was good at my job, and now some jackass had blackballed me, and I wasn’t even invited for an interview.
“You know quite a lot about finance.”
I hadn’t noticed Charles standing so close to me. The words were spoken so low, no one else could’ve heard him. As the other two men I’d been speaking to launched into a different topic, I turned to Charles.
I immediately remembered him rubbing his face against my neck at the bar. Uncomfortable crotch moment. Now was hardly the time to spring a boner.
“My minor is in economics. It’s my business to know.”
“There are many businessmen who don’t know shit about what they’re doing.”
I didn’t respond. Why had he felt the need to get my attention now? He could’ve gotten in touch with me in the days after I’d brought his drunken ass home.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Charles.” I leaned closer to him so I was practically talking in his ear. “You can’t seem to decide if you want more or if you should back away. Which is it?”
“I don’t really remember what happened at the bar.” His half-lidded eyes couldn’t hide the lie. He might not remember all of it, but he remembered enough.
“Do you want me to refresh your memory?”
“I don’t think that’s necessary. I can fill in the blanks.”
I brushed my hand discreetly down his lower back and let it hover just above his ass. “It’s up to you, Charles. I won’t push. But just so you know, you’d look good with your tie around your wrists and your pants shoved down your thighs while I take a paddle to your ass for lying.”
“August—”
The groan he let out wasn’t fit for company. Any second now someone was going to pick up on the undercurrent of sexual tension in the room, and I wasn’t ready for Declan and Dad to find out about Charles and me yet. Not when we had unfinished business.
“I’ll leave the front door open.” The couple at the forefront of my mind reentered the living room. “If you choose to come, we play your games but by my rules.”
The ball was in his court, but if he didn’t show up tonight, I was moving on. I shouldn’t even be lingering. We didn’t have a future together, but I was willing to take Charles any way I got him.
Chapter 29
Charlies
Dammit, I’d tried. Tried to ignore the way August Long made me feel. Tried to ignore the fact that I’d gotten shitfaced drunk over seeing him with someone else. Tried to ignore the way his eyes had followed me all night.
It should’ve creeped me out. Instead, it had become this cat-and-mouse game of me pretending I didn’t notice. All the while craving that intense stare. Wondering if tonight I’d have the strength to resist.
Dammit, I’d tried.
I had no intention of making the step he wanted me to take. Apparently, he’d decided that for anything to happen between us, I had to initiate it. No way was I doing anything of the sort. Definitely not after watching how happy my son was interacting with his business partners, Owen by his side.
Owen had been good to me, even when I’d looked down on him. Thought him beneath Declan. A hoot really, given I’d fallen for Poppy’s high-class image, only to find out too late that was all it was.
I’d slept with his son twice already. It should suffice. Yet I couldn’t stop thinking about August’s words. Had he actually meant to paddle my ass, or had he been simply teasing? My confusion was worsened by the fact that I had no idea which I preferred.
I was curious. Curious enough to sit in the driveway outside August’s house, hands wrapped around the steering wheel as I tried to convince myself to back the hell up before it was too late and get out of there. I could be on a plane to Ibiza tomorrow. I could forget about August.
But I didn’t want to forget. For a brief moment, I’d felt again in ways I hadn’t in a long time. I wanted that feeling over and over until I had enough and could live without it.
Yes, that’s all I need. To have August fuck all this desire out of my system. Eventually, I’d get bored and be over whatever it was that drew us together. Then I could move on.
Hopefully with a daughter to raise by then. That was the only thing I’d have the time for anyway.