Exposed by Fate (Serve #2)(27)

He remembered Blue Dress had asked him a question and he hadn’t even answered. What was it? Why are you here? Why, indeed. “I’m here on a date, actually. I better get to her.”

“Right. A date.” She winked at him, as if they were in on the same joke, running her fingertips up the inside of his sleeve. “You know, I applied for an internship at ReVAMPed, but I haven’t heard anything. It would be so fun to work together.”

God save him. “Caroline is in charge of hiring. You should talk to her.”

“I’ll mention your name,” she said, sounding pleased. He’d have to discuss this with Caroline on Monday. Although, what would he say? Don’t hire any girls in blue dresses? “Hey, do you want to grab a drink after this? I’m already bored.”

“No, I…”

Oliver shot a glance toward Eliza, praying she wasn’t seeing this blatant come-on. Oh, she wasn’t. She was just talking to another man, for f*ck sake. Jealousy, a feeling that was fast becoming familiar, scraped in his chest like a thorn bush. How had this night gotten off to such a shitty start? All he wanted was to spend time with one freaking girl, and he couldn’t get within a hundred yards of her. Well, he wasn’t about to stand here and let someone move in on Eliza. Not going to happen. This arrangement between them was far from over. Time to rally, Preston.

He gave Blue Dress’s hand a gentle squeeze before removing it from his arm. “I’m sorry, I really have to go. It was great to see you.”

Without waiting for a response, he skirted past a cluster of elegantly dressed party-goers, making his way toward the dance floor. As he got closer to Eliza, he recognized the man she was speaking with. Conrad Sterns. The client she’d come here to land. She was making her pitch.

During his week in purgatory, he might have Googled the guy, once or twice, to see what Eliza was up against. Roughly the same age as Oliver, the guy had made a lucrative investment in a technology company that won a government contract the following year. Now he spent most of his nights at Scores, an upscale strip club on the West Side of Manhattan. That part wasn’t mentioned in the papers or investment trades. In addition to his Google searches, Oliver might have also made a phone call or two about Sterns. Just out of mild curiosity, of course.

He slowed to a stop at the edge of the dance floor, worried if he interrupted Eliza’s pitch, he might wreck her chances. But as the continued to watch, it was obvious Sterns wasn’t listening to a damn thing she said. Apart from his casual perusal of Eliza’s legs, his mind was probably off getting a lap dance on the West Side. Don’t interfere. Don’t.

Sterns gave her an absent nod and leaned back, actually leaned back, to check her out. Oh, that did it. He didn’t have the decency to hide his indecency. Oliver walked onto the dance floor that had started to fill out with people and claimed Eliza by settling a hand on her waist. She jumped a little, but recovered with a smile.

“Er—hi.” She tilted her head to let him kiss her cheek. “Conrad Sterns, meet Oliver—”

“Preston,” Sterns finished enthusiastically, holding out his hand. “I subscribe to ReVAMPed. Big fan of the magazine.”

Yeah. I’m still not a fan of yours, buddy. “Thank you. That’s great to hear.” A waitress approached with a tray of drinks, and he handed a fresh glass of champagne to Eliza, declining one for himself. “We’re still trying to find the right balance. We value the readership who are sticking with us through all the changes.”

“Well count me in.” He gave Oliver a sly look. “Of course, I just read it for the financial articles.”

“Of course,” Oliver echoed, his smiled feeling strained. Why was everyone assuming he was in on their dirty jokes tonight? He didn’t want to be in on them. Reflexively, he pulled Eliza into his side. “What were you talking about before I rudely interrupted?”

Instead of answering his question, Sterns split a thoughtful look between him and Eliza. “Are you two…together?”

Eliza stiffened against him. “Mr. Preston is just a friend.”

Oh, she did not just call me Mr. Preston. Again. God, he’d usually be relieved to hear a girl refer to him as just a friend. Not tonight. Not with this slime ball leering at her. Not when she looked so beautiful it made him ache. Not happening. He needed to salvage this meeting for her and warn the other man, every man, away in one fell swoop, so that’s exactly what he would do.

Oliver clutched at his chest. “A friend? You’re killing me, bunny.” He shook his head sadly at Sterns…and told the truth. “She’s too good for me, and she knows it. That’s not going to stop me from chasing her, though. Eliza’s worth every ounce of the misery she’s putting me through.”

“Is that right?” Sterns eyed Eliza with renewed interest, but this time his gaze was above the neck where it should be. Respectful. “What did you say about setting up a consultation? You’ll have to excuse me, my mind is a million miles away tonight.”

Eliza wasn’t smiling as he’d expected her to be. “Um, consultation.” She reached into her clutch purse, took out a glossy business card and handed it to Sterns. “Yes, I can do Thursday or Friday next week, but of course, we can work around your schedule.”

“Friday will work fine.” He held up the card. “I’ll have my assistant call your office.”