Page 44 of The Irresistible One
I avoided Colson’s gaze as he stopped in front of the only vacant chair, which was right next to me. The nearness sent me his cologne, that irresistible combo of amber and black tea. I forced my eyes to stay open when all they wanted was to close as I took another deep inhale of him.
This was going to be agony.
“Good evening. Thanks for letting me join.”
Only when I felt his stare on me did I gaze up, instantly realizing it was a mistake. His eyes did things—unmentionable things.
“Sophie … nice to see you.”
I attempted to breathe, but it was no use. My lungs didn’t want to fill. “Colson …”
“When I heard you were coming to dinner, I knew I had to be here. Sorry I’m late. I had to call and say good night to my daughter.”
That shouldn’t be sexy … but it was.
I sucked in my bottom lip, my tongue pushing it against my teeth until the pain was too much. “You justhadto be here?”
Colson took a seat and smiled. “I wouldn’t miss an opportunity to spend time with my favorite attorney”—he glanced at the guys—“besides Troy.” His eyes returned to me. “I want nothing more than to be here.”
Asshole.
THIRTEEN
COLSON
There was nothing I loved more than watching Sophie squirm. Since I had arrived at the restaurant, that was all she had been doing. I could see the uneasiness in her eyes, her stare taking sharp turns from me to the guys but always returning, lingering far longer than needed. Her body movement was no different. Her legs crossed and uncrossed in that tight skirt. Her bare arms hovered over her stomach, where her tank was tucked in, and then they unraveled, fingers playing with the stem of her martini glass, only to do it all over again.
It was as though she were back at Lush and I was edging her to the point of exploding. But here, my words and presence were bringing her to that place. And that place had stripped her of patience, like she was breathless and done waiting.
I wasn’t sure if the guys had picked up on it. If they knew her body language as fluently as I did. What became obvious as the evening progressed was that they had been in her life for a long time. Yet their dynamic was one I didn’t quite understand.I didn’t want to dig. That would send a message that I had interest, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to drive down that road.
But still, I was curious as hell, especially when Jones said to me, “You know, we almost had our girl back in Lauderdale, and then she went and made partner. Damn that firm for recognizing her greatness.”
Our girl.
I tried to make sense of it. These guys were close to Hayden, and the little time I’d spent with her brother showed me that man did not fuck around. But I knew how tempting it was to taste someone forbidden. Or maybe it had lasted longer than a taste.
“You wouldn’t want me back full-time.”
Sophie’s smile was different from anything I had ever seen. Whatever these guys meant to her, it was genuine. Honest. A deepness that was the opposite of what she felt toward me.
“And why wouldn’t we?” Callum asked.
“You love me harder when you miss me versus if I were in your face every day.”
“Not even close to the truth.” Jones reached across the table and put his hand on hers. “We want you and Abbi here. One day, that’d better happen.”
Jones hadn’t been at the office while I was there, so this was my first time meeting him. From my understanding, he had nothing to do with the brokerage firm. That company was owned by Hayden, Callum, Talon, and Leo.
“Stop,” she said gently, a softness that made her even more gorgeous. “You’re giving me all the feels.”
Hold on … is she flirting with him?
“How did you choose Troy over Sophie when picking an attorney for your company?” Callum asked me.
Despite Callum’s question, I couldn’t take my eyes off Jones and Sophie. The way he gripped her hand, the eyecontact between them. Callum’s fingers had been on her tonight as well, touching her shoulder, squeezing her arm. But the embrace between her and Jones was different.
More intimate. Personal.
