“Right, my bad.” I giggle, playing it off like I am dumb. Men tend to like that. It makes them feel more confident when they think they’re intellectually superior.
I hold out a hand to the real Jonathan and he studies me, his eyes passing from head to toe, before he bypasses the handshake and leans in for an impersonal hug instead.
“You smell amazing,” he whispers gruffly. His lips actually brush my ear.
I pull away and give Electra a red flag look, but she is too busy flirting with the blonde who is pulling her chair out for her.
I don’t know whose idea it is, but we are seated next to our dates instead of across from them. It makes conversation awkward because I have to turn to look at Jonathan while he talks, and it also makes communication with Electra more difficult. If I needed to get her attention to report any more red flags, I’d have to kick her under the table.
Our drinks come and I nearly down my muddled berry gin and tonic in one slurp.
Electra just smiles. “Ooh, someone is ready to party…!” She shimmies her shoulders and I shoot her a look. A look that a best friend should know.
Of course, she doesn’t notice at all because Chad Michael Murray over there hasn’t let up on his smolder since we sat down.
“So, Amara.” Jonathan steals back my attention by placing a large hand on my exposed knee. It’s a simple gesture but I’m not loving it. I’m not loving any of this. “Electra tells me you are a secretary?”
I bite back the urge to punch him in the face. That’s saying a lot. It’s a strong urge. “I’m a personal assistant. To a CEO.”
“So you’re drawn to powerful men…” He smirks, taking a sip of his whiskey sour. “That’s convenient for us, isn’t it?”
“I’m afraid I don’t see the correlation.”
He chuckles with a tight jaw and sets his glass down. Meanwhile, his hand is inching north up my leg. “That’s cute. You’re very cute. I happen to be a businessman myself.”
“Oh?” I swallow, hoping he doesn’t see the looks I am shooting to an oblivious Electra.
“Burgess Enterprises.”
“Sounds important,” I say, sitting up straighter in the hopes that his hand will slide back to my knee. It doesn’t. If anything, there is grip behind it now.
“Very. Especially since you are with Jonathan Burgess himself.”
“Oh, wow,” I say loudly, still trying to get my friend’s attention. “Electra, I need to use the restroom. Can you show me where it is?”
She tosses a glance in my direction. “I don’t need to go. But it’s around the corner, I think.”
My smile falters for an annoyed moment.
And the offending hand travels another inch higher.
“Did I mention how beautiful you are? I bet you get a lot of attention.” Jonathan’s leaning in now, closer and closer.
Is he actually going to kiss me? Here? Now? Four very cringe minutes into a very cringe date? I want to get up and walk away, but with his hand clutching my thigh, I don’t feel like I can move.
Panic floods my chest. I grip the chair in one hand and my glass in the other. As his face nears mine, I turn my head to the side just in time to hear his voice.
Not Jonathan’s.
Ransome’s.
“Amara.”
My eyes flutter before trailing up. It takes me a moment to materialize it. Standing next to me, towering over the table, is… my God, it really is Ransome.
“Who are you?” Jonathan spits out.
At the same time, Electra gasps, “Amara, is that yourboss?!”
