Page 29 of Built to Last
“Shoes?”
“Do you think my Docs will work?” She cocks her head appraisingly before giving a firm nod.
“Yeah, the pink matches the skirt which will help tie everything together and the jacket means you don’t need more delicate footwear.” Relieved to have the comfort of my favourite shoes, I sit on the edge of the bed and pull them on.
“What do you think?” I give Aria a little spin and the skirt swishes, making me feel pretty and delicate.
“Perfect. He won’t know what’s hit him.” She grins, clapping her hands together. “My work here is done. Have fun.” A gentle cloud of light perfume wafts over me as Aria wraps me in a quick hug before leaving the room.
Choosing a small, cream-coloured, handbag for the night, I’m just dropping my stuff inside when the buzzer rings signalling Phillip’s arrival. Butterflies soar in my stomach as I hurry towards the front door.
“Hi.” I step back, opening the door fully, giving Phillip a clear view of my outfit for the first time.
“Wow.” His heated gaze greedily roves over every inch of me as he steps into the flat, the door swinging shut behind him. Confidence boosted by his reaction, I give him a playful twirl, the hemline of my skirt flirting with my thighs.
“You like it?”
“There’s not a word strong enough for what you’re doing to me right now,” he answers, voice dipping low with desire as he steps closer. Overwhelmed by his intensity, I shuffle backwards until I bump into the wall, a soft gasp escaping me. Phillip’s eyes darken, zeroing in on my mouth at the sound. He raises one hand to the wall to the side of my head as if needing its strength to hold himself upright. I’m entranced by his closeness. His pine and mint scent swirls around me, making me dizzy with desire and my tongue darts out to wet my lips. He leans closer, gaze jumping between my eyes and parted lips, searching for my permission before going any further.
“Unless you say otherwise, I’m going to finally taste that tempting mouth of yours. That OK with you?” he asks, voice thick with lust.
My breaths come rapidly, heart racing in anticipation, and I have to swallow a couple of times before finding my voice. Finally able to answer, my breathy “Yes” is all it takes.
Phillip closes the last of the distance between us, capturing my mouth with his. The kiss is surprisingly tender given the tension thickening the air, but I get the sense he’s trying to be a gentleman and not rush things. The thought has me fighting back a smile. If I have it my way, Phillip will be willing to abandon his gentlemanly restraint by the end of the evening. His navy suit trousers brush against my bare legs and I reach up to grip the lapels of the matching jacket, tugging him closer still.
The man makes work jeans and a t-shirt look sexier than anyone has a right to, but Phillip in a suit?Damn. I had not been prepared. The blue brings out his eyes and the top button of his crisp white shirt is undone, offering a tantalising glimpse of the base of his throat. Until this moment I hadn’t realised throats could be sexy, but now I want to trace the skin there with my tongue. Nerves banished and replaced with desire, I’m alreadylooking forward to coming home after dinner so I can carefully undo each and every one of those shirt buttons.
“Rose.” Phillip presses his forehead against mine for a beat before taking a reluctant step back, his large hands trailing down the sides of my arms like he can’t bring himself to let go of me completely. It feels good knowing I’m not the only one affected. “If we stay here any longer, we won’t make it to dinner and it would be a damn shame if I’m the only one who gets to see how beautiful you look.”
“You want other people looking at me?” I tease.
“They can look.” Calloused fingertips brush a strand of hair from my face as he leans down, breath hot against my ear when he continues, a rasp to his voice, “I know I’m the only one who gets to touch.” He nips my earlobe before stepping back with a smirk.
Fuck me. My core clenches and I clear my throat, flustered. He chuckles and the deep sound sends a shudder of pleasure through me. How someone can imbue such simple words with that level of confidence and heat is beyond me. Being the sole focus of his attention is intoxicating and I don’t doubt that he knows exactly what he’s doing to me. Straightening up and regaining some of my composure, I brush against him, walking closer than necessary as I pass him to re-open the door.
“Let’s go.” I wave a hand indicating he should lead the way and he smirks, sending a delightful shiver down my spine. It’s going to be a long night.
The table Phillip booked is at an upscale Italian restaurant I have never been to before. Gold accents adorn the walls and bright white tablecloths blanket the tables like the first snow of winter.The portly host wears a sharp suit and tie, greeting us with a wide smile before leading us to a quiet corner table, and Phillip pulls out my chair for me before the host has a chance to. Maybe he is a gentleman after all—just one with a secretly filthy side I hope to make the most of later.
Nobody I dated in the past ever pulled out my chair for me. It wasn’t something I thought I needed from a man, I was perfectly capable of pulling out my own chair and holding my own doors, but now Phillip is treating me to his old-school manners I find myself singing a different tune. It’s another layer to his charm and I enjoy basking in the glow of his attention.
We’ve just been presented with drink menus, and as I look up to thank the waiter I spot a man I never wanted to see again, let alone while on a first date, walking towards us. My stomach drops like I’m on a rollercoaster, taking my appetite with it. If this moment were a ride I’d be screaming for someone to let me get off. My heart beats frantically as brown eyes meet mine, a smug smile transforming what would otherwise be a handsome face.
“Rose, I’m surprised to see you here.”
Phillip’s head snaps up from his drink menu, questioning eyes looking between me and the stranger at our table.
“Malcolm.” I greet him with a curt bob of my head. In my peripheral I notice Phillip’s posture stiffen at the name, his grip on the menu tightening.
“This is Angelica.” I’ve been so distracted by Malcolm’s presence that I only notice he’s not alone when he introduces me to the stunning woman standing just behind him. She’s short with voluptuous curves and deep-brown, tightly coiled curls that frame her face perfectly.
“Nice to meet you.” I smile at her politely. It’s not her fault Malcolm’s an irredeemable arsehole. Before she can respondMalcolm dominates the conversation again and her brown eyes dart to him in annoyance.
“And who’s this?” He sneers at Phillip, making me bristle with irritation.
“Phillip.” The man in question does not offer Malcolm his hand to shake, choosing instead to fix him with a hard look.
“Interesting. Mother mentioned running into you just the other week and told me you weren’t seeing anyone.”
