When Manning checks that out, it will stack up because the guy who runs the global pharma company is from a Luminary family, and he owed me a favor. “I could have commuted from the city, but I liked Rydeville when I visited for our meeting.” I shrug before fixing him with a killer look of my own. “I didn’t realize I needed to seek permission to move here.”
“Stop this,” Abby snaps in a low tone. “All of you.”
“You’re acting like total assholes,” Demi agrees.
I knew there was a reason I warmed to these two women the minute I met them. And while I did sign up for the class with the intent of orchestrating a meeting, they approached me first when they noticed a newcomer, and every interaction I’ve had with them since has been completely genuine. I might have contrived to meet them, but our burgeoning friendship is sincere.
I’ve never had proper female friends. At school, I hung around with girls from Luminary families because it was expected, but none of those so-called friendships were ever more than surface level. After I graduated, those friendships quickly fell away, and I’ve been too busy working in the intervening eight years to form any lasting friendships.
Not that I’ll be able to keep Demi and Abby, and it isn’t smart to get attached, but it’s almost impossible not to with those two.
“I can leave if you like.” I stare at the man across the table.
“Drew.” Abby’s tone brooks no argument.
“Stay.” Drew leans across the table, and the spicy, heady notes of his cologne waft around my face, tickling my nostrils and tempting my libido. A seduction mission has never been more appealing, and that thought concerns me. “Unless you have ulterior motives, then you know where the door is.”
I’m opening my mouth to reply when his face pulls into a grimace, and he curses. He glares at his sister. “What are you, five again?”
“You’re being a dick to my new friend, and a kick in the shin is the least of your worries if you don’t quit it.”
“I’ll go,” I say, climbing to my feet. “I don’t want to cause issues in your family.” I smile at Abby. “Thank you for inviting me, and I’ll see you on Monday.”
I’ve only made it halfway across the room when Manning catches up to me like I hoped he would. When his hand lands on my bare elbow, fiery tingles dance across my skin, igniting an inferno inside me. His eyes drop to where his fingers are pressed against my flesh, and he removes his hand in a flash like it offends him. “Don’t leave.”
His eyes bore into mine, and it’s like being ensnared in a hunter’s trap. At this proximity, I have a front-row seat, and he’s truly magnificent up close.
It’s not just that he’s drop-dead gorgeous. Drew Manning exudes power and control with an undercurrent of lethal danger lingering under the surface, constantly waiting to break free.
He’s intense.
Magnetic.
And unlike any man I’ve ever met, and I know lots of powerful, dangerous men.
It’s impossible not to feel the strength of his presence. It’s almost as if he commands the air around him. Like it bows before him. I’m aware of several eyeballs glued to his delectable form, and I don’t blame the women of Rydeville for drooling because he’s definitely drool-worthy.
“I apologize for my rudeness,” he says, snapping me out of my momentary daze.
I focus on the task at hand, playing the part I was born to play. “I’m aware of how this seems, Mr. Manning, but I assure you it’s entirely coincidental. If I’m making you uncomfortable, I’ll call it a night. I like Abby, and I swear I have no ulterior motives.” At least not where his sister is concerned.
“I believe you,” he lies, but it’s a convincing one. He offers me his arm. “It’s only a meal. There’s no need to make this into anything more.” His eyes flit to my hair once again, and his Adam’s apple bobs in his throat. I’m determined to find out why he’s blonde-adverse. Men like him don’t admit weaknesses, and this one slaps me in the face every time I meet him. If it’s the clue to understanding this complicated man, then I’ll find out what’s behind it.
ChapterSeventeen
Drew
Iescort Athena back to the table and pull out her chair. She slips onto it, thanking me. I share a look with Kai and Charlie as I reclaim my seat, glad they are picking up the same vibes I am. Or maybe it’s just they always react suspiciously to anyone new in their wives’ lives. Abby is no sucker. My twin has sharp instincts, so perhaps we’re all overreacting, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
I already had Athena fully investigated, and it came back clear, but my gut is telling me she’s up to something, and I think it warrants a second look. I tap out a quick message to Ezra before pocketing my cell and focusing on the conversation around the table.
“I’d like to know how you managed to get your twin to agree to a blind date in the first place,” Charlie is saying.
“She played dirty, Charlie.” I briefly lock eyes with Athena. “She called in the big guns.”
Kai smirks. “Olivia is determined to find you a woman.”
Mom seems hellbent on matchmaking, and I suspect she was the driving force behind this blind date. “She’s wasting her time, and you are too.” I eyeball my sister just as the server arrives to take our orders.
