Page 45 of Bound Lies

In less than an hour, I will be sitting across from Riley Walsh in a dimly lit restaurant where we’ll share a meal and a bottle of wine. It’s not lost on me that I’ve never done such a thing with a woman before. Normally, I pick them up at a bar, bring them back to a hotel room for the night, and send them on their way.

I’m walking into uncharted territory, and that scares the shit out of me. Not that I’ll let on. The biggest mistake I could make right now is to show any sign of weakness or vulnerability in front of Riley.

Contract or no contract, she is not to be trusted.

The apartment is quiet as I step off the elevator. I take the stairs two at a time up to my room and lock the door behind me before stripping out of my clothes and jumping in the shower.

By the time I’m buttoning up a black shirt and checking the time, it’s already five past seven. I quickly head downstairs, but when I don’t find Riley ready and waiting for me, a familiar surge of rage courses through my body.

“Riley!”

Silence.

Of course, she’s not ready on time. She’s probably doing this on purpose to test me.

“I swear to God…” I start pacing back and forth in front of the stairs.

My shirt suddenly feels too itchy against my skin, and I want nothing more than to rip it off and head straight into the gym to work off some of my frustration. But I know that Riley and I need to show our faces in public if we’re going to make this relationship believable, so I can’t back out of the date now.

“Riley—”

My voice falters at the sound of footsteps.

I turn around and glance up the stairs.

Riley is standing there, wearing a pale blue silk dress that clings to her curves in ways that make my throat go dry. Her auburn hair is loose and cascades over her shoulders, and her green eyes are lined with a subtle gold shimmer, making them appear even brighter.

For one stupid fleeting moment, I forget how to be annoyed.

She looks like sin, and she fucking knows it.

“Took you long enough.” I peel my eyes away from her before I end up starting this night off with a raging erection.

“It’s five minutes.”

“It still makes you late.”

I keep my eyes averted, but I catch her descending the stairs out of the corner of my eye.

As she approaches, I stupidly flick my eyes to her just as her breasts are at my eye level, and I almost drop to my knees.

Her curves were no secret, considering the skimpy little outfits she’s been parading around my apartment in for the past few days. But somehow, this dress makes them even more delicious, and from the flash of thigh I catch through the slit in her dress, that much more accessible too.

I am well and truly fucked.

When Riley reaches the bottom of the stairs, I step aside without a word and head for the elevator because I don’t trust myself not to put my hands on her and lead her right back up the stairs to my bed.

I need to remember that tonight is nothing more than a lie, a performance to send a message to Sean O’Keefe. That is why I’m doing this.

The silence between us is thick as we ride the elevator down to the parking garage.

I sneak a glance at Riley and notice a faint blush is already staining her cheeks, but if she can feel my gaze on her, she makes no move to acknowledge it.

She fiddles nervously with the hem of her dress, which has my eyes flicking down to her thighs.

Christ, she looks incredible.

I knew tonight was going to be torture, but not this kind of torture.