Page 3 of The Charmer's Gambit
She trailed her fingers up his shirt as he grabbed her hips. “For you.”
“For both of us.” He bent to nuzzle his nose against hers, making me roll my eyes. I was all for budding romance, but these two needed to get their own room. Outside of my apartment.
“I vote we eat there. Otherwise, you two might come up with some kinky food games in my living room.” I left their resulting laughs behind me as I went to change for dinner. My rumbling stomach kept me from worrying too much about my appearance. I threw on a pair of jeans and a tank top and pulled my blonde hair up into a messy bun. It was a stark contrast to my usual lawyer garb, but I didn’t have any clients to impress tonight.
Sarah and Evan met me in the foyer, both dressed similarly in jeans and wearing matching grins. “You two are starting to look like each other,” I observed. “Evan just needs a better tan and some curves.”
“I rather like his lack of curves,” Sarah murmured, pinching his ass.
“Yeah, yeah, let’s go.” I shooed them out the door and into the elevator. The walk to La Rosaswas quick but hot, thanks to the Chicago humidity. Mother Nature wanted everyone aware that June was here. I picked at my tank top, hating the way it clung to my clammy skin, as we entered the restaurant.
“Air-conditioning is . . .” I trailed off as my eyes landed on the casually dressed man waiting by the hostess stand. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me right now!” I spun around and glared at the grinning couple. “I hate both of you.”
The warm chuckle behind me made my stomach flip. It always did that in his presence, against my better judgment. Seduction seemed to ooze from Will Mershano, wrappingeveryone in the room in his alluring web. Including me. And I despised it. I had my doctorate in turning down men, yet this one maneuvered around each of my denials with the skill of a professional athlete. And his sport of choice was flirting.
“Hello, Rachel,” he murmured.
I ignored the shiver traversing my spine and further narrowed my gaze at Sarah. “This was not what I had in mind for dinner.”
“He insisted,” was her excuse.
“Oh, I just bet he did,” I snapped.
The millionaire playboy redefined the meaning of the word persistent.
I turned to meet his dark eyes, so similar to Evan’s, but with a hint of deviousness. Their familial relation showed in their height and broad shoulders, but Will’s nose had a slight bend to it and his jaw was dusted with fine blond hairs as opposed to dark ones. Both men possessed an aristocratic air, screaming wealth and superiority, but there was a playfulness to Will that Evan seemed to lack. Carefree seemed to be Will’s persona of choice.
“No,” I said in greeting. A word I seemed to say a lot in his presence. Of course, he never listened—just took it as a challenge to change my mind. We’d been playing this game for months, ever since he first showed up in my office with that damn contract that Sarah requested I review on her behalf.
“No?” He cocked a dark blond brow. “But you haven’t even heard today’s proposal yet.”
“I don’t need to.” There was no way in hell I would work for him. First, it required leaving Chicago and living in North Carolina. Which, right there, was a deal breaker. Not because of my love for the city, but because of something, or rather,someone, who would never let me leave. And second, it meant joining Will’s staff. Not necessarily a negative, except Iwould report directly to him. My hormones could not handle short bouts of time with the man, let alone a long tenure of employment.
“The answer will always be no.” He could try to entice me with food and charm all he wanted, but I would never agree.
“How about we discuss it over dinner.” Not a question, just a statement underlined with a hint of demand. Typical Will.
“Are you paying?”
“Naturally.”
I gestured for him to lead the way. “Then after you, Mister Mershano.”
“I’ll keep him in line,” Evan said as he trailed along behind us.
“That’s a tall order,” Sarah said, putting in her two cents.
I snorted. “Please. I’ve got this.” There was a reason I became a lawyer. Winning an argument ran in my blood.
Will held out a chair for me, so I took the one opposite him. His dimples flashed in response, and he sat beside me while Evan and Sarah looked on in amusement. If that simple act entertained them, then they were in for a treat.
When the waiter arrived, I ordered a bottle of the restaurant’s most expensive imported wine and one of each appetizer for the table. “Oh, and I won’t be sharing the wine, so just one glass.”
Sarah coughed to cover her laugh while the waiter jotted everything down. “And for you, sir?”
Will didn’t miss a beat. “Hmm, I’ll take an extra order of calamari and a glass of the Reserve Mershano Cabernet Franc, please.”
The grin slipped from my face as the waiter beamed. “Ah, excellent choice, sir. We just received our first shipment, and the customers love it. I promise you won’t be disappointed.”
