Total pages in book: 166
Estimated words: 169305 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 847(@200wpm)___ 677(@250wpm)___ 564(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 169305 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 847(@200wpm)___ 677(@250wpm)___ 564(@300wpm)
I brought my cherry drink to my lips, refocusing my attention on my date, giving him an honest chance. Anderson appeared to be deep in discussion with me.
“…father wanted me to go to public school. You know, so he wouldn’t have to pay tuition. All because of that so-called ‘sexual harassment’ case while I temped for Senator Hurton. Like, am I not allowed to make any mistakes? Where’s the compassion?”
Where, indeed?
Not anywhere with me, that was for sure.
The guy was a bore and a chauvinist.
Relationship engineer, my ass.
I quickly caught on to the fact that Dallas had put us together purely for the purpose of pissing Zach off. Anderson was as charmless as an overflowed trash can.
As if reading my mind, her name flashed on my phone in my lap.
Dallas:
Sorry I told you he’s cute.
Dallas:
I knew you wouldn’t have said yes if you realized he’s a dud.
Dallas:
FYI, he was also accused of sending unsolicited nudes, but I know you can make dumplings out of his nuts if he oversteps.
I sighed inwardly, making a mental note to get back at Dallas.
Meanwhile, Zach and I had engaged in a stare-off.
Neither of us turned.
Neither of us picked up our utensils.
Neither of us moved.
Eileen tried to draw Zach’s attention back to her, her behavior at odds with my initial impression. She flipped her hair, pushing her tits together in her gown, giggling like a schoolgirl.
My body hummed with jealousy, barely catching the ping of another text.
Anderson didn’t even notice when I checked my phone as he droned on.
“…barely graduated because I was too busy helping my mom set up her new Hamptons house after my parents divorced, so he had the audacity to cut me off the inheritance…”
I kept my phone in my lap, swiping my finger across the screen.
Zach:
What are you doing here?
I answered quick.
Farrow:
Eating. Drinking. Flirting.
I looked up.
Zach was reading my text.
Eileen had finally noticed something amiss. With a pout, she peered around, spotting me. Her lips pressed into a hard line.
She guzzled down half her drink.
Zach:
You’re not flirting with this guy.
Zach:
He’s not your type.
Farrow:
How do you know?
We were now openly ignoring our dates.
Zach:
Because he looks like a clump of talc powder and is probably just as riveting.
I hated that he was right. And I hated that he was giving me crap for dating someone when he was literally doing the same.
Farrow:
For your information, he’s fascinating and nice.
Farrow:
Might take him home.
Zach:
Don’t you dare even joke about it.
Zach:
You’re mine.
He was unapologetically possessive, when he had no right to be. White-hot anger coursed through my veins.
Before me, Anderson had moved on to discussing whether unsolicited nudes could even be considered harassment.
Without thinking, I reached across the table and clasped his hand in mine. He gasped, but his surprise morphed into cockiness quick.
With a grin, he kissed the back of my hand. Bile hit the edge of my throat.
He scooted his seat closer. “I see I’m not the only one who noticed our chemistry.”
Bitch, the only chemistry going on here is the botulinum toxin I want to feed you.
“The chemistry is there.” I tried to keep my wince in check. “I feel it, too.”
The phone in my lap pinged in quick succession.
Zach:
You’re letting him TOUCH you?
Zach:
Are you fucking kidding me?
Zach:
Meet you out front in two minutes.
We’re leaving.
Farrow:
You are not the boss of me.
Zach:
FOR THE LAST FUCKING TIME, I LITERALLY FUCKING AM.
But it was too late.
I’d made up my mind. And what I needed right now was to get out of here. The food, the cocktails, and the glitz weren’t worth it.
Dallas was wrong. I didn’t need this at all. I knew I should’ve stayed in bed with hot cocoa and my Kindle.
“Would you mind if we go somewhere else?” I pried my hand away from Anderson’s, wiping it on my dress beneath the table. He’d guarded it like a Venus flytrap. I needed a whole battalion to uncurl my fingers from his. “I…” Can’t face my boss and his fiancée for fear I’d combust. “…need to get out of here.”
“You sure?” His forehead creased. “Because Mr. Costa mentioned the meal will be free…”
“Positive.”
I stood, wondering if Anderson could be any less appealing, when he snatched a bamboo skewer from the hors d’oeuvres and used it as a toothpick.
Yup. A new rock bottom.
I set my napkin on the table. “Excuse me while I go freshen up. I’ll be right back.”
Anderson saluted me. “Take your time. I’ll work on the entrées in the meantime. No reason they should go to waste.”
Suppressing a head shake, I weaved through the sea of tables, slipping into the women’s restroom.
I clutched the edge of the shell-shaped sink, staring at myself in the mirror. “Get yourself together, Fae. He’s just a guy.”
“A pissed off one at that.”
Zach slipped inside, locking the door behind him. I swiveled, my lower back pressed against the damp vanity top. He strolled toward me, a dusky mist of wrath purring around him.