The elevator to the lobby is packed, but we manage to get on. Standing right behind me, Rhys runs his hand discreetly along the small of my back, his fingers dropping dangerously low.
“We’re at work,” I whisper, my eyes straight ahead.
“But off the clock.” He runs the back of his fingers along the curve of my ass, sending hot shivers along my spine, making my toes curl.
“We’re about to do my quarterly eval.”
“We’ll be back on when we reach Bovine.”
“You’re impossible.”
“Impossibly addicted to you,” he whispers into my ear.
I look away, pressing my lips together. This is just a secret moment between us. Doing it in a public space is shockingly thrilling, especially since nobody knows what we’re doing.
True to his word, Rhys stops when the elevator hits the lobby. Everyone spills out.
“Finally! I’ve been waiting for you.”
Jeffrey?I turn. My ex comes at me like a one-legged football player trying to recover a fumble. His hair is disheveled, as though he ran his fingers through it multiple times, but other than that, he’s his usual suave, white-collar professional self.
Rhys tenses next to me. If eyes could attack, Jeffrey’s legs would snap in half. I pat Rhys’s arm—it’s fine,really.
“Why did you block me?” Jeffrey says. “I have things to tell you.”
“You actually have to ask? You’re even dumber than I thought,” Rhys mutters.
“Come on, baby.” Jeffrey reaches out, trying to rest his hands on my shoulders.
Fury sparks in Rhys’s eyes. Before he does something he shouldn’t—like punch Jeffrey in the face, which would be oh so satisfying but ill-advised—I step away from my ex and cross my arms. Rhys positions himself so he’s standing right next to me like an impenetrable wall. Or a knight guarding a lady he’s pledged his life to.
Either way, it’s awesome to have somebody back me up so unconditionally.
“What are you doing here? Don’t you have to work?” I ask coldly. He always said he had a working lunch every time I invited him out.
“Yeah, but this is more important. It’s about my future. I mean,ourfuture.”
“There is noourfuture. We broke up.”
“Look, baby, let’s not be nasty. I didn’t know, okay?”
I frown at his overly earnest tone. “Know what?”
He isn’t paying attention, so focused on what he wants to say. “It was just a very,veryminor indiscretion. Like I told you, Samantha and I are innocent. We didn’t do anything. We ended before things could get serious.”
“Do you think I’m stupid?” I snort.
Rhys squeezes my hand, offering silent comfort and support.
Still not listening, Jeffrey adds, “You should’ve cooled off by now.”
“Don’t be clingy. It isn’t attractive.”
“It’s not about being clingy. You never told me you were Trevor Loomer’s daughter and sole heir.”
Must’ve heard about what happened at the auction.
He continues: “It’s not fair. You tricked me into playing around!”
