Page 2 of Not That Complicated

“A glass of Chenin Blanc and an IPA, please.”

I proceeded to stare at Lenny helplessly as he leaned into his forearms on the bar and reeled off a list of ten different IPAs, with names that ran the gamut from sounding like vaguely threatening sex positions to fantasy novel titles generated by an enthusiastic but confused A.I.

I was at the pub for a business lunch with my favourite client, Paulina, who’d stopped in for a rare face-to-face meeting en route to a conference in Milton Keynes. The IPA was for her. I hadnoclue.

“The Hobgoblin is good,” Adam said about twenty seconds into my blank silence.

I did my best not to shiver, but the hairs on my arms lifted anyway. “In that case, I’ll take the Threshing Orc, thanks,” I said, grabbing one at random.

It sounded like an advanced sex positionanda fantasy novel. A decent choice for Paulina, who was very much into both of those things.

“Oh-kay,” Lenny said, looking from me to Adam and back again before he shook his head and ambled off.

I did my very best not to fidget as I waited.

Adam was staring at me. Iknewhe was. I literally felt his attention go up and down my face like a warm stroke. Huffing out a breath of irritation, I tipped my head to glare up at him.

And he—oh. He wasn’t glaring back. His expression was wary. Almost…soft?

“Hi, Ray,” he said.

“Go fuck yourself, Adam,” I said. Oh, shit. Where did that come from?

Adam’s hazel eyes flared. “Mm. Already did that twice this morning. Once in bed when I woke up, and once in the shower. Maybe I can fit something in after lunch, though.” He ran his gaze over my trembling body. “I’m certainly in the mood for it now.”

My eyes bulged, he smiled sweetly, and I strode off.

I’d always known it was likely that I’d see Adam around, since we lived in a small town. But I didn’t think we’d actuallytalk. I was utterly unprepared for this.

Why couldn’t I have said something cool and polite? Something breezy and distant? Anything at all, other than telling him to go fuck himself.

Because now I wasimaginingit.

Paulina watched me sit down. “I’ll get the drinks, shall I?” she said, amused.

I stared at her blankly. Drinks. “Sorry,” I said. “I don’t know what I... I’ll grab them.”

“Don’t bother,” she said. “Here they come.”

I looked up in time to watch Adam stroll over with an insolent, loose-hipped gait, drinks in hand. He set them on the table.

“You forgot these,” he said.

“Thank you.” Paulina grinned at him.

“No problem.” Adam flashed her a smile, and arched a brow at me.

“Thank you,” I said. Like a grown-up, professional man taking his favourite client to lunch. “How kind.”

Adam held my gaze for a second, his eyes narrowing on mine, and then he lifted his chin, bestowed another devastating smile upon Paulina, and went back to the bar.

“There’s a story there,” Paulina said, dragging her pint toward her. “I want all the details, especially the filthy ones, because he is gorgeous. Spill it.”

“Ha. Not a chance.”

She pouted. “Not even if I ask nicely?”

“Nope.”

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