know what it is,” I accused and sat back with a huff. “Oh, come on, I can’t be the only one who doesn’t know.”
Navin shot Ren a filthy look. “You’re a dick too.”
Something occurred to me. “Oh, your parents aren’t trying to arrange another marriage, are they?” Navin’s parents lived in Mumbai, both successful lawyers. Their marriage was also arranged, and from what I had gathered from my friend over the years, they’d lucked out and were happy together. Because of that, whenever Navin was single, they tried to convince him to go through with an arranged marriage.
Elijah laughed and shook his head.
“Oh, just tell me, then.”
With a beleaguered sigh, Navin shrugged. “I met someone.”
Why was that a secret? “Okay...?”
Ren snorted. “Is that what you’re calling it?”
Navin curled his lip. “I didn’t want to tell Parker this. It’s not for her delicate ears.”
Ren grinned. “She’s not a virgin, Navin, I think she can handle the fact that you’re screwing around with an older woman. Met someone”—he snorted again—“yeah, one who likes to handcuff you to the bed. Among other kinky, dirty things.”
I choked on a sip of my beer and felt Ren pat my back as I coughed. The knowledge that my friend was into kink was unwelcome.
“Okay,” I wheezed, waving a hand between me and Navin. “I didn’t need to know that. I was happy not knowing that.”
“See?” Navin sat back in his chair, embarrassed. “And thank you very much for airing my private business in public.”
“Parker isn’t public.” Elijah shared an evil grin with Ren.
“You two are mean.” I kicked Elijah under the table and slapped Ren across the head at the same time. Their curses lit up our table and put a giant smile on Navin’s face.
Before I could say another word, an unexpected shiver tickled down my spine and a sudden awareness drew my eyes toward the bar entrance. My breath caught in my throat as my gaze collided with Rhys Morgan’s.
What the hell?
Of course he would come to the bar on the one night I just happened to be there.
And he wasn’t alone.
Dean was there too.
As Rhys strode toward me, his expression unreadable, my heart raced and my palms grew clammy. It had been five days since the paintball exercise. Five days of a complete lack of focus on my part. Not only because I had come to the uncomfortable realization that I had a humongous crush on the guy I was paying to date me (rookie mistake!), but because Fairchild had invited us to a garden party tomorrow. Jackson, with obvious discomfort, had made it clear that my invitation to this party was contingent upon Rhys escorting me.
Rhys had, of course, agreed to come but I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that I’d vowed to keep myself physically and emotionally distant from this man and how impossible it would be to maintain that vow when we had to continue to pretend to be in a relationship in front of all my colleagues.
As Rhys stopped at our table, I let out a shaky exhalation I knew he didn’t miss. His eyes narrowed on my mouth before he gave me what might have been a tender smile, if I thought for a second he had tender feelings toward me.
Which I knew he didn’t.
He was a very good actor.
Something he’d proven when he kissed the hell out of me at paintball, only to be completely unaffected by it.
My knees were still like jelly when I’d gotten home that night.
The big jerk.
The text he’d sent me this evening was also fresh in my mind. Apparently, he felt the need to remind me he was getting paid to escort me. And kiss me. While I was emotionally and physically discombobulated by his superior kissing talent, he was clearly concerned I might be getting the wrong idea about our “relationship.”
Like I needed the reminder I was as far from his type as a woman could be.
Some of my irritation must’ve registered on my face because he grinned, and it was filled with mischief. “Hey, sweetheart.” He bent down and kissed me full on the lips, quick, hard, and pulled back before I could react. “You didn’t tell me you were going to be in my part of town tonight.”
“Uh … I didn’t know.”
“And who are you?” Ren asked belligerently, reminding me we were not alone.
And crap.
I did not want to lie to my friends.
“Rhys Morgan.” His expression turned blank as he checked out Ren. “I’m dating Parker. You are?”