Both my father and fiancé demanded my presence here tonight.
“Damn, half of that statement is true. But...unfortunately, I know who my father is. Asshole that he is,” he said, his eyes assessing me, looking for changes.
My thighs clenched tightly together at the smell of him, my hands locked together in front of me to keep me from falling into the temptation of touching him.
“How have you been?” I asked.
“I’ve been well,” he said, his eyes darkening briefly before lighting again. “What about you? The last I heard, you were still in New York.”
Smirking, I said, “Last you heard? So you’ve been chasing information about me, huh?”
Laughing loudly, Lake said, “She’s full of herself, ah, I guess New York grew on you.”
“Nope, just confident. And yes, I was in New York. Getting a more in-depth education in the world of business.”
“Hmm...I hoped maybe you’d change your mind and follow in mommy dearest footsteps.”
I heard the underlying accusation in that statement but chose not to address it.
“Not quite. I’m no fashion model.”
“Not that you couldn’t be,” Lake replied, his eyes slowly raking over me.
He always could make me feel desirable and sexy, but that was just Lake’s way with any woman. It was nothing that I needed to take seriously.
I couldn’t afford to. Not anymore.
“Thanks, Lake. You’re good for a girl’s ego. I missed that.”
“And I missed you.”
His voice was sultry, stirring long-hidden emotions within me.
I nodded and turned away from him for a moment, ignoring the clenching in my belly at the way his voice sounded when he spoke those words.
“How long have you been back?”
“Umm...three weeks.”
“And you haven’t called?” his voice turned personal, something that I didn’t need.
“I’ve been running double duty. Helping both parents and Mom’s a beast. She’s been working me like crazy. And when she’s not stealing me away, you know Father Knows Best is dictating my every move, making sure that I apply all that I’ve learned in New York into Sheffield Tech. You still hanging out at Prestige?” I asked, hoping to change the subject from me.
I hadn’t bothered to mention that I’d spent much of my time with my fiancé Russell and his family.
Chuckling, Lake rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. “Damn, you get right down to business, don’t you?”
“Just checking to see if you’re still whoring around or if you ever settled down. Did some lucky girl sweep you off the market?” I teased.
“No...she left me,” he said, doing that slow eye raking thing he did to me again.
“See, there you go. You can never be serious,” I replied, laughing at him.
Lake’s face lightened up, along with the timbre of his voice
“Honestly, most of the time, I’m busy with the team.”
“Congrats on that, by the way. I saw you in Fortune’s 40 under 40. One of the most influential persons in media and entertainment, huh? Look at you growing up.”
“I guess. So, what about you? What’re you doing now? Is this just a visit home or...”
He left the sentence hanging as if speaking of the alternative might somehow make it not true.
“No, it’s not a visit. I’m home for good. I’ve finished my informal education, so...it’s time. I’ve been working on becoming the next 40 under 40 at Burlington, Fairfield, and Wake,” I said, listing the top-tier software company I’d spent the last decade at.
Lake released an impressive whistle.
“Yes,” I laughed. “And now that I’m back, Mom is insistent that I learn something about the fashion industry, too. You know Dad had a fit about that, but Mom has him wrapped around her finger.”
Lake released another whistle and nodded his head. “I wouldn’t expect anything less than the best for the spoiled Liltee. I’m shocked that you even worked at all. It’s not like you had to.”
It was my time to give him the roving eye. Crossing my arms over my chest, I said, “And neither did you, but you chose to. Spoiled Liltee, I may be, but did you expect that I would live off my parents’ wealth for the rest of my life? How else will I earn the privilege to run Sheffield Technologies? My father groomed me to sit in his chair since I was big enough to climb into it. That position isn’t just being handed to me, you know? I had to earn my right to have it. So those eight years after college were all about secondary education in the business world. I’d thought you of all people would understand that.”
My decision to build a career and become the next CEO of Sheffield Technologies was a sensitive topic. One that would put me on edge in the blink of an eye.
My jaw clenched when I thought about the other requirement of taking over the reins of Sheffield Tech. But I refused to ruin the moment by mentioning that.
“I don’t know. The wealth your family enjoys at the success of your father’s home automation company automatically gives the spoiled little Liltee the right to reap the benefits.”
Lake said that last bit with a brief wink. Easing up, I realized he was just teasing me. I’d become so defensive over the years about that subject that I’d forgotten he’d always been on my side about that.
Smirking, I struck him on his chest, surprised to find that it was harder and more defined than the last time I’d touched him. Jerking back as though he was scalded, I clasped my hands behind my back.
“No, that is reserved for Liltee Senait. My little sister has no higher aspirations than to enjoy my family’s hard-earned wealth. It’s only because my mother has insisted that she learn something about the fashion industry that she’s doing that much. And Dad, of course, will always support Mom.”
“Privilege and prestige. Must be nice,” he said, winking again.
“Says the rich boy who’s the heir apparent to Chambers Global International.”
“Ouch,” he said, scratching the back of his neck with a mischievous smirk.
Lake’s parents owned one of the top five food and beverage
