“You’re taking a different car tonight?”
He nods as he walks toward a blue sports car, holding the passenger door open for me. I’m oddly nervous as I get in. We drive to work together most days, but something about tonight just feels different.
I sneak a glance at his forearms as he starts the car. The sleeves of his shirt are rolled up and the top button of his shirt is undone. Silas always looks neat and professional, but tonight he looks laid back. “Where are you going tonight?” I ask, before I even realize what I’m saying.
I clamp my lips shut immediately, but it’s too late. He glances at me, a lazy smirk spreading across his face.
“Why do you ask?” he murmurs, throwing my earlier question back at me.
I smile at him provocatively. “Why can’t I ask?”
Silas chuckles and shakes his head. “I’m having dinner with some of our senior staff tonight. I learned early on in my career that the best collaborative ideas come from less rigid settings, so tonight we’re doing a strategy session over dinner.”
I breathe a sigh of relief and nod. So not a date then. I shouldn’t even care, but I can’t help the possessiveness I feel. I hate the idea of Silas going on a date with someone. Ever since we slept together, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him. It’s like I’m enchanted, wanting more of his touch.
Silas parks the car and steps out, surprising me. I thought he’d just be dropping me off. “I’ll go in and say hi,” he tells me, following me in.
“Alanna!” Jessica shouts from a small table next to the bar. I grin and wave at her, making my way through the crowd toward her, Silas on my heels. I expected him to leave me the moment we stepped foot inside, but he hasn’t.
“Boss?” Jessica shouts, holding a shot glass up in the air. “Wow, you never usually attend these events! So I guess the secret is inviting your sister-in-law, huh?”
I feel Silas tense beside me and glance up at him. His expression looks calm, but I can feel the anger radiating off him. He wraps his arm around my waist and looks into my eyes. “Sister-in-law?” he asks, his eyes dropping to my lips. “You were never going to become my sister-in-law,” he says, his tone harsh. “Besides, didn’t Ryan and you break up before you even started at Sinclair Security? What is this bullshit?”
Jessica giggles, clearly intoxicated. “It’s just a joke, boss.”
He locks his jaw and stares her down. “It’s slander.”
“Silas,” I whisper, placing my hand on his chest. He looks so distressed by her words, and all I want to do is take away his anger. “Just leave it. She’s drunk.”
He looks into my eyes, his gaze searching, though what for, I’m not sure. He nods but doesn’t let go of me, his thumb drawing circles on my waist. I should pull away, but I find myself not wanting to.
“Look who it is!” Josh shouts, walking up to us with even more shots in his hands. Just how long have they been drinking? They’re both wasted. Josh holds a shot glass up to Silas, the drink spilling over the edges and onto his shirt. I’m relatively certain that Silas really regrets walking me in now.
He sighs and pulls his arm away to dab at his shirt, and I root through my clutch to find my handkerchief. I raise it to his chest and carefully wipe off the stain, though the damage is already done.
Silas wraps his hand over mine, but his gaze is on the handkerchief. He pulls it out of my hand and stares at the embroidered ψ logo on it.
“Oh! That’s not… it’s got nothing to do with the ψ division,” I tell him. “I’m not some kind of crazy person. This is mine. It’s something I’ve always had.”
He looks at me, his gaze intense. “Is that so? You carry this with you everywhere?”
I nod hesitantly. “Is there something wrong?”
Silas shakes his head and hands it back to me with an intimate smile on his face, his eyes filled with affection. “No. Nothing at all.”
His fingers brush against mine as I take the handkerchief from him, unable to look away. Silas Sinclair… he’s addictive, and I’m not even sure he realizes it.
“I wish I could stay and endure this with you,” he tells me, glancing back at my drunk colleagues, “but I need to head out or I’ll be late for dinner. Don’t be late, okay? And please, don’t end up like these two. Let me know when you’re done and I’ll come pick you up.”
I nod at him, unable to deny him even though I know I’ll take a taxi home, and then he walks away, leaving me staring after him, my heart racing.