“I—didn’t know he would be here,” I answer carefully.
With a fake and slightly buzzed smile, Spencer puts the attention back on him.
“She’s only teasing,” he says to Mrs. Powell without so much as looking in my direction. “She knows that I’m here with Emma Brooks, my girlfriend. One of your brightest associates I understand.”
I hate how formal and proper he is in public.
“Emma has had her fair share of achievement, yes,” Mrs. Powell agrees, but with a straight face. “She has certainly made an impression.”
I narrow my eyes when I detect a hint of derision when she says the word impression.
“And bonus! She has a clean record,” Spencer howls while placing a hand on my shoulder to keep himself from falling over in fits of laughter.
His joke didn’t hit the way he’d hoped it would though, because I’m far from laughing and Mariana remains emotionless.
“The charges were dropped,” I say through clenched teeth.
“Well, in any case,” he sighs trying to regain some composure after his joke fell flat. “I’m sure you’ll catch up eventually, sis. The finance world has been great for me. I’m an executive at our family’s investment firm,” he clarifies for Mrs. Powell as if she’s a child. Probably for the best since his words are slurred and difficult to understand anyway.
He brings a drink to his lips and his eyes meet mine in a devious stare that says he has no intention of behaving nicely even if he’s talking tomyboss.
My bottom lip stings as I dig my teeth into it, and I momentarily close my eyes to avoid scowling or glaring at my brother. It’s one thing for him to constantly give me shit when we cross paths, but it’s another thing entirely to try humiliating me in front of my boss.
A waiter passes us carrying a tray of drinks, and Spencer stops him to reach out and curl his fingers around another tumbler of amber-colored liquor.
“The company is thriving right now,” he continues despite both Mariana and I looking less than interested. “Target the struggling small businesses,” he points to his temple like he’sjust revealed some sort of insider tip. “They’re cheap and vulnerable. Perfect for acquisitions. It’s simple, really.”
He looks toward Mrs. Powell and winks while taking another swig.
“Riveting,” she mutters dryly. She’s not usually one to hold back her opinions, but judging by the look on her face, it seems like she’s fighting the urge to call him a douche canoe right to his face. I don’t want to make her feel obligated to stand here and listen to my brother spew dense business jargon for the next thirty minutes, so I offer her an out.
“Sorry to keep you, I know there are a handful of people you wanted to speak with tonight.”
“Ah, yes,” she replies, her eyes lighting. “It was nice to meet you, Mr. Chase. Sorry to end our conversation so prematurely, but I do have business to attend to. You understand.”
My chest deflates as he curtly nods, and she returns to the crowd behind us.
“Well, you’ve embarrassed me just like always,” he seethes when she’s finally out of earshot. “You completely bombarded our conversation and then made her leave.”
“She’s busy,” I say softly to avoid making a scene if possible. “And anyway, you’re the embarrassing one. Making jokes about me in front of my boss?Realclassy, Spencer.”
“First time hearing classy and Spencer in the same sentence,” a husky voice sounds from behind me. It instantly soothes my brewing irritation, and I turn just in time for him to step right up next to me, one arm wrapping around my waist.
My shoulders relax and I want to scream because of how happy I am to see him. Feel him. Not just because I’m no longer fighting a losing battle alone against my asshole brother, but because we haven’t seen each other in almost two weeks. Unless you count the dressing room Facetime, and I don’t. In person is infinitely better.
Sure, we’ve randomly texted most days. But our busy schedules have kept us both glued to our jobs that are so important to us right now. Subconsciously, I wasn’t brave enough to put myself out there and ask him to spend time with me outside of our arrangement. Knowing him, he might have been worried that if he was the one to ask, I’d turn it down.
Before I have a chance to overthink myself into an early grave, he leans down, tilts my chin up with his index finger, and presses his lips to mine. It takes the edge off my interaction with my brother, and I lean forward on my tiptoes to make it last longer.
It doesn't feel like the show-off kiss that we originally planned for. It’s more along the lines ofI missed you and I don’t even care if your boss is watching or not.
“Seriously?” Spencer mumbles.
Impulsively, I pull away from the kiss and lean into Warren’s body, feeling the safe warmth of his chest against the side of my face. His reaction is to squeeze my hip and I look up only to find that he’s glaring a hole straight through my brother.
Spencer looks disgusted and twists his face at the sight of Warren.
“Shouldn’t you be chewing on straw in a pair of overalls,” he spits.