Page 77 of Strictly Business

Her head tilts, that smug little grin of hers only getting wider. “I told you you’d regret giving me that card.”

Regret it? I groan, my hands sliding down to her waist, gripping tighter than necessary as frustration burns through me.“The only thing I regret is not dragging you back to our room and skipping this whole event altogether. You have no idea how much watching you spend my money makes my cock hard.”

She sucks in a breath and her teasing smile only makes the situation in my pants worse.

But before I can haul her off to a more private place, a sharp voice interrupts. “Nicholas.”

I turn, my jaw tightening as the board members approach. The moment is ruined, but I slip my hand into Amara’s, plastering on a professional smile. “Good evening.”

“Where’s your brother?” David asks, his brow lifting as he takes a sip of his scotch. “I would’ve expected him to be here tonight, seeing as he’s the head of the L.A. department.”

I nod, keeping my expression neutral. My brother’s probably at some club or tangled up with his latest fling. Work’s never been his thing, which is why it pisses me off that he’s suddenly so invested in undermining me for the CEO position.

He thinks he deserves it because he’s the eldest. I deserve it because I’ve worked my ass off for it. And I’ll be damned if I let him or anyone else steal this from me.

“You know him, sir. Always somewhere he shouldn’t be.”

David chuckles, along with Robert and Claire, but my focus shifts as I catch a subtle glance from across the room. James—the youngest board member, mid-thirties, charming in a smug kind of way—is looking at Amara.

And not just looking.

His gaze lingers, too long and too bold, with a flicker of something that churns my stomach. Not admiration. Not respect.Interest.

He’s not the only one noticing her. Hell, I can’t blame them. Amara’s absolutely stunning in that dress, her curves commanding attention whether she realizes it or not. But James and his eyes raking over her rubs me the wrong way.

Without thinking, I step closer to her, my hand finding the small of her back. It’s a possessive move and judging by the flicker of surprise in her eyes when she glances up at me, she knows it too.

But I don’t care.

She’s mine. Or at least that’s what everyone here is supposed to think.

James notices, of course, his gaze flicks to where my hand rests on Amara’s waist, my fingers grazing her curves.

“So, Nicholas,” David interrupts, “when’s the wedding? I trust it’s not too far off now that the engagement is public.”

My jaw tightens, but I manage a calm smile, glancing at Amara. She looks up at me, her eyes wide. We hadn’t planned for this. Hell, we didn’t even want to be here tonight, let alone answer questions about a wedding that won’t ever exist.

But this is the game we’re playing. The board’s watching, and every detail of this relationship has to look as real as the ring on her finger.

“We haven’t set an official date yet,” I reply, letting my hand slide a little lower on her back, grazing her ass. “Still working out the details, right, honey?” I tilt her chin with my fingers, forcing her to meet my gaze.

Her lips part, and she catches on, nodding with a smile that’s so convincing, even I almost believe it. “Right,” she says sweetly, her tone dripping with charm. “We want it to be perfect.”

“Well, it was wonderful to see the two of you again,” Claire adds, smiling at us. “Nicholas, we’ll be in touch.” She turns, and the other members follow.

But James doesn’t move.

His gaze is still locked on Amara, his eyes trailing down her body in a way that makes my blood boil.

“James Sinclair,” he greets, his hand extending toward her. His eyes linger on her neckline for just a second too long before he finally meets her gaze. “It’s an absolute pleasure, Miss…?”

“Blackwood,” I interject sharply, making sure he understands. “Her name will be Amara Blackwood.”

The smirk drops from his face. Amara glances between us, her brows furrowing slightly, but she doesn’t say a word.

“Of course. My apologies,” he says with a smug smile I want to punch right off his face.

I tighten my hold on Amara, knowing I need this asshole’s approval to be able to move forward with the deal. I don’t respond. I don’t need to. The look in my eyes says everything I want him to know.

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