Right Billionaire, Wrong Wedding (Sexy Billionaires)(49)

“Tell me you’re not going to make me sit through a dessert course.”

“Come on, this place must have the best tiramisu in the city.”

The alarm in her expression was so real he couldn’t help but laugh. “All right,” he agreed. “I can play the gentleman for one dinner.” Because he liked her face lit with joy almost as much as he liked it lit with desire.

And that was a dangerous precedent he did not want to dwell on.





Chapter Twelve


“It was a dinner to die for.” Allison leaned against Gillian’s desk, hugging a file folder to her chest. “Afterwards we went back to my place.”

“Bow chicka wow wow.”

She whacked her friend with the file before admitting, “Yeah, pretty much.”

“So did he spend the night?” Gillian asked.

“No. Said he had an early morning.” It didn’t bother her at all that he had left her apartment at an ungodly hour in the morning rather than stay snuggled in her warm bed. Not one bit.

Gillian shrugged. “Could be true. He’s certainly got enough on his plate. Besides, the dinner sounds like a great step forward. Can’t get too greedy.”

“It was wonderful,” she agreed. “An excellent first date.”

“Who would have thought? Are you sure he’s just looking for friends with benefits?”

That was the question she’d been asking herself all day.

“I don’t know,” she said. “Our dinner felt like it was more than that. And I’m learning more about him, Gil. More than I knew when I was just his assistant.”

Concern flashed across the redhead’s face. “That sounds promising, but make sure you don’t get ahead of yourself, Allison. Don’t fall for him before you know whether or not he’s even capable of reciprocating.”

“Hey, hey, who’s falling? I’m totally keeping my emotions separate.”

Gillian’s mocking snort was not reassuring. “Even you can’t believe that anymore.”

“I’m not in love with Darian.”

It would be the height of foolishness to fall in love with a man she could only be with for a limited time. A man who would probably run in the other direction if she ever even tried to use the L-word. She knew what kind of man Darian was and it wasn’t one who stuck around long term. Of course, she didn’t love him.

Right?

Gillian let out a long sigh. “Sure, you’re not. Just remember not to be so starry-eyed when you see him tonight.”

“We didn’t make any concrete plans,” she hedged.

“Haven’t you two spent most nights together? I very much doubt that will change now. Have fun.”

She grinned. “Will do.” With a wave, she pushed away from the desk and headed back to her own office.

A dozen more wedding RSVPs had come in and she needed to update the guest list. So far most of the people they’d invited had said they’d make it, despite the short notice. Just went to show the power of the King name.

Once her wedding business was taken care of, Allison opened up the files she’d been working on and tried to lose herself in work. Through it all, however, she couldn’t wipe the happy smile from her lips. Just thinking about her boss had her heart racing. Last night had been about more than just sex. She was sure of it.

And having someone like Darian care about her was an addictive feeling.

She was still smiling an hour later when her day was done and she was preparing to finish up. But when a stranger rapped on her door, her good humor vanished.

“Excuse me.”

Allison looked up from her computer to see what appeared to be a model in her office. Her stomach sank as she took in the beautiful blonde before her.

Maybe she’s the new legal counsel, the optimistic part of her brain said. Showing up right when most of the employees would be clocking out. Right when Darian would be finished with his work.

“Can I help you?” she asked. Even as the words left her mouth, she knew what the blonde would say. What they always said when they showed up in her office like this.

“I’m here to see Darian King.”

Pain tore at her chest, but she bit it back. “Of course you are.”

The blonde offered her a friendly grin, obviously not knowing what she had done.

“I should have an appointment.”

Blood roared in her ears and Allison dutifully pulled up Darian’s calendar. Sure enough, the time was booked off for a meeting marked “private.”

She stared at the label she’d seen so many times before, used whenever one of Darian’s latest conquests had shown up in the office. It shouldn’t surprise her that he was still seeing other people. Really, it shouldn’t hurt.