Page 61 of Enemies, Lovers & A Valentine's Baby

The intoxicating scent of rose petals and sandalwood overwhelms my senses, causing me to lean in just the tiniest bit to her as I inhale her sweet scent.

“Sorry, this’ll only take a moment. It’s here somewhere,” she murmurs, her eyes planted firmly on the folder trying to find whatever she’s looking for. Her face is only a few inches away from mine now, her warm, minty breath fanning against my cheek as she speaks.

I stare at her full, pink lips mere inches away from me wondering if they taste as sweet as they look. She’s completely oblivious to me watching her.

I shouldn’t do this.

I shouldn’t touch her.

There are so many reasons why I should turn away from her right now and there’s only one reason why I shouldn’t. But that one reason is strong enough to make me stay right there.

I want her. I’ve always wanted her.

I raise my hand to cup her beautiful face in my hand and…

“Here it is. I knew it was here somewhere.” She sighs in relief, pointing to a new page she has opened.

My half-raised hand hangs in the air for a moment. I consider if I should continue, but the moment has passed, and I let my arm drop limply beside me.

I turn my attention to the folder in front of me. “It’s right here.” She points to a section on the page, tracing it with her fingers.

“Oh, you mean this?” my finger slides to the section she’s referencing, and our hands brush against each other’s.

It happened fast, made even shorter by the speed with which she snatches her hand back as if burned, but it was enough to send a spark of current through me. I feel my body throb, straining against my pants.

“Sorry, I…um—I’ll let you go through the list,” she mutters, stepping back away from me and making her way back to her seat on the other side of the table.

She clears her throat. “Everything’s good to go with the band too, right?” she asks, those stunning eyes staring into my very soul. God, she’s so beautiful. For a second I lose track of what she’s asking.

“About that...”

Lila freezes, her face instantly creasing with worry. Those eyes are fixed on mine like lasers; it’s easy to tell that she’s assuming the worst.

“Oh, no, what happened? I knew I shouldn’t have put all my eggs in one basket! That’s the first rule of event planning. Always have a backup. Now it’s too late to find a replacement,” she groans.

“Everything’s fine. They’re going to do the event.”

She looks at me quizzically. “Then what’s the problem? You made it sound like something was going on.”

“I was just going to say that they extended an invitation of their own too.”

Yet again, her brows furrow tightly, confusion etched into her face.

“I don’t understand. What do you mean?”

“The band will be performing at another gala tomorrow night. It’s a big corporate event that I was invited to…anyway, they invited us to come see them perform.”

“They invited ‘us’ or they invited you?” she asks quizzically.

“Doesn’t matter, it makes sense for both of us to be there.”

“How so?” Lila asks.

“Well, this gala will be closer to the size of what we’re putting together. It would be good to experience it, maybe get a few tips. Also, it’s been eight years since we heard the band play, so it’ll be good to get a better idea of what to expect.”

“So, for research purposes?” she says slowly.

“Of course. What else would it be?” I don’t think she’d be as willing to attend this event with me if she knew what I wanted had nothing to do with research.

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