“Ethan just told someone I was his date,Ashley. Why the hell would he do that?”
She cocks her perfectly sculpted eyebrow at me. “That does seem odd. He must have a good reason for it. Did you try asking him?” Logical answer. Not what I wanted her to say, but it’s just like her to give common sense advice.
“No, he was talking with someone about business, and I excused myself to talk to you. Doesn’t that seem odd, though?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know what to tell you.”
A knock on the door makes both of us jump. I place my hand over my heart as Eden smirks at me. I swear, nothing scares this girl. “Ladies, is everything okay in here?” Ethan’s muffled voice floats through the door.
I let out a slow breath and close my eyes. “Be out in a minute.” We both fix our masks before I unlock the door, putting a big smile on my face.
“Dinner is going to be served in a minute.” He hands me another glass of champagne and escorts both of us to the table like the perfect gentleman he is.
I’m lost in my thoughts. I push around a green bean and roasted potato as I try to seem interested, listening to the speaker drone on about something boring. I know I need to eat something—the glasses of champagne are starting to do a number on me—but I can’t. Eden has nudged me too many times to count, and now Ethan is looking at me strangely.
“Hey, you okay? You’ve hardly touched your food,” he says softly.
Just ask him about the name, chicken shit!“Yeah, just not very hungry,” I take another sip of my champagne and smile. Al, the man Ethan was talking to, seems to have disappeared. The waitress places a slice of cheesecake in front of me, and my mouth waters. I grab my fork and dig in, trying not to drop crumbs on myself. Ethan chuckles, and when I look at him, he shakes his head.
“Thought you weren’t hungry?”
I blush. “Okay, maybe I am, a little.” He puts his dessert plate in front of me and winks. This man knows the way to my heart. If it’s not with a cock between my legs, it’s with desserts!
Ethan finishes a conversation just as the lights dim and the music changes to a livelier beat. Cal helps Eden stand, and the two of them make their way to the dance floor. I turn my head to watch them. She looks so happy wrapped in his arms, like she’s meant to be there.I wish she would have told him her real name. I know Eden has been down since Everleigh tied the knot. She deserves to find her happily ever after, too.
Ethan’s finger draws over my tattoo on my neck, and I tense under his touch. “What’s the scar from?”
I finish the glass in my hand and turn to face him, my vision blurring around the edges. “It’s a tattoo. I got it a long time ago with some friends. We all have matching ones.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a secret.” I put my finger to my lips and smirk behind it as if I’m telling him some inside joke. AfterThe Devil’s Playgroundwas destroyed, the four of us got phoenix tattoos to symbolize our rebirth. It’s a black-light tattoo, and in normal light, it almost resembles a scar. I place my hand on his thigh and give him a gentle squeeze.It would be so easy to slide my hand up higher.“Want to dance?”
He extends his hand, and I slide mine into his. Warmth radiates through my palm and down to the pit of my stomach where it settles and spreads. He turns me to face him and pulls me into his embrace as a slow song starts. I step in closer, our bodies so close they are practically touching everywhere.
His thumb brushes over the scar on my left wrist, and I fight to not pull back from him out of instinct. The memories of that day have mostly disappeared with time. I don’t have nightmares like I used to, and I don’t have to take pills to sleep, except around the anniversary of my family’s death. I can’t shake that date no matter how much I try. Normally, I pick up a shift atRISEto get my mind off things, sometimes sleep with someone. If I’m lucky, they are enough of a sadist that I feel numb the rest of the night.
“Why did you call me Ashley?” I ask, the burning question finally leaving my lips.
He’s quiet for a minute, the music floating through the speakers drowning out everything around us. “There are rumors about Al Costanza, and I thought it was safer if he didn’t know who I associate with.”
“He’s the CFO of one of the biggest rental companies in Atlanta. How bad can the man actually be? It could be great exposure for the company to align yourself with him,” I offer, slipping into my assistant role with ease.
“Al and I have a history. He asked me to work on a project for him a few years back, and I had to decline. He’s looking to use my company again. I told him to send me an email with what he needs and I’ll take a look at it.” His grip tightens on my lower back, and he pulls me even closer to him. My nose is basically nuzzled in the crook of his neck, and I can’t help but take a deep breath.
“So, you’re not ashamed that you’re here with your assistant?” I ask, my voice sounding far off.
He pushes me out to look down into my eyes. “Why the hell would you think that?”
I shake my head. “It’s the champagne talking. Don’t mind me.” I rest my cheek on his chest and inhale my favorite scent again—Ethan. His heart beats in a steady rhythm, and I don’t even notice the song has changed until he tips his finger under my chin to make me look up at him.
“Want to go for a walk?”
I nod as he leads me off the dance floor. Eden and Cal are still tearing it up, and she’s laughing—actually laughing. I don’t get to see her that happy often, so it warms my heart.You go, girl!Ethan takes my hand, and we walk down a secluded hallway until we get to another empty room. I want him so bad. It would be so easy to lift my head, press my lips to his, and kiss him.
Would his lips be as soft as I remember them?Would the kiss be as good?I pull my bottom lip between my teeth and bite—hard, trying to pull my mind out of the gutter.
“Addy, how drunk are you?” he asks, taking a step closer into my space.
