A harsh breath whooshes from her, her eyes flitting between mine as I inch closer, allowing her enough time to pull away, hoping like hell she won’t.
My lips meet hers, and her eyes close.
Fuck yes…
Longing whirls in my stomach, my free hand finding her outer thigh, but before the kiss can begin, she whispers against my lips.
“I think that’s enough of a show.” Her tone is thick and pensive.
My eyes flick open, narrowing.
“I would say you have them convinced.”
My frown begins to deepen, but I don’t have to ask what she means. My gaze then pulled to the couple weaving their way toward us.
Noah and Arianna Riley turn heads in hunter green, their expression brightening with each step taken toward us.
Noel clears her throat, speaking with her mouth hidden behind her glass. “I hope you know how a man engaged is supposed to act.”
“I remember how a man in love feels.”
Her head snaps toward me, gaze searching, but this time, I give her nothing, holding her attention as I push to my feet and greet our guests as they reach us.
“Mr. and Mrs. Riley.” I smile. “Thank you for joining my wife and me for dinner tonight.”
Noel stiffens at my side, and Arianna Riley?
She squeals.
I turn my smirk at the woman beside me, and my sweet, bratty Noel might as well be ravaging me right here for all to see as that is the face she’s painted on, too damn good at masking her fury. I know she wants to gouge my eyes out, but to everyone else, she looks like a woman hungry for her man.
Me.
We pass pleasantries, listening to the couple’s stories about their afternoon, but when the waiter comes back for a second time, and no one has taken the time to look at the menu, the conversation dies down as our guests take quick looks at the drink menu, so I use the moment to speak into Noel’s ear.
“Better keep that mask on, sweetheart. That way, when the dinner is over, and your night becomes mine, you can pretend the need you have for me is fake too.”
“You’re going to pay for this,” she warns.
“Why do you think there’s a tie around my neck tonight, Kitten?” I nip at her earlobe discreetly, my low moan purposeful. “So you can knot it around your neck while I fuck you raw… just the way you like.”
“Was I not clear?” she hisses, but squirms in her seat. “You’re delusional if you think you’re coming to my bed again tonight.”
“That’s okay, baby. I’ll make sure you come in mine. Several times…”
Her nails dig into my thigh in warning, but my cock swells from the sting, bobbing up to say hello to her pinkie.
Her hand flies from my leg so fast I have to stifle a laugh, reveling in the shiver that runs down her spine. I torture her some more by stretching across the front of her for the menu, allowing my elbow to graze her sharp nipples, the dress not the kind to allow for a bra.
I meet her eyes. “Your pussy is mine.” I pause, only adding the next word for her benefit. “Tonight.”
Her thighs clamp together, and I sit back, throwing my arm around her chair, and tease her skin with the pads of my fingers. Right then, the happy couple across from us looks up, and we smile in sync.
Now, if ‘tonight’ could hurry up and arrive.
Other than a quick, two-minute, ‘we’re so honored you want to be a part of this’ and ‘we can set up a meeting with our legal teams next week to go over the logistics,’ the dinner was not ruined with talk of business.
Noah shared with us some of his experiences as an NFL receiver, and admitted he sometimes misses the quarterback position, while his lovely wife let it slip that baby number three is on the way, though no public announcements are planned to be made. Of course, we agreed to keep their little secret.
They were about to hand us complete control over our dreams with a giant check to go with it.
But after the accidental reveal of their growing family, Arianna asked about ours, and with each word Noel forced herself to speak, my heart tore a little more, because while the two at our table couldn’t see through the mask, I could.
Complete and utter sorrow dug deep into the woman I love’s words, pouring salt into the wounds I’ve yet to have the chance to try and heal. It shadowed her eyes and claimed the color from her cheeks.
To them, she likely appeared passionate and resound, but for the first time, I saw in her the result of my actions, felt the ample iciness she slew me in.
I know the thoughts that crossed her mind as she lied, shamed that there was technically no lie to speak of.