Page 80 of Gorgeous

“What am I looking for?” I ask Theo.

He chuckles. “For the moment when he realizes he now has a weakness.”

I catalog every movement Cade makes as he grips Anniston’s arm. He’s not paying attention to the guy in front of him, or Anniston, even. He’s watching Theo.

And me.

Those dark eyebrows are furrowed, and his lips have thinned into a tight line.

I grin. “I see,” I tell Theo almost too excitedly.

The friend breathing on my neck laughs. “Atta girl. Now look at Anniston.”

I’m a little nervous to look at Anniston, but I do because for the first time since moving to Madison and helping Cade, I feel hope bubble up. Anniston is conversing with a suit, but it’s her eyes that give her away. They keep flashing up from her associate to Theo, and it’s obvious she’s not happy. Her body is rigid, her back straight. The fake smile she’s sporting strains as if it begs to turn into a frown. “I see her,” I tell Theo, who is still nuzzling my neck.

“Good. Now, can you tell me what we have that they don’t?”

I take one more look at Cade and Anniston. They may be upset and slightly jealous, but I still don’t know what he means. “I don’t know,” I mutter.

“Put your arm around my neck,” he instructs me. Any other time, I would be hesitant to engage in such games with Theo but I’m desperate for insight into Cade Jameson. I lift my arm, holding Cade’s angry eyes in my mind the whole time I slip it over Theo’s neck. It takes all I can do not to smile. “Do you see how Jameson just took a step forward?”

I nod into Theo’s hair that is seriously close to my face. “Yes.”

“Do you see him do that when I nuzzle Anniston?”

The smile hits me hard. “No, I don’t.”

Giddy doesn’t even begin to describe the elation coursing through me. Theo just showed me that I mean something to Cade. Something more than Anniston. “That’s because what you have, sweetheart, ispower. You’re this man’s kryptonite. Not his commander, but something else. Something deeper where he’s willing to ruin his professional image to keep my lips from creeping up—”

Lost in a sea of Cade-likes-me feelings, I miss Cade moving through the crowd until I’m yanked away from Theo abruptly.

“Von Bremen.”

“Jameson. Nice of you to join us. B and I were just getting acquainted.”

Cade shuffles me to his hip, wrapping an arm around me in a secure hold. “A little too acquainted, if you ask me.”

Theo shrugs, glancing at Anniston who is still locked in a business conversation she’s apparently unable to get out of. “Good thing no one asked you.” He chuckles, shoving Cade’s shoulder. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a girl who needs a good fucking in the alley. Appreciate you getting her all warmed up for me.” He flashes me a wink. “Don’t forget what I said, B.”

I have power.

Power over Cade.

Cade fucking likes me.

My grin is wide when I put my fist out and bump it with Theo’s. This man is my damn friend for life. If he ever wants to trade down, I’m game.

I’m teasing! But if Cade ever dumps my ass, I would totally consider it.

Theo punches Cade’s shoulder. “You forget, Jameson, you’re now playing a game you won’t ever win. Checkmate, bitch.”

Cade stands still beside me, his fingers gripping my side like he’s trying to keep me from running into Theo’s arms. Theo doesn’t miss it, laughing at Cade’s expense. “Don’t hurry home, kids. Mommy’s been a bad girl.” He tosses Cade afuck-yousmile and turns his back on us, laughing as he pushes through the suits unapologetically, snagging a glaring Anniston by the waist. He nods, saying a few words to the suits, hands his empty glass to one, and then excuses himself and Anniston while pulling her down the hall by the arm until the darkness conceals them.

The sound of a stinging slap echoes down the empty hallway.

Mommy apparently just got spanked.

Theo has power, and Anniston has a weakness.

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