Page 31 of The Lawyer
The fact that my own internal thoughts regarding her have little to do with respect isn’t relevant. Whatever I might be thinking, it’s inside my head, not loud and unruly in the air as if I have some divine right to bed her.
Walking away from them before I do punch someone, I shake my head and start wandering in the direction of the terrace again. Or another room. Or anywhere that doesn’t tempt me further into the insanity that we originally began on the terrace. She can have her night. She deserves it given the scene around us now. Nina might have started this ball rolling, but it’s been Willow that’s managed the last of it and made it as successful as it currently is. What right do I have to stand in the way of her getting attention left, right and centre?
None.
“Landon?” Her hand suddenly grabs my arm, turning me back to her, and I blow out a breath at the feel of her on me. “Hey, where did you go?”
I look at her hand still touching me, absolutely sure it's affecting my cock. “To the bar. It was safer over there.”
“Safer?”
“Away from you.”
“Oh.” She pulls the hand away, fiddles with her fingers and looks around. “Okay. Yes, of course. That's sensible, I guess.”
I smirk at the sudden sense of tension all over her. Quite the change from a few minutes ago with another man. I'd like to say her disappointment doesn't affect me, but if anything, it just makes me want her more. “Are you enjoying yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“Are you?”
“No. Not particularly.”
“Why not? You looked like you were having a good time with that other woman.” She dips her head to the floor. “I'm surprised you're not still with her. She’s really very pretty.”
“She is.” She frowns and turns away a little, nodding about something. “She’s also a meddling sister who told me something I didn’t want to acknowledge. Rather ruined the moment.”
“Sister?”
“Mmm. Ivy.”
“Oh.” A coy smile drops to her lips. “I didn’t know that either. Seems there’s a lot of things I don’t know about you.” Quite right, too. I’m nothing but her boss. A boss who shouldn’t be thinking about touching her as much as I am doing, let alone fucking her.
She turns and looks through the crowds as if not knowing what to say next. Nor do I, in all honesty. Talking seems to be leading me towards trouble I'm not prepared for. Perhaps we should dance. There’s no talking involved in dancing. And what harm would one dance do? None really.
My head dips down to her level, lips a breath away from her exposed shoulder. “You know I like swimming naked. That’s something not many know.” She smiles, and her cheeks tinge pink. I down the remainder of my Cognac and place it on a sideboard. “I hope you're not completely danced out.”
Her head swings back to me. “Why, are you asking?”
“Not asking, demanding. You should know that by now.”
My hand lands on the small of her back at the same time as a wide grin breaks across her features, lighting the damn room up. This is not going to end well.
Chapter Twelve
WILLOW
The heat of his palm sears into the skin at the base of my back, radiating through my body. The look he casts me reminds me of the look on his face from Thursday night—desire sparking in his eyes. But this is better. Touch is better. And now a part of me inwardly curses that what I was freely offered that night, I turned down.
He takes me in hold and begins to lead me around the room. I’ve danced with several other men already tonight, but I can’t seem to stop the smile that’s overtaken my lips. Being in Landon’s arms is … I catch my breath as he takes another turn around the room.
This is real, and while being with him, or rather performing for him, as Juniper is sexy and fills a darker fantasy, this is something concrete. No secrets between us. At least when it comes to who I am in this moment.
My imagination runs away with me as his grip shifts on my back, slightly lower, and he pulls me a fraction closer. The music fades into the background, and the opulence of the night blurs in my vision.
All I can focus on is Landon. I watch his eyes as we move. The light blue looks so much darker up close. And even more so with the intensity between us now. It would be easy, wouldn’t it? To entice him to my room, lead him upstairs, show him who I am and have him whisper those desperate and needy words to me. We’d relish in an evening that’s been on repeat in my mind.But would everything end there? The arrangement with Juniper, my job as his PA, and possibly any future position at Broderick Media? That's a huge gamble to make on a guy who holds all the power over me. It's not my position of choice, but I have no leverage.
