“We need to talk about that interview you did.”
“Why would we need to talk about that? I thought that was what you wanted. To go public.”
There it was again.
A tightness and coolness to her tone.
Completely different from the faux enthusiasm in her little news interview.
“Yes,” Finn agreed. He took a steadying breath, his gaze watching as her tail slowly disappeared, leaving perfect legs in its wake.
Finn shifted in his seat, his pants brushing against a part of him that refused to listen to reason, nearly dragging a groan out of him.
“Then what’s the problem?” she asked. Her voice pitched higher. Almost as fake as it had been in the interview.
“We needed to go public in theright way.”
“Oh, yes, optics. How could I forget?”
“It’s important that we project the right image.”
“Triton forbid anything real interrupts the narrative.”
“It’s not that it’s fake. It’s—”
“What did Marsha want?” Iris interrupted.
“I’m sorry?”
“What did Marsha Grand want?”
“It was just … campaign stuff.”
“Campaign stuff,” she repeated. Her voice grew tight. “Was it some big secret?”
“Not especially.”
“Can you ever just … give a real answer?” she snapped, making Finn straighten.
“That was a real answer.”
“It’s always perfectly twisted so you don’t make anyone unhappy. Mr. Electable,” she said, turning onto all fours, then slowly getting to her feet. “Manicured messaging in a suit. All optics. No authenticity. I mean, when’s the last time you felt anything real?”
His hand shot out, closing gently around her wrist, drawing her closer.
“I’m feeling something real right now.”
Could she read the sincerity on his face?
Did she hear the thickness in his voice?
Iris’s gaze cut to his, surprise crossing her pretty face for a moment as he applied pressure. Not exactly pulling her, leaving the ball in her court.
It felt like an eternity before she made the decision. But then she was stepping closer. One foot at a time. Until she was standing at the foot of the chaise.
Given their positions, his face was level with the core of her.
He tried to control himself, to think of all the reasons this was a bad idea.
