Page 24 of Mister Rival

“I was being spontaneous! Everyone is always telling me I’m not spontaneous enough. My bestie Jemma, my other friend Peggy, my daughter, my mom! No one thinks I’m fun!”

“Well, I disagree. You might not be much fun in LA but you’re certainly the life of the party in Palm Springs,” I assure her.

“You’re just saying that because I tongue-fucked you in front of Gareth.”

I love it when she swears.

“I thought I was the one who tongue-fucked you?” I quip.

“You rescued me.” She hits the elevator button on the wall about ten times in a row before I place my hand over hers and draw it away.

“That was unexpected.”

“On the contrary. I know you can handle yourself.”

She drops her gaze, sadness washing over her. “Not with him. He… he hurt me in ways that still haunt me, Tristan.”

It’s probably the first time she’s used my first name in years. And I hate that it came to this and how sad he’s made her. “He’s a fucking idiot.”

The elevator slides open, and I place my hand on the small of her back as we step inside. I ask her which floor she’s on.

“The ninth. But I bet you’re in the penthouse, right,Mr. Forbes? Is that true, by the way? I’m too drunk to remember.” She giggles.

I run a hand through my hair with a chuckle. “Yes, it is true.” I hit the ninth floor button as the door closes and the car slowlyascends. “Things really took off after we opened more branches across LA and then New York.”

Her eyes pop wide. “I forgot you branched over to the East Coast. Where’s next on the map? Florida?”

I tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “Never say never.”

She bites her lip, those perfect white teeth digging into her soft, plump flesh. Releasing it after a moment, I still can’t draw my eyes away. “Show me your suite, Lucas.”

My eyebrows raise as I try to ask casually, “My suite?”

“I wouldn’t mind seeing the view from the top.”

The only view from the top she’s gonna have if she comes up to my room, is me underneath her as she rides me.

“You sure about that?”

She leans back on the elevator wall as it moves through the floors. It’s just like her to assess me with those pretty eyes, but tonight is different. She folds her arms over her chest. “Why wouldn’t I be sure?”

“Because we both just threw back more shots than a college frat party and skipped out on the actual reunion.”

“We’re notthatdrunk, Lucas. Lighten up. I’d be flat on my ass if I was.”

“Maybe we should eat something. Did you have dinner before you arrived?”

She shakes her head. “I didn’t get to that part yet. Room service?”

“My thoughts exactly.”

“I hear they do an all-night burger and it’s pretty good.”

I can think of something far more sumptuous I’d like to eat right now. “Do they?”

She turns to me. “What was that thing you mentioned before that you could do under the table?”

Keeping my hands off her feels like torture. “You remember that, huh?”

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