A Mess of a Man (Cruel & Beautiful #2)(14)

I sit by the window and stare too long at the vision before me.

“What?” she asks shyly.

Images of her naked on my bed play through my mind like a video on repeat.

“I wonder if the food is safe with you here,” I say instead.

She laughs and her whole face lights up. But it’s her mouth I zero in on. Her lips are a perfect shade of pink only hinting that she wears makeup. I want to kiss that mouth before I f*ck it. An image of her on her knees with my hands all in her hair headlines in my brain.

“You’re never going to let me live that down are you?”

I shrug. “Maybe you can convince me you can keep your hands to yourself.”

And isn’t that a dumb remark? I most definitely want her hands on me.

The waiter comes and we order. I’m surprised by her choices because they mirror my own.

“Maybe one of us should take a chance and order the snapper. That way we can share.”

She shakes her head slowly. “I don’t share.”

And something about the way she says it makes my pants get tight.

“Okay then. Tell me about yourself?” I ask.

“Nothing terribly exciting. I’m an event planner. I started my business when I graduated two years ago and things are good. In fact, I should be down at the Yacht Club getting set up for tomorrow’s event.”

I’m shocked that for someone not long out of college, she seems to know where she wants to go in life and is doing something about it. It makes me more intrigued than I should be for a casual hook-up.

“Oh. Now I feel bad for taking you away from your business.” Good to know her hesitation to accept lunch hadn’t been because she wasn’t sure about going out with me.

“It’s okay. I’ll stop over after. What about you?”

I want to know more about her, but give in to her question. “I’m an investment broker, glorified financial planner.”

She laughs, which is another win. “Interesting.”

“It’s more interesting we have a lot in common.”

“How so?”

“Well, we both have to do our best to please people in a short period of time and we only have one shot at it,” I say.

“True.”

“In the spirit of full disclosure, I should mention I’m a little older than you.” Her brow lifts. “I left my twenties a year ago. I hope that’s not a problem.”

“No,” she says with a grin and a slight shake of her head. “I’m twenty-four. I hope that’s not a problem for you.” She smiles.

“Not at all.”

Our first course arrives and conversation halts as we eat. I can’t help but stare as she puts food in her mouth, making it impossible for a napkin to hide my erection.

“Tell me more about your business,” I say in an effort to relieve the pressure in my pants.

Between courses, she tells me all about the impossible older woman in her eighties putting on a tea for her surviving friends.

“I never do social events, only corporate. But she’s a friend of my grandmother’s, so I couldn’t turn her down. On a Monday, she wants. She didn’t want the weekend because she and her pals usually have extended family that come around for dutiful visits.”

“Sounds like my grandmother. She’s a Southern belle through and through.”

Conversation is easy and somehow my thoughts clear of her in my bed and I find myself wanting to know more about this woman.

When we walk out a long time later, I’m reluctant to let her go.

“I know you didn’t want dessert, but maybe we can go for coffee.”

“Oh, Ben, your offer is tempting. But something tells me if I accept, I’ll be doing the walk of shame in the morning. Besides, I have work to do.”

“Shame?” I feign offense. “Trust me there is nothing to be ashamed of when leaving my bed.”

She slowly shakes her head. “No way, Ben Rhoades. I’m not that kind of girl.”

I bring her hand to my mouth and kiss her sweet knuckles goodbye. “That’s too bad. But maybe you’ll pay me a visit there one of these days.” I wink unable to help myself.

Her flush makes my balls draw up tight ready to explode. I let go of her hand because I need mine to place it in front of my raging hard on.

“Tomorrow, then?”

“Shit,” I mutter. Her pretty face sours. “No, there’s nothing wrong. I just completely forgot. I have a dinner thing tomorrow for work.”

“Oh,” she says and I can see she’s as disappointed as I am.

“It’s sort of embarrassing, but I need a date. It’s not what I had in mind when I asked you out, and it’s probably more than a little weird. But I was given very short notice. And I can’t imagine anyone else I’d rather have as a companion for the night.”





There’s something about him with that damn hair that I want to run my hands through. He stands there looking sheepish as he tells me about tomorrow. It is kind of weird.

“Hmm. A business dinner, huh?”

“Yeah. I’m really sorry. I didn’t find out about it until a little while ago when I spoke with my father, who happens to be my boss.”

Lauren’s mom did mention that he worked with his dad. Good to know she had been thinking of the same Rhoades.