Landon walks over to a bar in the corner and begins to pour drinks. “Where do you live?”
“I have an apartment on Nob Hill.”
He nods. “Mason, our investor, lives over on Nob Hill. You may have seen him walking his dog, Misty, at Huntington Park.”
“I knew I’d seen him before. He has a beautiful golden retriever. Is he dating Caroline Arnault? I see her with the same dog sometimes.”
“Yes,” Claire chimes in. “They’re getting married next spring in Italy.”
When dinner arrives, we sit at a beautiful table and talk. The conversation progresses from work and our plans to our personal lives.
“It’s like you have two sisters to harass you now,” Claire says to Landon.
“Just what I didn’t need.” He pretends to complain, but he has a grin smeared across his face.
Claire looks at her Apple watch. “Oh, crap! I promised Nick I’d meet him fifteen minutes ago. He’s pissed. I’ll see you both in the morning.” She air kisses us and runs for the elevator.
When the doors close behind her, Landon looks at me. “Last night was thoroughly fun.”
I slowly nod. “Totally out of character for me.”
A grin emerges on his face. “We could do it again, properly.”
I shake my head. “Not a good idea. We’re stuck together for the next ten years.”
“Who says we can’t work together and fuck on occasion?”
“Me. I don’t play with guys I work with.”
“We’ve played once, and I thought we played well together. Where does that leave us?” He looks at me with his beautiful brown eyes. They’re so dark, I can barely make out the irises.
My heart beats fast, and my body screams, yes, yes, yes. “In your rearview mirror.” It’s taking all my self-control to not kiss him.
He rubs his thumb across my thigh. “And if you change your mind?”
He stares at my lips, and I move away. He’s like a magnet.
I gather all my strength. “I won’t.”
He stands up and looks out over the bridge. “I thought of you all night. You weren’t interested in a hotel room. You didn’t pry about my job or my black American Express card. We both had an itch that needed scratching, and we did it well.” Landon turns and looks at me like I’m a glass of water and he’s just crossed a desert. “Damn, we did it very well. I think we can keep it separate. It could be a lot of fun.”
I stand and begin to pick up the discarded cartons and our dirty plates. I walk them into the kitchen. He did scratch an itch I hadn’t scratched in a long time. It’s still not a good idea to get involved with him. I’m the one who has the most to lose. I want to remain a partner and not fuck this all up.
“I should go,” I tell him. “We have an early morning, and I want to make sure I get a workout in tonight.”
His eyebrow rises, and I blush at the innuendo.
“See you in the morning.”
I can already tell he’s going to be mercurial. I look up and say a silent prayer for patience. I also consider drugs to suppress my sex drive.
As my rideshare crosses town, I text Chrissy.
Me: You will never believe this. Peter, no-sock boy, is actually Landon Walsh, my new business partner.
Chrissy: What. The. Fuck. Are you kidding me?
Me: I wish I was. Quite the surprise at the meeting this afternoon.
Chrissy: What are you going to do?
Me: Not him. And you know what’s worse?
Chrissy: LOL! Tell me.
Me: He’s the owner of the penthouse at The Adams.
Chrissy: What the hell? Your dream building? So now you have to deal with him all day at work, and you’ll live in the same building?
Me: Work, yes. But, no, I won’t be able to live in my dream building. And can I tell you how amazing it was today? Why did I have to fuck him in the coatroom? What must this guy think of me?
Chrissy: That you have an amazing pussy.
Me: He did offer me work with “benefits.”
Chrissy: Is that a benefit for everyone at Disruptive, and is it in the employee handbook?
I have to laugh.
Me: It was tempting.
Chrissy: I hope you took him up on it.
Me: Nope. I’m just getting home. Talk to you tomorrow. Wish me luck.
I walk into my small, one-bedroom apartment and look around. I’ve worked out of this place for the last three years. It wasn’t for nothing. I can’t have an ongoing affair with my new business partner. That would be a huge mistake.
Chapter 3
Landon
I look down at the amber liquid in my glass. I need it to forget my disappointment. I had planned to look for Amanda again tonight, starting at the bar where we’d met—maybe celebrate with her in more than just the coatroom. I never expected to see her sitting across the table from me this afternoon. Shit!
I can’t believe that amazing woman is now my business partner. She stopped me in my tracks last night, and I was telling her the truth—I haven’t been able to get her off my mind since.
I’ve never had a problem mixing business with pleasure. And last night was not only physical pleasure but also an intellectual pleasure. I loved the back and forth. She’s smart as fuck. And physically, she’s a man’s wet dream with honey blond hair and a smattering of freckles I want to lick up all over her perfect golden skin. Damn.
But she shut me down pretty hard tonight. Usually, I’d call my sister and get her advice. She’s my gateway into the
