Page 53 of I Could Be Yours

“And this is Indigo and Tanvi. They work on set with me.”

“It’s great to meet you.” Nate waves at them, then turns back to me. “We’re about to rack up. If you want to join, we could play doubles. If pool is your jam.”

“Essie loves playing with balls,” Indigo offers.

Cosmo snorts and Tanvi elbows them in the side.

Nate smirks.

My cheeks and everything else heat.

“She would love to,” Indigo says for me.

“Ess?” He extends his hand.

“Sure, why not.” I slip my fingers into his and let him help me down.

“You should have stuck around the other night. Flip went over to Dred’s and got his ass kicked at chess,” Nate says quietly.

“You miss my nipples that much, eh?”

“We both know I’m a sucker for pretty things that sparkle.” He settles his palm on my lower back. “And I happen to love the way you moan my name when my mouth is on you.”

“Are you getting me back for all the texts in Vegas?”

“Is it working?” We reach the pool tables, and his thumb sweeps along the exposed skin of my back, sending a shiver down my spine.

“Maybe.” There was no way I could disappear into Nate’s bedroom with him while my best friend’s brother was wandering around the apartment. Nate is far too pleasure focused, and I don’t have the ability to stay quiet when he’s working his magic tongue.

Two guys, both of whom are vaguely familiar, look up at our approach.

“Essie, these are my colleagues, Greg and Malcom.”

“We met briefly before when you stopped by the office, but we weren’t formally introduced.” Greg shakes my hand enthusiastically.

Malcom is shy and subdued, blushing as he says hello, and ducks his head.

“You guys okay to play doubles?” Nate asks.

“Yeah, of course,” Greg says, and Malcom nods his agreement.

Greg breaks and Nate offers to let me go first, but I decline, happy to stand behind him and check out his ass while he lines up his shot. “Twelve, corner pocket.” He motions to his intended target and takes the shot, easily sinking the ball. He sinks one more before it’s Malcom’s turn.

“Do you guys come here a lot?” I tap my cue from side to side as Malcom lines up his shot.

“More often as of late.” He glances at me. “How about you?”

“Same.”

Malcom sinks one ball, but misses the second, making it my turn. I survey the table, looking for the path of least resistance. “Nine, right corner,” I call out, then line up the shot. It bounces off the left side and rolls right, landing neatly in the corner pocket.

“Nice shot.” Nate high-fives me.

I sink two more balls before it’s Greg’s turn.

A couple of guys in suits come over to say hello while Nate grabs another round of drinks. I feel a little out of place in my high-waisted black pants, heels, and pink cropped tank. Their names are Neil and Gordon and apparently they work in the finance department at the same company as Nate.

Neil tips his head. “Do you work with these guys?”

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