Page 41 of In The Game

Before going back down, I step into the bathroom and touch up my makeup. Every ounce of youthfulness I had was sucked out of my tits after Arthur was born, and my eyes look tired. I haven’t been sleeping well since seeing him at Sugar and Ice. I want him to know I’m every bit the woman I was before. Just because there’s a few more pounds these days, he hasn’t broken me.

I straighten my outfit in the elevator and pluck a piece of fuzz off my pencil skirt.It’s only a tour.You’ve done these a hundred times.

When I head back to the conference room, only Sully and Barrett are left, and they seem deep in conversation, but I interrupt their hushed voices.

“Ready?”

“Yes.” They follow me out of the room, and I transform intotour-guide Raleigh.

“You’ve already seen the reception area.” I gesture to the right and continue walking. “I can show you the atrium and then we can walk by some of our top campaigns near the waterwall.”

I turn around and only Barrett is left. In the background behind him, it’s easy to spot the equally tall Lee Sullivan as he exits through the reception area.

“Where’d he go?”

“Looks like this is going to be a private tour.”

NINETEEN

She narrows her eyes at me. “This is unnecessary.” It’s intended as a warning, but everything that comes out of her sounds sweet.

I glance over her shoulder and gesture with a nod. “Let’s go.”

It’s hard to resist dropping my gaze to her ass when she turns around. Her piece of shit boss was already checking her out the whole way to the conference room. I’m every bit as guilty, but considering we may share a child, I’m entitled to a little leering. Raleigh with curves is something else. God, she makes me want to fall to my fucking knees. Motherhood looks good on her. She’s even more stunning than I remember.

“Are we going to—”

“This is the atrium; it features a sixty-square-foot living wall. It’s made up of pothos, philodendron, dracaena, and anthurium plants. There are also a few ferns hiding in there. This was part of the architect’s vision when the campus was built.” She points to the corner. “It signifies our growth and constant evolution.”

She knows a lot about the building, but all I care about is if Arthur is mine.

“Who—”

“Whatever question you’re about to ask, it better be regarding the tour.”

“—is the architect?”

“John Lange.”

We stare at each other in silence. I puff out a breath of air, annoyed but amused at her quick reply. She turns on her heel, and I follow down a quiet hallway until I spot a closed-off room behind a partition wall. Then I grab her elbow, pull her inside the hidden chamber, and shut the door—halting the bullshit tour.

Once I flip the light switch, I notice how small the space is. A small table with four chairs takes up most of the room with a whiteboard and projector mounted to the far wall. It’s private and quiet with no windows. Perfect.

“You can’t—”

“Is he mine?”

She shoves my hand off her elbow, and I step closer. Again, she tries to distance herself but backs into the table. Her hands drop to her sides, and she lifts her chin in defiance. She’s trapped,just how she likes.

“What are you talking about?”

I shake my head and smile. “Now’s not the time to be cute.Arthur—Is. He. Mine?”

Craning her neck to make eye contact, those warm-brown eyes appear cold and callous… There’s fear behind them, but she’s trying to hide any sign of weakness.

“Is he?” I ask again.

Her eyes narrow. “No, he’smine!”

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