Page 25 of Reckless Kiss

“How much younger is she than you and William?” I asked, trying to sound conversational and failing miserably.

Marie fixed me with a glare that only a mother of a daughter could muster. “She is five years younger than us. And trust me, she is beautiful and about your age, but you donotwant to get mixed up with that family. Not even for an hour or two.”

I swirled my bourbon. “It’s not that.” It wasexactlythat. “She works with Jeffry. But she doesn’t go by the name Rosalind.”

“You’ve met her before?” Now Marie was surprised.

I nodded slowly, my eyes locking on the woman in question. She scowled up at her father and said something I could only assume was not nice considering she looked as though she were spitting nails.

“A research group cocktail hour last week. I was so surprised when you introduced us that I didn’t know what to do. At first I thought I had her confused with someone else, but no. That’s Esme.”

The corner of Marie’s lip twitched up in a pleased smile. “Esme? No shit. She always did have fire in her,” she muttered under her breath. She followed my gaze and turned so we were standing shoulder to shoulder as we studied Esme. “She’s the reason Jeffry had puppy dog eyes and brought you lunch this week?”

He really was pathetic when he had a crush. “Yes.”

“Well, now you know to warn him off.”

That suggestion made my heart skip an entire, necessary, beat. Was this what Esme’s entire life was like? Everyone avoiding her because of her father? I’d change my name, too. “You seem as though you know something about the name she chose.”

Marie’s face broke into a full-blown grin. “She didn’tchoosethat name. Itisher name. And yes, there’s a story behind it.”

One she wouldn’t be sharing with me. I realized I had no right to it, and yet, I craved it. Felt consumed by a need to know everything about Esme. Every secret. Every desire. I was like a starving man standing before a buffet. I’d never once felt this way about a woman and while my night with Esme was remarkable I couldn’t get over the lingering effects she had on my mind and body. Her skin was oh, so soft and those lips...

“There you are,” Greg moaned, taking his wife’s arm. “I feel like rabbit in a room full of wolves. Can we go yet?”

Marie shook her head. “Not yet. But you can go to Jake’s and hang out.”

Greg’s face went red and, quite frankly, terrifying. I couldn’t believe Marie chuckled. I wanted to duck behind the nearest wall. “I amnotleaving my woman here,” he growled. “And I’m not leaving your side for the rest of the night.”

Marie glanced my way with a conspiratorial grin. “That’s for his protection, not mine.” Then she patted his hand and guided him toward the group she needed to speak to next.

I blinked a few times. Greg was a bit like the Big Bad Wolf but with Marie he was more like a pup. The beauty that tamed the beast.

They were a fascinating couple.

And one I didn’t have time to dwell on because a moment later a small, warm hand touched my bicep and nothing—absolutely nothing—else mattered in the whole of the universe.

“Leo,” Esme murmured against my ear. “Come with me.”

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