An incredulous look floated up his face. “Absolutely.”
Rox laughed at him. “Humble, much?”
“This is how I look. I am aware of how everyone reacts to me, every day. Yes, I have a bit of success because I am, as you have said, pretty.”
“You’re a damn fine lawyer, Cash. You went to Yale.”
He shrugged. “Money and flirting with the admissions board.”
“Every actor and model in this town wants you to look over their contract.”
He raised one eyebrow. “And then sleep with me.”
“Some of them are in New York and go over the contract via video chat.”
“And then they all fly in for one last meeting,” Cash said.
“You don’t sleep with the guys.”
“It’s not for their lack of trying.”
“It is not just because you’re a pretty boy! Look at me. I work my ass off, and I’m advancing within the firm. I’m not beautiful.”
Cash looked up from the cat in his lap and blinked, a slow movement of his lids over his brilliant green eyes. “Yes, you are.”
“Oh, my stars, Cash!” She cracked up. He could not be serious. “Look at me. I’m dumpy. I’m chubby. My hair is boring brown. So are my eyes. My bone structure is so-so and buried under pudge anyway. Don’t tease me.”
His hand stole along the back of the couch, and he stroked her bare shoulder with one finger, a breach of their established etiquette. “You are beautiful. Your eyes are the color of the caramels back home. When you smile, everything about you is a delight.”
“Stop it. It is not.” She was losing her breath. He shouldn’t say stupid things like that to her.
“Doesn’t your husband tell you that you’re beautiful?” he asked.
His hand drifted down her arm, and he tugged her elbow. Her hand floated away from the cats, who adjusted so they wouldn’t fall off her lap. Midnight grumbled.
Cash caught her fingers in his with his hand underneath, as if he might kiss her hand in an old-fashioned way.
She couldn’t quite look away from his hand, his long fingers that held hers, even while she reached for righteous indignation. She lived in Los Angeles. Surely the ability to act was in the water, there. Her voice was a little breathy as she said, “He doesn’t have to.”
He turned his chin, looking at her sideways. “He does though, right?”
“Um, no.” She looked away. None of her imaginary friends lied to her, not even her imaginary husband.
His fingers still held hers suspended in the air, and her whole body was aware of his hand and all the possibilities.
He might pull her toward him.
The cats would tumble off her lap and end up in a cat fight.
He might brush his lips across her knuckles, starting with her hand, then her wrist.
She might shove the cats off and jump on him, finally tasting his golden skin and lush mouth.
Her lips felt too big, and her bra was too tight where she was struggling to breathe.
Good God, this was why women fell into bed with him. She didn’t believe in fairies or spirits or such, but Cash Amsberg had some kind of hot sex magic and had sent it thrumming through her body.
His thumb skimmed across her knuckles, a caress that zinged through her chest.
Damn it. She shouldn’t have stayed with him, in his house. He would break her heart, and then he would run away.
But she didn’t let go of his hand.
Cash said, “He should tell you that you’re beautiful.”
“It’s just a thing. I don’t care.” Her voice was too high like she was just about to have a panic attack. She shouldn’t have come to his house. She should have slept in her car just one more night. She had to let go of his hand, but she couldn’t. Every second holding his fingers wound her up more.
He turned his wrist a little. That colorful tattoo on the underside of his forearm flashed into view: three abutting shields, a white lion that looked like it was on fire on the orange shield, and two other shields with three crowns and a red and white harlequin pattern.
Cash said, “But you know you are beautiful, right?”
Rox glanced down at her wedding set on her other hand, her suit of diamond armor. The cheap gold and fake stones glowed against Midnight’s black fur. “Where are you going with this?”
Cash leaned his head on the back of the couch. His hand receded, and he stared at the ceiling. “Nowhere. Can’t a friend state to a friend the obvious fact that she is blindingly beautiful?”
Rox retracted her hand and crossed her legs away from him, still trying to breathe normally. “Now I know that you are messing with me. That was over the top, Cash.”
He smiled a little. “It’s not. It’s a good thing you’re married, or I would have made a play for you a long time ago.”