I’m not ready to deal with this mess, especially since I barely got any sleep.
Oblivious to my state of mind—because how could he know?—Oli makes his way to me among the many others trying to fit in here. “Hi, stranger,” he greets me joyfully.
I force a smile on my lips. “Hi, Oli.”
Tami’s here too, next to me, pretending to pay us no mind. But I’m familiar enough with her to know she’ll sneakily lipread. Which still isn’t as embarrassing as Lex being right next to us and hearingeverything.
“So,” Oliver starts once the doors are shut. “Last night didn’t go exactly as I’d planned, but I preferred your approach. The driver pestered me the entire way to my place.”
Can I pretend to lose consciousness to get out of this?
No, that’s the cowardly way, and Ibanez women don’t cower. Except in the presence of poultry, because hens and geese are nasty peckers—a lesson I learned the hard way when visiting relatives in Mexico.
So, I smile and meet his honey irises. “I really enjoyed the restaurant. I’ll definitely add it to my list.”
“Oh, great. We parted abruptly, and I didn’t get to ask if you liked it.”
Because I can’t help it, I glance at Lex. He’s too close for me to pretend he can’t hear. But his face is impassive, and if he’s listening, it doesn’t show.
“I really did. I’ve had Korean barbecue before, but never that good,” I say, hoping the conversation will remain on food rather than more intimate allusions.
“Yes, you were in a great mood afterward.”
Is it acceptable to faint now?
Like always, the elevator stops on every other floor, people get out, others get in… It’s insufferable, and I very much want to step out of here. On floor fourteen, a shitload of people join us, as usual, and everyone’s forced to shift around. I’m separated from Oli and Tami. In an attempt to make more room for the newcomers, I’m pushed against a hard body near me.
Ah, fuck… This feels like déjà vu.
Looking up, I peer at Lex. He has his brow arrogantly cocked up, his jaw tightly clenched.
Clearly, I’m not the only one aware of the similarities, as Lex bends discreetly to mutter, “I thought we agreed to never do this again?” His tone is petty, his voice between a grunt and a whisper. That, combined with his proximity, makes my knees turn to mush. This ignites me a hundred times more than full-on making out and grinding with Oli.
It’s not fucking fair.
Maybe it’s because of the weak legs, or maybe it’s the person who elbows my back, but I stumble even closer to him, unable to keep my balance.
His large hand reaches for my hip to level me, burning my skin despite the layers of my jeans and light jacket. Instead of pushing me away, he presses me against him for an entire second before setting a more reasonable distance between us. When I look up this time, it isn’t anger veiling his eyes, but something much more primitive and dangerous.
Something painfully tempting.
I know Kate’s plan is bullshit, but I wish it weren’t.
Angry at him as much as myself, I push against his chest, needing to set some distance before I do something stupid. It’s hard to ignore the firmness of his muscles beneath my palms, and even harder not to notice the flame that dances in his eyes at my bold touch.
I make enough room for myself to twist around, but that’s a terrible idea. My ass is now pressed against the front of his pants, and I could swear he hisses at the contact, taking in a sharp breath. But floor sixteen is here, and all the lazy fuckers who can’t be bothered to climb two flights of stairs get out.
Within seconds, I’m back with Oli and Tami. Half a minute felt like an eternity.
“I may already have found our next destination,” Oliver says enthusiastically after a moment, resuming our conversation as if nothing happened.
“Ah, you’re quite the planner.”
“Only when it’s important. And like I told you yesterday—”
“Oh! Look!” I abruptly cut him off before he can add another word. “It’s your floor. I’ll walk you to the Lair.”
As we step out, I peer at Lex. He looks pissed, his jaw ticking.Fuck…
