Page 8 of Playing Pretend with Love and Billions

How can one kiss taste so damn sweet and sinful at the same time?

This is wrong on more levels than one, but the lightness I’m getting in my chest causes me not to care. Her arms tighten around my neck, pulling me closer, and I’m aching for so much more.

“Come home with me,” I whisper against her lips, even though there’s no need with how loud the crowd is.

Her back stiffens at my words and I realize saying that was a mistake because she pushes away from me, wiping my kiss from her lips. The pink of her cheeks tells me she feels much differently on the inside though, so I take it as a small win.

“I can’t, I’m here with a friend.”

I smile brightly at her, entwining our hands together while standing in the middle of the dance floor. “I can take her home, then bring you with me.”

She shakes her head. “Sorry, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why’s that?”

Her eyes won’t meet mine at the question and understanding dawns on me. The way Alex would always complain about his girlfriend never giving him anything and needing to find it elsewhere. She wouldn’t have sex with him because she’s still a virgin.

I lift my hands up in surrender, not wanting to make her uncomfortable. “Hey, it’s okay. I just don’t want this to end.”

“I don’t either, but I need to go.”

Before I can protest her departure, she presses her soft lips to my cheek and gives me a bright smile before walking through the throng of party-goers. I watch until she disappears in the crowd. Dammit, I should go after her, but I saw the look on her face when I mentioned my place.

“Seriously, man?”

Alex’s voice behind me causes me to stiffen in response. Instead of answering him, or giving him the satisfaction of a conversation, I walk away from him to go mingle with everyone else. Different employees rush up to me with smiles on their faces, telling me how great the party was and that they hope I do it again. Pride flows through my chest at their praise and I smile at my father when I step next to him.

“This was a huge success, Ryan.”

I nod, but I know that’s not all he has to say. He was part of the crowd tonight, so he knows exactly what went down in the middle of that dance floor. His eyes cast over to me quickly before searching the crowd and landing on Ava’s curly mess of hair as she rushes from the ballroom and out the doors with her friend behind her.

“I think this could be good for you.”

My heart beats rapidly. “What do you mean?”

He shrugs. “I mean, a relationship. A partner. It could be good for you.”

I shake my head with a smile. “It’s not like that, Dad.” The grunt I get in return makes me want to retract my statement. “Not yet anyway.”

Ava is long gone, but my gaze stays on the door she left through and I hope that maybe I’ll see her in the office soon. If I have to make a special trip for her I will, even if I rarely go to her department anymore. The department head we hired recently is thorough enough that he doesn’t require me to come to their floor often, if ever, but I might have to make an exception for her.

My father claps me on the back lightly before angling himself toward the exit. “I’m heading out, make sure this place gets cleaned up.”

I nod.

The crowd slowly starts to slim down and I watch as many of them stumble from the building. I made sure to have rides ready for anyone who drank too much tonight, so they should be taken care of while I make sure the staff gets started on the cleanup.

On my way to the kitchens, Alex emerges from the back wall and struts toward me in confidence.

He opens his mouth to say something, but the glare I give him sends him cowering back with a shake of his head. As he walks away I can’t help but think how much of an idiot he is for letting someone like Ava go. My fingers instinctively brush against my lips, savoring the way those kisses lit a fire inside that I thought died long ago, before pushing through the kitchen doors.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if she was my girl, especially if it keeps Alex off her back.

Chapter5

Ava

“You should’ve seen his face,” I screech when Millie and I jump into the back of a taxi. Even though our apartment is only around the corner, we didn’t want to chance walking after the alcohol we consumed. “Priceless!”

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