I hated being rude to anyone, or dismissive, but there was nothing nice I could say back. “I’ll let you know if I have time.”
“Sure.” She licked her lips.
“Sorry, Cassie, I do need him.” Georgia’s hand gripped my forearm and I let her guide me away from the bar, thankful for whatever mess the junior had managed to get themselves into.
We headed to the part of the room where the bifold doors led outside to a wide balcony, designed to give a view over the Thames.
“What’s up?”
She shook her head. “No crisis. You looked uncomfortable talking to her, and Simon was starting to get on my nerves, so I figured I’d do us both a favour.”
It was quiet outside and dark, most people remaining indoors as it was still cool. Georgia’s skin had goosebumps over it from the cold, so I took off my jacket and handed it to her. “Have this. Consider it a thank you for saving me.”
“Who was she?”
I gave a hard laugh. “Cassie. My ex. If my sisters have told you anything about me, they’ll have mentioned her.”
“They did. Payton did anyway. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so tense.”
All I heard was that she’d been watching me.
I smiled, my eyes lingering on her. She wrapped my jacket around her shoulders and smothered a shiver.
“You want to go in?”
She shook her head, red curls dancing everywhere. “No. I needed some fresh air. It’s been ages since I’ve been at one of these functions. Probably before I had Rose, and I’d forgotten how they were.”
The noise from inside spilled out, laughs and murmurs of people socialising, time away from their families under the guise of work, the perfect excuse.
“Did you used to enjoy them?”
“Yes. Any excuse to dress up and drink on someone else’s money.” She laughed. “It feels like more of a chore tonight though, probably because I’ll be up early to take Rose to Elspeth’s.”
“You still got to dress up though.”
She smoothed her dress over her hips. “And it still fit. Think I bought this just before I got pregnant.”
“You look beautiful.” I was surprised the words didn’t sound like they’d been blurted out by a fifteen-year-old boy on his first date with a girl he was infatuated with.
When she looked up at me, I felt nothing like the fifteen-year-old boy I’d been.
“Thank you. I have to say, I like you in a dinner suit.” Her eyes didn’t leave mine and the world shrunk again. Music tipped out from inside as the band started to play and a soulful voice began to sing.
I knew I was smiling hard at her, Cassie the furthest thing from my mind. My jacket swamped her, hid some of her skin from my eyes, but it was her smile that held my attention.
“I think you look better in my dinner suit.” Any resolve I’d had floated away on the night air. “That dress…”
She twirled round, giggling, playful. “It makes a change from work suits, although my feet are killing in these heels.”
I looked to where she’d displayed a leg, a strappy shoe at the end, and then endless silky skin partially hidden under the fitted material of her dress.
I reckoned I could have that off in less than ten seconds.
I wanted to tell her that the skirts she wore for work drove me mad, just like the pants that clung to her arse and made me want to hold it in the palms of my hands and pull her against my hardened dick.
I wanted to tell her I was a fool for saying that kiss was a one-time thing and couldn’t be repeated. I wanted to take her home and show her how each kiss we had could be better than the first.
“Can you dance in them?” I thanked whichever deity was on duty tonight that something non-pornographic came out of my mouth.
