Andsheinitiated it.
That makes me feel about ten feet tall. Like the luckiest fucking dude on the planet.
I kiss her back, deep and unrestrained. I press her front to mine, pouring all the unsaid things, the quiet longing that we've kept behind closed doors, into one very public, make out session.
When we finally pull apart, her eyes are sparkling with something mischievous. She knows exactly what she’s doing even if I don't. Before I can ask her what that something is, she tugs me toward the restaurant, ignoring the shouting photographers still snapping pictures.
“You little vixen,” I whisper in her ear as I press my chest against her back and grip her hips while we wait for our table. I’m hard and we’re in public but it’s just us in my eyes. I rub my pelvis against her discreetly as she twists her head slightly to smile up at me with faked innocence.
“What?” she asks sweetly.
“What do you think you were doing out there?”
“Kissing you.”
I raise a brow. “Was that part of your dad’s plan?”
She shakes her head. “It was despite him. It pissed me off when he said I wasn't doing enough for the case just because I didn't show up at your game tonight.”
I grin so wide it feels like my face might split open. Rosie’s standing up to him now because she cares about me. She cares about…us.This thing we’ve started.
"I'd say you've beenverycommitted to my case. Working extra hours... making sure the client issatisfied... alwayscomingon time..."
She shoves at my chest with a grin, and the hostess appears and leads us to our table. I trail behind her, taking her beauty in and the way her hips sway when she walks.
Cheeks flushed pink from the cold, or maybe the kiss. Her perfectly painted lips match the rosy hue, and her dark blonde hair is pinned half-up, cascading down her back. She’s in one of those tailored suits she wears when she’s working, the kind that drive me a little crazy because she looks so stunning. She’s beautiful.
“You’re beautiful,” I tell her as we sit.
She smiles genuinely. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too.” I lean closer, unable to stop grinning. This is who I’ve become now. A guy who grins. “I think disobeying your father looks good on you. We should do it more often.”
She laughs, the sound soft and free, but then her phone buzzes against the tabletop, shattering the moment. She glances at the screen, her smile fading into a sigh when she reads the message.
“Let me guess,” I say, leaning back. “Your dad?”
She flips the phone over, her expression tightening. “Yup. He’s blowing up about the photos already.”
“Ignore him.” My voice drops, a hint of a growl slipping out as I reach for her hand.
She hesitates, then shakes her head but doesn’t pull back. “Your court case is tomorrow. The last thing we need is him removing Cain’s support at the last minute. This’ll just take a second.”
I watch as she swipes to answer an incoming call and stands. Just like that, the carefree, rebellious Rosie who was willing to sayfuck your demandsto her dad from moments ago transforms into someone else: polished, professional, and precise.
Don’t get me wrong, I love this version of her too, but I’m already missing the way she kissed me without abandon or pretending.
“Hi, Daddy,” she says, her tone clipped but respectful.
I sit back, watching her handle him, but my jaw tightens. I don’t like seeing her shift into someone else for his approval.
Her voice fades as she moves toward the back of the restaurant, seeking privacy for her call. But I still catch her words.“It was for show. You told me I was ruining the case because I hadn’t shown up to his game, so I had to make it believable. I was acting.”
“The hell you were,” I mutter, loud enough for her to hear even as she disappears out of sight. A few heads turn in my direction, brows raised at my outburst, but I don’t care. I glare back, daring anyone to say something.
She’s gone just long enough for me to flip through the menu, but I’m not thinking about food. I’m thinking about the way her father is still controlling our marriage and how much I hate that.
By the time she returns looking a little rattled, I already know what we’re doing next weekend.
