“Then put your phone down and look at it.”
She glared at me, but clicked off her phone’s camera. “Fine. Trade seats with me.”
I slid my laptop into the case at my feet and unbuckled my belt. She started to stand but there was enough space for me to just grab her by the hips and lift her. I held her as I slid into her seat and set her in mine. Her eyes widened and stayed on me the whole time.
“What?”
“Don’t grab me like that in front of everyone,” she whispered so discreetly I could barely hear her.
“Why?”
“Because it looks like you … we’ve … well, you know.”
I smirked. “Maybe I don’t. Care to enlighten me?”
She rolled her eyes and looked out the window. “Don’t be a jerk and don’t grab me like you know my body intimately.”
I looked her up and down. Then I reached past her to pull her seatbelt down across her chest. I took my time, and I felt her chest heave in a breath, hold it. A little bubble, one I didn’t want to exist formed around us. I snapped the seatbelt into place and popped our moment. “But I do know your body just that way, Victoria.”
She scoffed, “No one knows about our night, and I want it to stay that way.”
“Why?”
“Because!” she said loudly and some of her friends looked over. I was finding she had a hard time keeping her voice down.
“Are you ashamed, Pix?”
She smiled at everyone and they lost interest quickly. “I’m not ashamed. I just don’t think it was memorable enough to share.”
I hummed low. “Okay. I’ll let you have that one.”
She pursed her lips like she wanted to say more but knew it wasn’t in her best interest. Her honey-colored eyes followed my movements as I reached back into my bag to grab my laptop.
“What are you working on that is so much better than all this, anyway?” She leaned in a little as I opened my laptop, and her blonde hair slid from her shoulder onto mine.
She was so damn close I could have turned and bit the bottom lip I’d spent so much time nibbling the other night. It tasted like a sweet strawberry, and I could smell that she was probably wearing that same lip gloss.
My body reacted, and I was surprised to find I could barely focus on the email I pulled up. “Just business as always. I may need to research that little company of Mr. Stevie’s too. Huh?”
She recoiled. “His name’s Steven. Or Mr. Samson. And I highly doubt Steven will think your company buying out ours is a good idea, not after our conversation about you not giving a damn about employees.”
Her defensive tone tempted me to push her more. “Honey, for the right price, every man thinks my ideas are fan-fucking-tastic.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Not Steven.”
The bus driver announced that we’d arrived and everyone cheered.
I let Vick’s comment go. She could live in her bubble forever. She probably would too, because I wouldn’t pay an arm and a leg for a company that wasn’t willing to bend to my will. If Mr. Stevie wanted to keep Samson and Sons, he could.
We paddle boarded on the private beach for much longer than I would have liked to. Fortunately, Rome was also one of the clients I personally invested for. We discussed how his clubs and bars were doing and where we could put extra money. It was close enough to a business meeting that I didn’t feel I’d completely wasted my day.
When Katie, Brey, and Vick approached us, I figured I could succumb to a little play. They all goaded Rome into going out to paddleboard. Katie and Brey didn’t bother with me, as if they knew my answer would be a withering look.
They practically dragged Rome out, but Vick lingered behind, eyeing me in my black swim trunks. “You dressed to get into the ocean. Are you planning to?”
I looked at the bikini she filled out. “I don’t think you’re dressed for paddleboarding at all.”
She crossed her arms. “Jett, I’m wearing a swimsuit. Of course, I dressed for it.”