Am early. Plus thought you might like an escort home for a change.
She sighed. He was trying to do something nice. It wasn’t his fault the bar he’d chosen was a frequent haunt of her coworkers. The last thing she wanted to do was make a round of awkward introductions.
With renewed focus she returned to her inbox and worked through the emails in super-fast mode as her body hummed with the anticipation of seeing Connor again. This was the third time he’d come over to hers. On the nights they didn’t see each other, they spoke on the phone. She even had a new routine. She’d shower, warm up something Connor had left her—every visit, he stocked up her freezer with meals he claimed were leftovers—and sit on her sofa with a glass of wine waiting for his call.
This thing between them was working. A friendship with occasional benefits when they could squeeze in time to meet in person.
Life wasgood.
She fired off a reply to the last email, packed away her computer, and marched down the corridor toward the lifts, diverting into the ladies’ briefly to check she didn’t have ink on her nose or bits of salad between her teeth. And to add a quick dab of lip gloss. Because her lips were dry.
Her heart kicked up a gear as she pushed open the door to the bar, then tumbled in her chest as she caught sight of Connor. It didn’t feel real that the tall, sexy man laughing with the attractive female bartender was here for her. Yet when he turned, there was no doubting the look of delight on his face as his eyes met hers.
“Hey.” He eased off the stool and strolled toward her, a pair of ocean-blue eyes pinning her to the spot. “Fuck, you look hot.” He ran a hand over her ponytail, then dipped his head to kiss her. It was tender, chaste, his lips soft as they pressed gently on hers. Still, it left her giddy.
“I look like I’ve been at work for twelve hours.”
His eyes crinkled. “Yeah, prim work suit, tidy hair. Like I said, hot. Makes me want to strip off this suit.” He slid his hands across her shoulders and down her arms. “Remove your hair from the tie and just”—he bent to whisper in her ear—“rumpleyou.”
Oh God. Her knees buckled and she gripped his arm. “Let’s go.”
Laughter rumbled out of him. “Yeah, I love the enthusiasm, but I’ve not finished my beer yet. Let me buy you a drink.”
She didn’t want the drink, she wantedhim, alone. Away from people she might know. “Okay, just a quick one.”
“Not planning quick.” The hooded look he gave her sent liquid heat rushing to her core. “Want to take my time with you, burn the feel of you into my memory.”
He laced his fingers with hers and led her back to the bar. After ordering her a glass of red wine, he picked her up as if she were weightless and gently placed her on the bar stool. “How was today? Still ahead?”
Her mum, her sisters, Meera—they all wanted the promotion for her, but Connor waslivingit with her. Encouraging her when she felt she was losing it, cheering when she had a good day. It didn’t matter that he didn’t understand the nuances of what she did. He understood her desire to win. “Still ahead,” she confirmed. “In fact, we generated alpha today. Alpha is—”
“When you generate returns above the benchmark.”
“You remembered.”
His gaze raked hers. “I remember everything you say to me, Livvy.”
Her breath caught in her throat. This, the soft yet smoldering looks, the talk about her work, it was too intimate for the relationship she’d agreed to.
She opened her mouth to say something, anything, to set them back on the right track, but over his shoulder she saw a crowd of suited guys walk into the bar—men from her office.
Including Stuart.
Fuck, fuck. F.U.C.K.
“Ah, look, Olivia’s finally made it to the bar.” Arlo, part of her team, caught her eye.
Panic slithered through her. They were bound to walk over to her. She’d have to introduce them to Connor.
“You okay?” Connor gave her arm a light squeeze. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I’m fine. I... we need to go.” She swallowed the rest of her wine in one long gulp.
He gave her a confused look but took his cue from her and downed the rest of his beer.
It was too late, though, because now the men were at the bar, standing next to her. And Stuart was staring at Connor like he was a puzzle he was trying to solve.
“Connor, meet Stuart,” she said, fighting for calm. “Stuart’s one of my work colleagues.”
