“Then why did you invite me?” He put his hands in his pockets as he eyed me, his chin covered in stubble and his eyes almost threatening.
“Because…” I was about to answer him when I thought better of it. I struggled with emotional intimacy, and I avoided it at all costs. “I guess I just like spending time with you.”
Christopher knew me too well not to notice the apprehension in my eyes. Like a book, he could read every word and every sentence. “That’s not the reason, and we both know it. So just be a man and tell me.”
“Well, I’m not a man.”
“You look like one.”
I narrowed my eyes on his face. “You want me to answer you or not?”
He breathed a sigh before he relaxed his shoulders. “Yes. Please.”
“I’m getting an award tonight.” I didn’t wear my heart on my sleeve, so I never confessed my deepest desires. But tonight, it was important for him to be there with me. I wanted him to share this moment with me because, frankly, I wouldn’t be here without him.
His eyes immediately softened, one of the rare times I’d seen it happen. “I had no idea. What’s it for?”
“Philanthropist Award. It’s for the work I did at the homeless shelter this year.”
He stared at me with a blank expression, but his eyes held the affection that he tried to hide. He cleared his throat then gave me an awkward pat on the back. “That’s awesome. I’m so proud of you.”
I smiled when I heard the sincerity in his voice. “Thanks.”
“Now I’m glad you invited me. Wouldn’t miss it for anything.”
“That’s the reaction I’d been hoping for.”
“Alright. I’ll be nice to you for the whole evening.”
“Wow.” I didn’t hide my sarcasm. “Do you think you can go that long?”
“I don’t know,” he answered. “I’ve never tried.”
A waiter passed with a tray of champagne, and Christopher grabbed two glasses before he handed one to me. “Let’s make a toast.”
“Yeah?” The corner of my lip rose in a smile.
“Yeah.” He clinked his glass against mine. “To the most hardworking and compassionate woman I know.” He brought the glass to his lips and downed it.
I smiled before I drank, finishing with a few swallows.
We set our glasses on an empty tray that passed.
“Now what?” he said. “We hit up the bar? Or we take our seats for dinner? There’s gonna be steak, right?”
Of course, that’s all he cared about—food and booze. “Let’s find our seats before we crash the bar and you clean them out.”
“Sounds like a good idea.”
I looked across the sea of tables for my number. They assigned our seating beforehand, and after we found the correct table number, our names were placed on a card on the china plate. As I glanced around for my seat, I felt a pair of heated eyes sear right through my skin and to my heart. It burned me from the inside out, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up straight. Like prey on the plains, I felt my predator watch me before he struck.
My eyes finally found the culprit. Standing on the other side of the room in a fitted black suit was the man I’d slapped so many times his cheek had turned red. His intense eyes were exactly the same as they were on that night, scorching and ice-blue. He stared me down like he knew exactly who I was—hadn’t forgotten the way my palm felt against his face. Humiliation washed over me like the tide and blanketed me with sheer terror. I’d never felt so embarrassed in my life, and I never got out of hand like that. The one time I did, I pretty much assaulted an innocent man. Now I was getting an award for helping people, something he probably thought I didn’t deserve. “Motherfucker.”
Christopher turned his gaze on me, his eyes the size of melons. “Whoa…where did that come from?”
I quickly turned away from the man I had assaulted just a few days before. “Shit. Is he looking at me?”
“Who?”
“The guy in the black suit. He’s near the stage.”
“Uh…” Christopher’s eyes scanned the opposite side of the room. “I think I see a pretty handsome dude checking you out.”
I rolled my eyes. “Believe me, he’s not checking me out.”
“Ro, I’m a guy. I know what we look like when we’re picturing a woman naked.”
“So he is looking at me?” I asked in horror.
“What’s the big deal? I’m totally straight, but this guy makes Clint Eastwood look like a troll.”
I quickly told him the story of what happened at the bar a few nights ago, keeping my back to my predator and trying to make it look natural.
“You slapped him? Three times?” His voice rose with his incredulity.
“I thought he was Taylor’s ex, okay?”
“And it took three slaps to figure out it wasn’t him?”
“I was in the moment. I was pissed and in the zone… I wasn’t paying attention.”
Christopher kept eyeing him across the room. “Well, he hasn’t blinked since he first looked at you. But I still think he’s checking you out.”
“No. He’s picturing how he’s going to murder me.” I tucked my hair behind my ear, showing weakness for the first time.
Christopher glanced at the ground and lowered his voice. “Incoming.”
“Shit.” I straightened my shoulders and held myself high, knowing I couldn’t back down from a confrontation. I was the one who assaulted the guy, so I should pay the price. The awkwardness fell on me like a weight, and I deserved the pressure. I turned toward him and finally looked at him just as he reached me.
First, he sized up Christopher, giving him a quick glance like he was beneath him. His superiority rang through the air, and if he could have pushed Christopher to the side, he would’ve. His hostility emerged from nowhere. I wasn’t even sure where it came from.
Then he looked at me, his blue eyes bright and crystal clear. Like a remote cove in Fiji, it was virgin and untouched. His soul was a blank canvas underneath, full of so many layers and colors it was undecipherable. Like no one else was in the room, he stared at me. Like a predator seeking out prey, he cornered me and didn’t back down. He didn’t seem to care that a grown man was standing right beside me, built and toned.
His shoulders looked just as broad as they did the other night. When I first spotted him, I assumed he must be the man Taylor was talking about. Drop-dead gorgeous with subtle stubble around his face, he was so beautiful it was painful. Taylor had gushed about her new boyfriend, and he was definitely someone worth gushing over. The fact that I slapped him three times and he didn’t even raise his voice attested to his chivalry. Any other man might have slapped me good and hard. But he found the restraint to do nothing.
I lost my footing as I looked at him, too focused on his corded neck and stern jaw. An image came into my mind of his face between my legs, his stubble brushing against the inside of my thighs before his mouth closed over my throbbing clitoris. I dug my fingers into his hair and screamed because he made me orgasm so hard.
Whoa. Where the hell did that come from?
I knew I should say something, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Instead, I felt my cheeks flush pink and warm. My mouth suddenly became moist from the kisses we hadn’t shared, and my calves yearned to be wrapped around his waist.
He took the reins. “Small world, huh?” Like before, his words came out innately sexy and husky. I wondered if he sounded like that on purpose or if he was just unnaturally blessed with extreme sex appeal.
I took a breath and straightened myself out. I refused to let my words tumble out as incoherent rambling. “Too small, actually.” I extended my hand to shake his. “It’s nice to see you again. I’m glad it’s on better terms.”
He eyed my hand for so long I didn’t think he would take it. Then he wrapped his fingers around mine and gave me an aggressive squeeze, his thumb brushing along my skin seductively. His fingers migrated to my wrist and g
ave me another subtle squeeze before he pulled away. “That’s debatable.”
I wanted to question the odd response but didn’t. This guy didn’t deserve any presumptions from me—not after the first one I made. “I’m so sorry about the other night—”
“Don’t apologize.” His voice was exactly the same as before, but it somehow sounded like a command. He turned to Christopher then nodded in my direction. “Your girlfriend has quite the hand on her.”
“Girlfriend?” Christopher blurted. “Yuck.” He shook his head vigorously then held his palm over my face. “God, no.”
I narrowed my eyes at the insult before I turned back to the man I’d aggressively knocked around. His eyes were on me once again, but now the look was different. He stared at me so hard I thought I may melt under the heat of his gaze. Now the mood completely shifted, coming off calm then intense just a second later.
“She’s single and ready to mingle.” Christopher gave me a rough pat on the back. “Ro, this guy is handsome and pretty damn polite to put up with your bullshit. Go for it. I’m gonna hit the bar.” He gave me another pat before he nodded to my visitor. “Nice meeting you.”
He didn’t watch Christopher walk away. His eyes were on me the entire time. It didn’t seem like they would move anytime soon—or ever again.
I was mortified by what Christopher said, but I didn’t show it. “Ignore him. He’s just quirky.”
“Who is he?”
“My brother.”
He slid his hands into his pockets and stepped closer to me, closer than any stranger should be. But somehow, he filled the space like he owned it. His powerful jaw was sterner up close, and I wondered how his facial hair would feel against my palm as it slid across his cheek. His eyes were blue, but they sparkled with icy fire. “I don’t see the similarities.”
Because there aren’t any. “We kind of adopted each other.” I didn’t want to get into my past life. That would take all night, and I doubted a stranger would want to hear about it. I was surprised I’d even told him that much. Normally, I would make some kind of joke when someone made a similar comment.
He must have understood further prying wasn’t appreciated because he dropped the subject.
“We both know you know my name. So what’s yours?”
His eyes quickly glanced at my lips like he wanted to watch them move as I spoke.
A gentle ripple moved through my spine and up my neck. All the tiny hairs on my body stood on end, and my nipples hardened to the edge of daggers. With a simple look, he made my body hum with life, desperate for physical affection. I couldn’t remember the last date I had, and I couldn’t remember the last man I was this attracted to. But of course, I fucked that up when I slapped him.
Good job, Rome.
He kept his soft lips firmly pressed together like he didn’t want to answer. “Calloway Owens.”
My jaw nearly dropped to the floor. I recognized that name because it was prestigious in the charity world. The founder and director of the biggest nonprofit in Manhattan was standing right in front of me—and I slapped him. “Of course you are…” Now I was even more embarrassed than before. Why couldn’t he just be a nobody? I was going to receive my first award from the academy, and I was taking it from the man I assaulted. I’d never met him in person and didn’t know what he looked like. All I ever heard were rumors about how fine he was. But that name was unmistakable.
The corner of his mouth rose in a small smile. His eyes lit up the same way, amused. He came closer to me, the distance between us so short he could kiss me—if he actually wanted to. “Your secret is safe with me.” When he lowered his voice, his sexy tone washed across my skin like a perfect bubble bath. It relaxed me but excited me at the same time. Was he trying to be sexy? Or was he just that good at it?
“You’re a lot nicer to me than I was to you.” If some guy slapped me in a bar, I’d kick his ass—in front of everyone. I definitely wouldn’t have held back and remained patient. This guy had the steadiness of a god.
“Trust me, I’m not a nice guy.”
I didn’t have a clue what that meant, but it scorched my body all the same. His warm breath fell across my face, and I could smell his cologne—subtle and masculine. Or maybe that was just him. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was.
“But I’ll be nice to you—for now.”
After I received my award, I took the seat beside my brother. The metal sculpture was in my hand, my name carved at the bottom. It was in the shape of a tree, the giving source of all life. I set it next to my wine glass and admired it.
Christopher eyed it for a moment before he looked at me. “You did good, Ro.”
“Thanks…” It meant the world to me that he was there, even if I didn’t show it. He was the only family I had in the world—even though we weren’t related. No one understood what I went through better than him—because he was there too.
“You know…” He took the award and put it beside his plate. “I think this would look pretty good on my desk.”
“With someone else’s name on it?” I asked incredulously.
“I can scratch that right off.” He smiled before he handed it back. “Where’s this bad boy gonna go?”
“I think in my office at For All.”
“There’s no other office since you live in a rat hole.”
I was used to him making jabs about my tiny apartment, but it still annoyed me. It wasn’t much, and I had a few cockroaches for roommates, but it was better than what most people had. So I was grateful. “Your face is a rat hole.”
“Good one…” His voice was full of sarcasm.
We finished dinner, and the people at our table began to drift to the bar and the dessert table. There was a silent auction near the back, and people cast their bids on trips to Paris and time on yachts. I wanted to look at Calloway, but I refrained from doing so. I knew he was just two tables over.
“So…” Christopher glanced in the direction Calloway was sitting before he looked at me again. “That guy is hot.”
When I looked at Christopher, I narrowed my eyes. “Is there something you need to tell me? Because that’s the third time you’ve said that.”
“Hell no. Believe me, I’m all about the tits and the pussy.”
I cringed because I wanted to throw up.
“But even I know that guy is good-looking. So are you going to ask him out?”
We didn’t talk about my love life often, but sometimes Christopher asked about it out of concern. I hadn’t had a relationship in years because I didn’t have the time or the energy. Most men were full of bullshit, and I had more important things to do. “Did you already forget I slapped him?”
“He’s clearly over it. Just go for it.”
“He’s the biggest name in this room. That guy has done more for this city than anyone else.”
He kept a blank look on his face. “And your point?”
“He’s too good for me. I already screwed up my first impression.”
Now he just looked annoyed. “Ro, come on. This isn’t the woman I know. You go for what you want, and you take it. If you want this guy, make it happen. If he says no, no harm done. You’ve never taken a hit to your confidence. If anything, asking him out is sexy. He’ll respect your ability to make a move after you humiliated yourself. I know I would.”
“But we work together. If it doesn’t work out, it’ll just be awkward.”
“Tonight is the first time you’ve ever met him, so I doubt you’ll run into him often.”
I didn’t argue because he was right.
“Get your ass up and march over there.”
“Why do you care so much?”
“Because you need a man in your life.”
My eyes narrowed and burned with hostility. “Excuse me?” There was nothing more insulting than someone assuming a woman needed a man to be happy. I was doing just fine on my own and didn’t need a man for a goddamn thing.
“Calm down. You know how I meant
it.”
My brother always meant well, so I let it go.
“Now go get that D.” He patted my back with a hard thump.
“I don’t want his D.”
Now he narrowed his eyes at me. “Is there something you need to tell me? Because every woman in this room wants that D.”
“I want more than that.”
“Then go get it. Ask him to dinner.”
“Stop coaching me. If I want to ask him out, I will.”
Christopher’s eyes drifted away to a woman passing by. She wore a tight black dress that showed the sexy swell of her breasts and her gorgeous, long legs. She was headed right for Calloway. “You better make your move now. Because that fine lady is going to swoop in.”
Jealousy ripped right through me, and I was surprised to feel it when I hardly knew the guy. But I knew this woman was beautiful, and if she got to him first, I would miss my chance. He would go home with her, and they’d spend the night fucking while I went back to my apartment alone. I threw my napkin down and scooted my chair back. “Distract her.”
Christopher grinned from ear to ear. “Got it.”
I walked to his table with my head held high and my shoulders back. It wasn’t like me to chase after a guy, but he was the first guy to give me goose bumps, so I made an exception. His looks weren’t the only thing that attracted me. He commanded the room with his silence, he was chivalrous, and he did more charity work than even me. He was a catch and I knew it.
He was sitting at the table near the stage, his eyes on me the entire time I walked toward him. He didn’t even glance at the other woman who had just been heading his way. Now she was talking to Christopher, and judging by how long their conversation lasted, she was no longer interested in Calloway.
Just by sitting there he looked sexy. His head was tilted slightly to the left, and his blue eyes reflected the jewels in the chandelier above his head. One hand rested on the table next to his empty wine glass, and a black watch was wrapped around his wrist. Without moving his head, he watched me come closer to him.
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