Page 68 of The Fine Art of Faking It
He was dressed for business in slate gray slacks and a light blue button-down. He’d forgone the tie and rolled up his sleeves. His hair was thick and attractively mussed. And his brown eyes were firmly on Eden. God, there was something in that gaze. Something possessive, primal. And why did she think that maybe it wasn’t just for show?
“Ladies, my friends and I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful you are,” Niko said suavely. He trailed a finger down Emma’s neck, and she grinned up at him. “Can we buy you a round of drinks?”
“How’s your meeting,Jax?” Joey demanded with a glare.
Jax strolled around the table and gathered his wife’s hair in his fist, tugging her head back to kiss her. “Objective achieved early. How’s yourfundraiser, Jojo?”
“Fundraiser?” Summer snorted. “Ow!”
Joey gave her a swift kick under the table.
“Maybe we should just call a draw on this one, Joey,” Gia suggested, hopping up to press a quick kiss to Beckett’s cheek.
Davis made eye contact with Eden, telegraphing a question.How should we play this?
Eden gave a small shrug and a nod. Play along.
He leaned down, closing the distance carefully, and Eden felt like she’d spontaneously combust from the anticipation. She felt it every time a kiss was called for. Hell, she’d even instigated one or two lip locks when they weren’t absolutely necessary just to have his mouth on hers again.
Finally, his lips met hers, firmly, sweetly. It was a chaste kiss, but he shoved his fingers into her hair, holding her lightly at the top of her neck, and Eden’s pulse started to hammer.
He pulled back slowly, keeping his hand where it was, and she opened her eyes.
“Hi,” he said softly.
“Hi,” she blushed.
“Awh, you two are so damn cute,” Gia sighed across the table. She rested her head on Beckett’s shoulder. “Isn’t new love cute?”
“Adorable,” Beckett agreed dryly. “The Beautification Committee is a genius.”
Eden tensed, and Davis tightened his fingers on her neck.
“I’m sensing sarcasm,” Gia said, hands on hips. “They matched us. And look at Eden and Davis! Eden’s trusting our expertise enough to throw herself into this relationship to give them a real chance at happiness.”
What was that feeling settling in the pit of her stomach?Guilt?That was ridiculous. Those people basically firebombed a residence in the name of matchmaking. They had to be stopped. She felt Davis give her neck another squeeze as if he were reading her mind.
“According to my watch,” Summer interrupted. “We have forty-five minutes before we need to relieve babysitters. Are we going to spend it arguing, or has ladies’ night become date night?”
* * *
There weren’t enough chairs.So, Eden sat on Davis’s lap. She tried to perch at first, her back military straight. But her thighs soon began to cry foul holding her entire weight. Davis solved the problem for her, by slinging his arm around her waist and pulling her back against his chest.
He rubbed lazy circles with his thumb on the back of her neck while they talked. The conversation buzzed around them, but Eden had trouble concentrating on anything but Davis’s fingers.
He’d asked her how she liked to be touched.Was he using that information against her? Was he just playing the game? Or was this something more?She couldn’t figure out his game. All she wanted to do was curl up like a cat in his lap.
“You look beautiful,” he whispered in her ear. His lips brushed the delicate skin of her ear lobe, and Eden shivered.
She looked down at the gauzy white blouse she’d donned over slim, black biker pants. “Thank you,” she said, her cheeks turning scarlet. Her voice sounded robotic. Davis Gates was seducing her, and she was falling for it.
He stroked his hand down her back and she felt the warmth of his palm scorching her skin under the thin layer of clothing.
“I’ve been thinking about our arrangement,” Davis said softly.
Eden stiffened. Nothing he said next could be good. Either he’d decided he didn’t want revenge and she’d have another reason to go back to despising him, or he wanted more… and that was… something she wasn’t prepared to think about. “You have?” she said evenly.
“Look around us. Would it be so wrong if we had what they have?”
