“Do you want to go have a drink and wind down from that meeting?” I offered. “I think we’ve earned it. And, uh, you know, maybe we can continue what we started last night?” I let my hand trail down his arm. I inwardly cringed at my terrible attempt at being flirtatious, especially when Evan stepped away from me.
“I can’t,” he said brusquely. “I have plans.”
“I’ll just be going then,” I said, trying not to cry. “I forgot I was supposed to meet the girls for drinks anyway. Don’t want to stand them up.”
I berated myself in the elevator on the way out of the fancy condo building.
Of course he didn’t want to have a drink with you. He was probably just being friendly yesterday, not flirting with you, and you are such a nice girl that you completely put him in the boyfriend zone. This is why your life is a disaster. Because you can’t behave like a functional human being.
I felt like I was going to die of humiliation. How was I going to face Evan again after my embarrassingly inept attempt at flirting?
Ivy:Drinks? Please? I’m desperate to drown my sorrows.
* * *
My friends were waitingat the Salt House restaurant that evening. Elsie used to work with one of the chefs there, and they always gave us free appetizers.
“I’m surprised you’re not off boinking Evan,” Grace commented when I sat down.
“He doesn’t want to,” I said dejectedly.
“Of course he does! He took you out on a date!” Amy reminded me.
“It wasn’t a date. He was just being friendly,” I said, jabbing a scallop. “I don’t think he wants anything to do with someone like me.”
“You mean a bossbabe with great tits?” Amy said. “Surely not!”
“Uh,” Brea interrupted with a frown, “is that Evan?”
We turned and looked to see Evan sitting at a nearby booth. A scantily clad woman slid into the booth beside him, her hands running up his chest possessively.
I couldn’t believe it. “Is that Camilla?”
22
Evan
Ispent the rest of the day at the office, trying to work. But my mind kept returning to Ivy.
I had done a good job yesterday of convincing myself that she wasn’t into me and that I could play the sociopathic billionaire and pretend to be nice to Camilla in order to convince Orson to sell me that property. But then Ivy had come on to me earlier. I mean, I supposed that was what it was. She had asked if I wanted to grab drinks, and she had clearly touched my arm unprompted.
Forget going out with her. I want to bend her over the table and fuck her.
In hindsight, I wished I had kissed her last night. Hell, I wished I’d done other things to her that night too.
I debated on whether to cancel with Camilla. But I was so close to getting that property!
You aren’t getting back together with her,I reminded myself.You’re just going to put on a show.
* * *
Camilla was waitingfor me at the restaurant when my town car pulled up. She was in a super-short dress festooned with ruffles and buttons. She wrapped her hands around my arm and reached up to kiss me. I turned my head away.
“We’re here to talk business.”
Camilla pouted. “Don’t be like that, Evan. I still love you.”
I looked down at her hands still on my arm. She was still wearing the gaudy, oversized engagement ring she’d insisted I buy her. Before I could throw her off, she dragged me up to the hostess station.
