Page 47 of Conquering Oz

She released the padded bill folder and pulled at her arm slightly. Oz tightened his hold, and her smile turned sultry with her bottom lip pouting as she grazed her teeth over it.

Fuck!

Oz released her wrist, and she drew her hand back only to rest her elbows on the table and lean forward. The move gave him a direct view of the tops of her breasts. It was a well-orchestrated move that he didn’t ignore.

“If I had known you were paying, I would’ve gotten the New York strip steak.” She grinned.

It would be easy to give in to someone like Elodie. Beautiful, charming, and easy-going. Oz had spent his time with women who tried to impress him. They wanted an in with him andhis life. He guarded himself like a fortress. No one had ever penetrated his walls.

Until Elodie.

Chapter Eight

It’s over.Elodie ignored the disappointment seeing her street sign coming up in the distance.

None of the night had gone how she’d expected. It had taken a drastic turn when theirdatewas interrupted. It wasn’t her place to ask questions, but Oz’s demeanor had changed with the arrival of Ted Garner. After that, it hadn’t fully recovered.

When Oz pulled into the back parking lot of her store, she assumed the night was coming to a close.But I’m not ready.Maybe she was reading into it or driven by lust, but there was some type of connection. She just hadn’t breached anything deeper. With any other man, she’d brush it off and never think twice about it, but Oz was different. He had a mystique she couldn’t quite shake, nor did she want to.

He parked in the open spot in front of her back door, and she noticed he didn’t shut down the engine. That was never a good sign. For the last year or so, she’d been a serial dater. Never once had she been nervous. If it didn’t work out, so be it. Elodie wasn’t looking for the love of her life. But there was something about Oz. He carried himself with so much confidence. His persona was strong, intense, and she always got the impression he was trying to figure out what she was thinking. At the moment, she’d give anything to know whathewas thinking.

Elodie glanced over. His eyes were trained on the second floor of her building. There was a soft glow from the lamp in her bedroom.

“That’s my apartment” —she drew in a breath and muttered— “for now.”

“You’re moving?”

“Most likely. The landlord doubled the rent.” Elodie scoffed, looking up at her window. “Who does that?”

Elodie had put that worry to the back of her mind, but now it was on the forefront.

“Someone who wants to make the most money off their investment. You’re in a central location downtown. It’s prime realty.”

Business 101, she assumed.

She snorted. “And this is why your club is very successful, and my store is on the verge of closing.”

Elodie flattened her lips and immediately regretted her words.I’m supposed to share impressive accolades on a first date, not all my baggage.This was a fitting end to a rollercoaster ride of a night.Accept defeat, Elle. It’s over.

“Thank you for dinner.” She grabbed the handle of the door. “And the company.”

Oz slowly reached for his keys and turned off the car. “I’ll walk you in.”

The area was fairly safe, but she appreciated the gentlemanly gesture. She turned toward the door in an effort to conceal her smile and got out. As she rounded the front of his car, she noticed two black SUVs idling in the far corner of the lot. They were the same ones from the restaurant. His security.

She stopped at her door and dug in her pocketbook for her keys. “Do you always have security tailing you?”

Oz didn’t look back at the vehicles. Obviously, he knew they were there.

“Yes.”

Elodie hummed, glancing over at the SUVs once more. “Why is that?”

“I’m important.”

Her eyes quickly shifted to Oz. He showed no signs of humor. He was serious, which made his response all the more amusing.

She snickered, shaking her head. “And humble, I see.”

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