Page 57 of Strange Seduction
Doubt: You didn’t when you got here.
I mean. This party is awful,I countered.
Doubt: Not about the party, idiot. I meant when you got to Italy.
What? Why would I have doubts in Italy? I’m with Theo now. All my doubts should be erased.
Doubt: I’m just a voice inyourhead, girl. Askyourselfthat question.
“Carmen?”
That voice didn’t come from inside my head.
No, this one was real. Lower, and familiar. And it belonged to Vince.
I turned slowly and found him leaning against the bar like he owned the damn thing.
“You got me in trouble,” he said, not a trace of real regret in his tone.
I arched a brow. “You gotyourselfin trouble.”
“Yeah, well,” he shrugged, “the conversation was worth it.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
He lifted his glass. “You should.”
I took a small step back, creating just enough distance to keep things safe—safe for me, and safe for him. Theo was alreadyon edge, and he didn’t needanotherreason to punch someone tonight.
“Relax,” Vince said, noting the shift. “I come in peace. See?” He raised his hands in mock surrender. “Just two coworkers—well, coworkers adjacent—chatting at a bar.”
I eyed him skeptically, signaling the bartender to top up my glass with champagne. “Coworkers adjacent?”
“I work for your boyfriend, and you’re sleeping with my boss. That’s adjacent.”
I nearly choked.
Wow.
He just said that with his whole chest.
He grinned. “I’m embracing the new professional boundaries.”
I held my glass out as the bartender poured. “That so?”
He leaned in slightly—not close enough to touch, but close enough to lower his voice as I smelled the alcohol on his breath. “I swear. Though, if we’re being honest, I think you like getting me in trouble.”
“Vince,” I warned.
“Okay, okay,” he held up his hands again. “I’ll behave. For real this time. I’m just saying—it’s good to see you again.”
I glanced down at my drink. Before I could say anything else, I felt Theo before I saw him—the solid weight of his hand resting lightly on the small of my back.
“You good?” he asked, his voice smooth.
“Perfectly,” I said with a practiced smile.
Vince didn’t flinch. “Just saying hi. Professionally, of course.”
