Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 67973 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67973 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
“You’re right.” Liam released a low, regretful sigh as he stepped back, giving me space even though he clearly didn’t want to. “I can’t seem to help myself around you.”
I laughed softly. “It’s not easy for me, either.”
“Good.” He pushed his hands into his pockets, as if that would keep him from reaching out and touching me again. “So, I wanted to ask if you’d like to go with me to my sister-in-law’s art show. It’s the last Saturday of this month.”
My eyes widened in surprise. “Your sister-in-law is an artist?”
He nodded, the corner of his mouth lifting in one of those irresistibly charming smiles of his. “She is. Fallon is insanely talented, and the gallery is donating half the proceeds to a women’s shelter. My whole family will be there.”
A flutter stirred in my chest. “Are you asking me as a friend or as your date?”
“As my date.” His gaze softened, earnest and hopeful. “And as my official girlfriend. I know we’ll be telling your family soon, probably by next week, so I want to make sure you keep that Saturday open. I’d like you to meet my family, too.”
My heart gave a definite flip. “So…we’re really doing this, huh?”
“Oh, we so are,” he said with certainty.
“Then, yes,” I said, smiling. “I would love to.”
Liam’s cell phone rang, pulling his attention from our conversation. He withdrew it from his pocket and glanced at the screen before giving me an apologetic look. “It’s Simon. I’d better take it.”
“Of course.”
He walked out of the breakroom, picking up the call while I grabbed my cup of coffee and returned to my office. I found a list of potential vendors on my desk. I’d asked Jenny to compile the information from the people she met at CES, but I didn’t expect her to get it to me so quickly.
Settling into my chair, I started to research each name on the list, but I didn’t get very far before Liam appeared in my open doorway. I smiled automatically, but as he stepped inside, I immediately sensed a difference in him from just fifteen minutes ago in the breakroom, when he’d been happy and relaxed. Something in him had shifted. His shoulders were tight, his jaw tense, and there was a frown on his face.
Concerned, I stood and rounded my desk. “Hey. What’s wrong?”
“Why do you think something’s wrong?” he asked.
I folded my arms across my chest and raised a brow.
He grimaced and rubbed a hand along the back of his neck. “I guess you can already read me pretty well, huh?”
“Maybe.” I gave him a teasing smile to lighten the mood. “Or maybe you’re not as mysterious as you think.”
He huffed a quiet laugh, but it didn’t erase the tension in his body. “I’m fine,” he said, almost dismissively. “Just some financial trouble with one of the companies we’ve invested in. Nothing to worry about.”
His tone was casual, but his eyes shifted away from mine as he spoke. It was just for a moment, but it was enough to cause an uneasy knot to form in my stomach.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Yeah. I’ll be fine.”
His answer came too quickly, but I got the point and let it go. If it was related to another investment, it wasn’t really any of my business anyway.
“How are you settling back into work at the office?” I asked, changing the subject instead. “Missing Vegas yet?”
His gaze dipped lower, where my blouse was unbuttoned just enough to show a hint of cleavage. “I miss certain things about Vegas.”
Heat pooled in my belly and I grinned. “Well, I might be persuaded to give you some quality time with me here in New York as well. How about dinner tonight, at my place?”
Going to a restaurant would have been nice, but for now we needed to keep things low-key. And honestly, cooking dinner for him, then spending the night together, sounded like the perfect evening to me.
“Sure. I’ll come by around six.” He hesitated, eyes shifting away again. “But…the rest of my week might consist of some late nights. I’ve got some work to catch up on here and with Simon after being out of town last week.”
There it was again. The tension, the distance, like something heavy was sitting on his shoulders.
“That’s not a problem,” I reassured him. “I’m still going to be here, even when work gets busy.”
“I know, baby.” He brushed a hand along my arm, before something tightened in his expression again. “But I’m wondering, does anyone else besides Parker work late around here?”
The odd question caught me off guard. “Not usually. Everyone’s out the door by six. Parker stays late sometimes, but that’s about it.”
“Just Parker, huh?” he asked again. “You sure about that?”
The intensity in Liam’s eyes confused me, and I frowned. “Yes, I’m sure. Why?”