Kylie,” he says as he turns to me with apologetic eyes.
I smile at his parents and extend my hand. “So lovely to meet you.” I shake his mother’s hand first, then his father’s.
“Oh, how nice to put a face to your voice,” his mother says. “Please, call me Delilah. This is my husband, Archer.”
“What are you doing, bringing your assistant to a family event?” his father asks suggestively, no subtlety in his implication.
“We are heading back to the office after this. I have some important deadlines. She’s here to keep me in line and make sure I stick to my schedule,” he replies with venom in his voice. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go find Jace.”
He grabs my hand and clutches it tightly. I don’t know what world I’ve been dropped into, but it feels backward and upside down. I knew the old-money type in the city had a certain way about them, but I honestly thought it was a bit exaggerated.
Instead of finding his brother, we end up at a bar station, situated in the corner of the room with a view of the city behind it.
“What can I get you?” the bartender asks.
