Page 143 of Twisted Knight

“Don’t Caroline me. I know you have to keep this quiet because you have your reasons, but sometimes when there is no public pressure or bright spotlight on you, it’s easier to figure things out.”

“Things?”

“Feelings. You know, the thing you never talk about.”

“Noted.”

“And she’s all business, once again,” she mutters.

“She is. And she has to go because someone is heading this way.”

“Desk sex is fun. Just saying,” she says seconds before I end the call and Holden strides into my office with a definite purpose.

He has on a light gray shirt today and black pants. His sleeves are rolled up and the top two buttons of his shirt are undone when he usually is wearing a tie.

I have only seconds to act on the fantasy that just popped into my mind before he sets the black velvet box down on my desk with force.

Guess he found them.

“I warned you about this,” he says, eyes meeting mine, hands bracing on the front edge of my desk so we are face-to-face.

“Holden.” I hesitate because the look on his face is intense. Irritated. “I can’t accept them.”

His smile is quick, disarming and disconcerting at the same time. “And I told you what I’d do if you tried to return them.”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

His eyes drift down to my cleavage, which I’m sure he has a great view of from his vantage point. They linger for longer than is appropriate. Good thing I know how incredible Holden’s inappropriate is.

“I gave you a gift. End of story.” He drags his eyes back up to mine. “That’s your one and only warning or else Monday’s meeting next week is going to be awfully enlightening about what we’ve done on the table we’ll all be sitting at.”

My eyes shock open wider and I reach my hand out and slowly drag the box toward me and put it in my drawer.

“That’s a smart decision, Sunshine,” he murmurs in that low, husky voice of his that has me biting my lower lip in reflex.

“Yes, Mr. Knight,” I murmur. Two can play this game.

And I get the reaction I want. The flare of his nostrils. The twitch of his fingers as if he’s itching to touch. The clench of his jaw followed by the slow, seductive crawl of a smile onto his lips.

“Should I be worried that your mother called me today?”

That statement is enough to knock me out of my lust-induced haze. “She what?”

“Yep.” He helps himself to a seat at my desk. Something I don’t think he’s ever done before. “Surprised the hell out of me too.”

“She invited you to the barbecue, didn’t she?” Damn it. My two worlds outside of work are going to collide. I mean, they have at the country club, but not at my family home. Not with the people who know me better than anyone watching the two of us interact.

“She did.” He nods. “Invited me and offered for me to bring a plus-one. Any suggestions on who that might be?”

We haven’t had any discussions about exclusivity when it comes to whatever it is that we’re doing here. At the same time, his whole “I don’t share” routine pretty much said that’s what we are—exclusive … and yet even the idea of him bringing someone else has me rolling my shoulders in irritation.

“If you were a smart man—and I happen to know for a fact that you are—you won’t be bringing anyone.”

“No?” He lifts a single brow and offers me a lopsided, taunting smirk. “Why not? It might be a nice time for a good society lady. An event where she can step out and let Westmore know she snagged the new eligible bachelor.” I snort. “God knows I’ve had plenty of open invitations from them.”

“I don’t think that would be a wise decision.” I lean back in my chair and fold my arms over my chest, raising one eyebrow to match his.

“And why’s that?”