Page 28 of Greed

His promise of punishment for borrowing his shoes has been echoing in my mind since he mentioned it earlier.

“Abby.” He gestures toward a small table tucked into a corner. “I saved you a spot.”

I glance in the direction he’s indicating. “You also ordered me a drink?”

He nods. “That’s part of your punishment.”

I laugh as I take a seat in front of a glass tumbler filled with something clear, a wedge of lime, and a few ice cubes.

“Try it,” he says as he lowers onto the chair beside me.

His thigh brushes mine as he sits, and even though I don’t know if the contact is intentional, it sends a shiver through me.

I sling my purse strap over the back of my chair before curling my palm around the tumbler. “Tell me what it is.”

“Drink,” he insists. “You trust me, so drink.”

I inch an eyebrow up. “I trust you?”

He leans closer. “You trusted me with your body the other night.”

He’s right about that, but this is a step beyond what I’m comfortable with, so I push the glass toward him. “You take a sip first.”

A smile ghosts his mouth. “You want me to test it to be sure it’s safe?”

I nod. “A woman can never be too careful.”

He brings it to his lips and tilts it enough that he takes a mouthful. He swallows and grins. “Just the way I like it.”

I prop an elbow on the table to rest my chin on my hand. “Now, we wait.”

“For?” he asks with a cock of one dark eyebrow.

“For you to pass out,” I say with a straight face.

He pushes the glass toward me again. “The drink is fine, Abby. I watched the bartender make it.”

I glance toward the bar and the guy opening a bottle of beer. I recognize him from the last time I was in here with Carrie.

Declan edges his chair slightly closer to me. “While you wait to see if I pass out from a sip of this perfectly fine drink, let’s discuss my shoes.”

“They’re nice enough.” I smile. “Black leather, red soles. Someone invests a small fortune in his wardrobe.”

He glances down even though the table blocks the view of his footwear. “You know I wasn’t referring to the shoes I’m wearing right now, but you obviously pay attention to every detail.”

“I’m a lawyer, remember?”

“As am I,” he says. “Which is why we need to discuss your recent theft spree.”

“It’s a spree now?” I can’t contain a chuckle. “I borrowed a pair of your shoes. I returned them a day later with absolutely no damage to them.”

“True.” He leans back slightly before picking up his glass to take a sip of what I suspect is whiskey. “You also stole my pride when you left.”

I shake my head. “What?”

“You fucked and fled, Abigail.” He clicks his tongue. “You left me feeling used.”

“I did not,” I protest with a grin. “We had fun, and I had to get home. There was no oral or written contract that suggested I’d stay until morning.”

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