Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99434 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99434 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
“I can do slow.” I responded way too fast. It was obvious that if she’d said “Okay, but you have to eat a bag of shit first,” I would have agreed.
She shook her head. “I hope I don’t regret this.”
My face lit up into what was probably the most obnoxious, over-the-top, cheesy smile. “That’s a yes?”
“Fine. Yes.” She held up a warning finger. “But it’s dinner. Slow, Gray.”
I wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her to me. “I can do slow.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I thought you said no lies.”
“I did. That doesn’t mean I want to do slow. But I can, and I will, if that’s what it takes.”
She rested a hand on my chest, applying a slight pressure that I suspected was telling me to keep the distance. “I need to take care of some things. Call me during the week?”
“Is wrapping you in my arms and hugging the shit out of you right now too fast?”
She giggled. “A hug is fine.”
I pulled Layla into a tight embrace and buried my face in her hair. She smelled so fucking good. “You have no idea how happy you just made me.”
“Ummm… If the thing poking me in the hip is any indication, I think I do know how happy you are.”
We laughed, and while I hated to let her go, I tried to be good. I didn’t even attempt to suck her face, though that was only the tip of the iceberg of what I wanted to suck. Although she did have to tug her hand from mine when it was time to walk away. I couldn’t get myself to let go voluntarily.
Chapter 16
* * *
Layla
“Are we actually in the building on the same day?” Oliver walked into my office on Wednesday morning with his usual sunny smile.
On Monday he’d been in court all day, and on Tuesday I was out with a client in New Jersey until evening. We’d exchanged a few texts, and I’d told him I couldn’t have dinner on Wednesday night, but suggested we have lunch instead. It was definitely easier to break things off over a quick lunch than a longer dinner, and I wasn’t going to spend time with Gray until I ended things with Oliver. Even though Oliver and I had never talked about being exclusive, it just didn’t sit right with me.
My phone buzzed on my desk, and I was glad it faced down. Gray had been texting me this morning, and I didn’t want to show Oliver any disrespect. He was a great guy—a part of me wished I wanted to be with him instead of Gray—but the heart knows even if the brain hasn’t caught up yet.
“I’m surprised I made it to work today.” I closed the file cabinet I’d been digging in. “Mr. Kwan talked my ear off until eight o’clock last night.”
Oliver and I had few crossover clients, and Kwan Enterprises used legal services from almost every department at our firm.
“Did he bring Jin Me or Song?” Oliver asked.
“Jin Me. Who’s Song?”
He smirked. “His wife.”
“Oh my God! He’s married? I had no idea. I thought Jin Me was his daughter at first. She’s, like, thirty, and he’s probably in his late sixties. So it creeped me out when she put her hand on his thigh.”
“Yep. Guy’s a stud. He’s been a client of mine almost as long as I’ve been practicing. There’ve been a dozen Jin Me.”
“God, I never would’ve taken him for a cheater for some reason.”
“It’s always the ones you least expect.” I knew Oliver wasn’t referring to me, but I felt guilty nonetheless for having spent time with Gray.
“Umm... Yeah. I have to jump on a call. Lunch at one?”
“Greek?”
“Sure.” I forced a smile. “That sounds great.”
After Oliver disappeared, I sat and stared out my window for a while. I knew ending things with him was the right thing to do, whether things worked out with Gray or not. Because had my heart been with Oliver, it wouldn’t have strayed so easily. But it was never easy to break up with a nice person.
My phone buzzed on my desk, calling my attention back from thinking about my upcoming lunch. Of course it was Gray. As was the earlier text that I hadn’t looked at when Oliver walked in.
Gray: I’m flying to Chicago tonight for a meeting early tomorrow with a potential tech investment.
Gray: How about lunch today?
I texted back.
Layla: Sorry. Can’t today. I have a lunch date.
After I wrote the text, I rethought my words and amended before hitting send.
Layla: Sorry. Can’t today. I have plans for lunch.
Gray: Can you reschedule? I’ll make it worth your while. Friend of mine is opening a French restaurant Uptown and hosting a critics’ lunch—every entree in miniature size—a taste of the entire menu.
I debated what to tell him for a few minutes and decided to go with the truth.