I let it happen, I let it happen…
But was I his only victim?
I stare at my pale-faced reflection.
I’m not the only one he’s watching.
That’s the realization that chills the blood in my veins.
Vince…oh, God, don’t tell me…
I yank open the restroom door, my heart stuck in my throat. I let out the shaky breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding when my eyes fall on Vince still sitting at our table. Alone.
The phone is still glued to his ear.
Thank fuck.
A quick glance around the deserted restaurant confirms that Shane is gone.
For the moment, anyway.
Vince clicks off his phone after an abrupt goodbye and slides it into his jacket pocket. He looks at me, his expression curious. “Are you okay?”
I paste a smile on my face. “Yeah. I’m fine. Just, ah, a little caught off-guard, I guess.” I pull out my chair and drop into it. “I just ran into my ex in the men’s room.”
He narrows his eyes at me, his jaw set. “Did he do something?”
I grin at his defensive instincts kicking in. It’s pretty flattering. “Nah. I think he’s just still pissed off about the break-up. We were living together, so everything is still kind of raw. For him.”
I leave it at that. There’s no reason to dredge up any of the other shit.
He’s over.
“That’s rough. I’m sorry.”
He pauses, his penetrating gaze sending a sharp jolt directly to my groin. I swallow a groan. I’m absolutely hopeless. Talking about my crazy ex with a straight guy I’m hot for makes my dick hard? Really?
“Why’d you call it quits?”
“We were together for the wrong reasons, but I dragged my feet and let it linger longer than it should have.” I shrug and tap my fingertips on the sides of my glass. “I usually keep my personal life to myself. Too many people are always angling for a story. But I figure you’re safe. You only care about my money, right?”
Damn, did I seriously just say that out loud?
“I mean, this is a business meeting, after all. Just add it to your management fee.” I force a laugh, hoping that it’s enough to gloss over the unease.
A rush of heat explodes in my gut when the corners ofVince’s lips lift into a sexy smile, the same one that keeps me tossing and turning at night, longing for a release that’s just not in the cards for me.
“I care about more than your money. I mean,” he pauses, dropping his voice. “Your body is just as important to me.”
I clutch the glass as the liquid hits my lips and almost spit it out. I cough, my eyes watering. “How do you mean?” I rasp. And just like that, I’m ready to dive under the table and yank open his belt.
He sweeps a hand through his thick, dark hair, an amused expression settling into his chiseled features. “Let’s face it. If you get sacked one too many times, the cash flow might dry up. No money means nothing to manage.”
“Oh, right,” I sputter, a hot flush creeping up the sides of my neck. “Injuries. Gotta prevent those.”
A loud ping comes from somewhere in the depths of Vince’s jacket. He pulls out his phone and frowns at the screen before placing it face-down on the table.
“You look like you just found out the Dow plummeted a thousand points.”