Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 90009 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90009 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
“Well, I’m glad you did,” Rina says. “It’s an amazing opportunity for people to sample the kind of desserts you make. Who knows where it might lead?”
“I’m so proud of you,” I add. “I know it’s not easy to be around him and…” I trail off as the person we’ve been discussing walks toward us. “Incoming.”
“Hey, Callie,” Zane says as he strolls up, his arm slung around a petite blonde woman whose dress is almost nonexistent. It takes effort not to stare at her nipples, which are clearly visible through the sheer material. She’s all perfect makeup, designer shoes, and an air of practiced disinterest.
“Hello, ladies.” He nods at us, like we’re fans he’s generously acknowledging.
We murmur stiff hellos, neither of us making an effort to hide our frostiness.
Zane either doesn’t notice or doesn’t care. Probably a mixture of both. He’s always been all about himself.
He turns to the blonde at his side and says, “This is Callie, my kid’s mother.”
Callie’s eyes widen, her body going rigid for a split second before she pastes on a polite, detached smile.
I honestly don’t know how she does it.
The blonde gives Callie a once-over, the kind of up-and-down scan that makes my hackles rise.
“I’m Gigi. It’s so great we could meet,” she says with a fake little smile, like she’s already mentally scrubbing Callie from her mind.
Zane chuckles and adds, like he’s tossing her a bone, “Callie runs a little bakery around the corner from the arena.”
“That is so adorable.” Gigi glances at the table. “I’d try one, but I don’t eat refined sugar or gluten.”
Callie’s brows draw together. “Oh.”
Gigi pulls out her phone and starts snapping selfies with Zane. She’s all staged smiles and sultry angles, as if she’s starring in her own personal photo shoot instead of attending a charity gala.
Zane turns to Callie and shoves his phone at her. “Hey, can you take a picture of us real quick?”
Callie hesitates before forcing a smile and taking the phone from him. Zane yanks Gigi against him and plants a kiss on her that’s so over-the-top it’s almost embarrassing.
“Ewww,” Rina mutters from beside me, scrunching her face in disgust.
Callie bites her lip, clearly mortified, but she snaps the photos anyway before handing the phone back.
Zane doesn’t bother thanking her.
“C’mon, babe,” he says to Gigi, sliding his arm around her waist. “Let’s mingle.”
And just like that, they disappear into the crowd, leaving the scent of expensive cologne and perfume behind in their wake.
Callie stands there for a second, staring after them with a strange look on her face.
“I really don’t know what I ever saw in him,” she says, her tone disbelieving.
Rina slips an arm around her shoulders. “Girl, as far as I’m concerned, you dodged a major bullet.”
I nod, offering her a small, supportive smile. “Seriously. He doesn’t deserve to be in the same zip code as you or Nora.”
Callie releases a shaky laugh, her shoulders relaxing just a bit.
As she turns back toward the table to adjust a tray, I catch a glimpse of someone watching her from across the room.
River.
He’s standing near the edge of the crowd with a frown etched on his face as his gaze tracks Callie with an intensity that makes my pulse skitter.
I nudge Rina lightly, and nod in his direction.
She follows my gaze and grins. “Now that would be an interesting turn of events,” she murmurs.
And for some reason, that makes me smile more than anything else.
22
STEELE
The second we walk through the penthouse door, Waffles comes bounding toward us, her tiny paws skidding across the hardwood floors. With a laugh, Lilah kicks off her heels before crouching down to greet her. The hem of her silver dress pools around her, and for a second, I just stand and watch.
I haven’t been able to stop staring at her all night.
And seeing her barefoot, smiling, her arms wrapped around the tiny ball of fur I brought home for her, just about knocks the wind from me.
She glances up with a gentle expression. “Thank you again for her,” she says, cuddling Waffles closer and pressing a kiss to the kitten’s head.
I struggle against a swell of emotion. “I’d do just about anything to put that look on your face.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.
Lilah rises to her feet, with Waffles in her arms, before closing the distance between us. When her gaze dips from my eyes to my mouth, the air around us turns thick and heavy, pressing in on all sides. For just a moment or two, I swear she’s about to kiss me.
My heart stutters. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything more in my life.
At the last second, she leans in and presses her lips against my cheek.
It’s innocent.
Sweet.
And my complete undoing.
It takes every shred of self-control I have not to haul her against me and kiss her the way I’ve been dying to for years.