17
Lana took a deep breath and slid off the stool—utterly perplexed.
Why the hell did Marcus randomly appear outside my office, bring me here for lunch and then quiz me about joining Verto Veneri?
Why did I come with him, more to the point?
Her mind spun and heart bucked when she realised they would be apart again.
As she ambled towards the door, words began to rush out of her mouth like they had a mind of their own and a mission to get her in trouble. “It was all Rory’s idea. He wanted to join the club,” she spurted. “I didn’t at first, but then he talked me around to the idea. He sold it to me as thrill, for both of us, but when I arrived on Saturday night, there was no one of interest. Until I met…” her words broke away.
“Until you met who?”
Stop talking!
She had said too much, way too much. Surely it was obvious she held back the name because it was his.
It wasn’t appropriate to tell Marcus she wanted him or that she dreamt about every minute of the day. There was no way on earth she would tell a womaniser that she was attracted to him.
Anyway, she had to get back to the office—to her home—to her boyfriend.
Inhaling deeply, she strode across the room to the exit. “I can’t say. It doesn’t matter,” she mumbled.
Lana sensed his approach, feeling his sudden closeness from behind, initiating excitement that was bordering on dangerous.
She spun around, hair whipping her shoulders, to find his body next to hers. Prickles surged across her scalp, rocketing down her spine. She gazed into his hooded eyes.
This situation was wrong, all wrong. It wasn’t partner swapping, it was plain old cheating.
She swallowed hard, biting back the flutters in her throat. “I need to go, Marcus, or I’ll get in trouble with my manager.”
His fingers brushed down her arm. The electricity sparking between them ignited wild desires.
“I need to know if you really want to marry him.” His hot breath caressed the side of her face.
“I can’t answer that right now,” her words tripped out through ragged breaths. “I don’t know anymore.”