His gaze narrowed as he regarded her even more seriously. “You rarely date. And certainly not on a night when the Knicks are playing.”
“Yeah, well. It’s not that that kind of date.”
Folding his arms over his wide chest, Jace asked in his overprotective tone, “What other kind is there?”
“Dinner at the Waldorf. Some fancy-schmancy shindig with—get this—Tague Mason.”
“Oh, Jesus,” Jace said on a heavy breath, shock flitting across his strong visage. “That goddamn feature in the Wall Street Journal hooked you? Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Calm down!” she said on a laugh as she unraveled her scarves, then draped them over the back of her chair. She untied her coat and pulled off her beanie, a mass of thick, dark-auburn curls tumbling along her shoulders and down her back. She removed her shades and set them on the desk. “Geez, pop a Xanax or something. You know me so much better than that.”
“L.L., I’ve met Tague Mason. Extremely intense and driven. Never looks like he’s having fun at a party. What’s a girl like you thinking of going on a date with a guy like him?”
She frowned. “He was incredibly charming this morning. In his broody sort of way.”
“He’s an elitist. As are all of his friends—and especially his parents. The height of society, in fact. Trust me, you don’t want to get caught up in his crowd. Or in Tague Mason.”
“Jace—”
“You’re very select about who you associate with, L.L. You like your personal acquaintances innocuous and sedate. Not overpowering and capable of chewing you up and spitting you out.”
“Jace!”
He stared at her, unwaveringly.
L.L. mulled this over as apprehension suddenly crept in on her.
She’d felt perfectly comfortable doing this favor for Chip.
Then she’d laid eyes on Tague Mason.
The man, the myth, the legend.
From head to toe, he was a work of art. There was no mistaking it, regardless of the designer suit covering him up. He was also radiant with confidence. Darkly handsome.
No.
Devilishly handsome.
And also quite commanding not just in physical presence, but in his very essence.
So she heard Jace’s warning loud and clear.
Yet…she really didn’t have to worry about all that, she convinced herself.
It’s just a company dinner.
And she’d only be pretending she was his latest conquest.
Right. No romantic entanglements there.
So why was her breath scarce again? And, Christ, Tague wasn’t even in the same room with her!
L.L. shook her head.
Get a grip.
“Really,” she said, hating that her voice was but a wisp of air, contradicting her own conviction. “This is no big deal. It’s just a firm event. Tons of stuffy litigators and their potentially boring wives. I’m just going for the champagne.”