Page 272 of Sins & Secrets

Adrian fixes his cuffs, readjusting his sleeves. “I have a late meeting with an associate. His wife wanted to do a tour of New York on a private ship. You could accompany me. The meeting will be short, and they’re good company. I’ve heard the chef they hired for tonight is excellent as well.”

The heat from the elevator is back, and all of it is on my face. “I thought we were just?—”

“I want more than sex, Suzette. Although I enjoy that immensely.”

“What exactly do you want, Mr. Bradford?”

“To get to know you,” he says simply.

It throws me off. What we were doing in his office and the elevator is so forbidden that I’d assumed we would have strong boundaries and never cross them. Getting to know each other is definitely crossing them. “Well … the first thing I typically tell someone is I’m divorced and I hate the male species.”

The lift of his brow is telling:I wasn’t acting like I hated him in the elevator.“Surely there is more to you than your dating status.”

I hesitate. “I’m not looking for anything serious.”

“Having dinner after sex is serious?”

“Hanging on your arm as a date to an after-hours event? Being seen together … that’s not discreet.”

“I assure you, my evenings are discreet. Nearly everyone I speak to has signed an NDA with me at some point or another and it’s all business.”

“If you think you need to woo me or somehow …” I can’t finish. I don’t know how to say what I’m thinking.

“Or what?”

I decide to be blunt. “I don’t mind just being a fuck toy,” I admit to him, my voice low. “In fact, I enjoy it.”

He groans as if I said it just to torture him. “Your fucking mouth, Suzette.”

He must know how hot he is when he does that. When he speaks to me like that. It’s not fair in the least. I have to bite down on my lip to keep from grinning. A genuine smile, different from the one I use in meetings or when I pass people in the hall at work.

He straightens and runs a hand over his mouth. “I’ll make this very simple for you. I’m attracted to you. I’d like you to come with me tonight. Now say yes.”

I try to read his expression. Unsettled and hot, I search for the meaning behind his words and the meaning behind his intentions. More importantly, what they’ll do to me.

“Don’t make me beg, Suzette,” he states as if he really would. “Come. Say yes.”

I answer without thinking, “Yes.”

ADRIAN

Suzette’s phone rings the moment she gets into the car and she chooses not to answer it, texting instead.

With a cocked brow, I glance at her phone and she shakes her head, her expression not hiding the humor. She holds up her phone and says, “My friend Maddie.”

The texts read as follows:

Sorry,can’t take the call, everything okay?

Fine.Any word on what Lucifer is planning to do?

Nothing yet.

Well come overand drink with me, we’ll do a binge watch of Grey’s or something.

I have to work.

Booooo.Well don’t let Lucifer get you down.

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