Page 18 of Worship
“Meeting’s over. I’ll send you my proposal. I like you, Charlie, so listen carefully. You aren’t making out like a winner in this deal. We’ll own this, but I’ll make you a rich man. If you don’t push back, I’ll bring you in on the team. That’s as generous as I get.”
His frown tells me he had higher hopes.
“You don’t have to like it. You just have to find peace with it.” He nods, and I rap my knuckles against the bar before I leave him. “Expect it Monday,” I say as I walk away, effectively dismissing him to deal with a bigger issue.
I don’t know what I’m going to do, but I can’t walk out knowing she’s here with this idiot.
“THANK YOU FOR THE DANCE. That was nice.”
My voice is flirtatious. Josh looks down at me, his eyes hooded. His attraction to me is clear.
“My pleasure. It was just an excuse to get my hands on you.”
His fingers press into my back. He’s attractive in the most perfect Ivy League “I probably know a Kennedy” kind of way. So clean-cut that it makes the borderline dirty things he’s saying feel surprising, naughty, and welcome.
“Well then, I guess you’ll have to ask me to dance again. For the sake of your hands,” I joke, with dirty insinuation, as he guides me through the crowd back to our table. The heat on the small of my back from his leading me is making me all tingly and ready to call it a night.
I’m lost in my libido when I hear, “Luca! This is crazy, I was just talking about you.” Lyla’s voice is unmistakable.
My eyes shoot up in surprise.What the fuck is he doing here?Why do I care?
I see him give Lyla a kiss on the cheek, greeting her in the way that he does, so smooth and easy. Phillip is already looking at him like he’s a god. How the fuck does he manage all his personalities?
Lyla starts her introduction. “Luca is our friend Drew’s brother-in-law. And rumor has it he’s looking to buy this place. This is my friend Phillip.”
Luca shakes his hand and I blink a couple of times, trying to remain unfazed by his presence, and plaster a smile on my face.
His eyes lock to mine, and then he glances down at the hand that has taken a possessive place on my waist. I follow his eyes looking down at Josh’s hand, confused at why he seems angry. Is he judging me?
“Gretchen. Nice to see you again.” His voice is velvet.
“Hi. Third time’s a charm, huh?” I laugh, and he tilts his head with a wink.
My teeth find my bottom lip and start gnawing as my thoughts start to ticker through my brain. I realize I’ve been standing quiet for a long moment, forgetting my manners. “Sorry, this is Josh.” I motion to him, my hand grazing his chest.
“Josh.” Luca nods, disinterested, looking back to Lyla and Phillip.
“Are you here with Dom?” I ask, looking around to see another familiar face.
“No. I had a meeting here. I saw you from the bar and thought I’d say hello.”
Again, with a look at my waist.
“Join us,” Lyla says too enthusiastically, and Phil nods his agreement as they shift over and pull up another barstool to the table.
“Or not,” Josh says in between swallows of his drink. “I’m sure you don’t want to hang around after a late meeting with a bunch of youngsters.”
I look up at Josh, surprised with his statement. First, he’s got balls. Second, Luca isn’t exactly old. He’s forty but definitely not an old man by any means. Third, I don’t like that Josh has decided to have some kind of pissing contest with Luca. It’s fucking rude. Who treats someone’s friend that way?
“Or stay,” I say, stepping out of Josh’s grip, making him look down at me. I glare at Josh and hand him my glass. “Go, fill this.” He looks embarrassed, but it changes to irritation as he walks past Luca’s smiling face to the bar.
“Dude, your cousin is a dick,” Lyla says to Phil.
“Sorry guys, he’s kind of a prick about girls. Always acting like every guy is a threat.”Looks like I dodged a bullet.
Luca is still staring at me like he’s debating something as a barback brings him a drink. Josh rejoins us just as the barback leaves, and rolls his eyes.
“I didn’t realize there was table service,” Josh says dryly.
