“That’s not true!” Addison denied, giggling at Ben as I approached from behind her. “I am not trying to be the center of attention.”
“You don’t have to try,” Ben replied, grinning. “It just comes naturally.”
“How about we go back to my apartment and you can be the center of our attention?” I asked from over her shoulder. I purposely kept my voice low.
Addison’s entire body went rigid. I’d clearly surprised her.
A second later, she slowly pivoted, her pretty blue eyes wide as she stared up at me. “What’d you have in mind, Mr. Parker?”
Admittedly, I liked that she referred to me that way. I wasn’t sure she was using it as the honorific I’d instructed her to use, though, but rather a respectful way to address me while in the presence of people we worked with. That was one of the reasons I liked it so much. Ben could show me the respect I’d earned without drawing attention from those in the vanilla world.
“I guess we’ll have to go home to determine that.”
She nodded, then glanced over at Ben. “I’m ready to go if you are.”
Ben met my gaze and nodded.
*
Twenty minutes later, after I’d said good night to Landon and Langston, as well as the two clients I had invited, Ben, Addison, and I were in the elevator on the way up to our floor.
Addison let out a noisy yawn, then covered it with a giggle.
“Tired?”
“Yes and no. I could probably sleep, but I’m still a little wired. I thought dinner would settle me, but it didn’t.”
I wondered if her energy had anything to do with the short but highly satisfying scene from my office. If so, I hoped she was going to stick around so we could pick up where we had left off.
The elevator stopped and I stepped back, placing my hand over the doors once they’d retracted.
Addison led the way down the hallway, coming to a stop in front of her door and mine.
“The question is…” I pulled my key from my pocket. “Are you going to sleep, or do you want to come in for a drink?”
She swallowed hard and I could tell she was seriously considering both options. While I wanted her to come in, I wasn’t expecting it.
Addison glanced between the two of us again. “I…uh…I could probably come in for a few minutes.”
I nodded. “You’re completely safe, little girl. I’m not the big bad wolf.”
Although, the thought did give me an idea for a role-playing scene in the future.
Nineteen
JUSTIN
WHILE WE STOOD IN THE hallway, my statement hovering on the silence that had descended, a slow smile formed on Addison’s sweet mouth.
“Maybe you’re not the big bad wolf right now,” she teased. “But I’ve seen what big teeth you have.”
She was taunting me.
I fucking liked it.
I glanced over at Ben, and I could see the glimmer of lust in his eyes. He was as eager as I was to see where this night was going.
Again, I stepped back after I unlocked the door so they could precede me. Once inside, I headed for the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of scotch from the cabinet, along with three glasses. I poured two fingers in each glass, then added a couple of ice cubes. Carrying all three into the living room, I nodded toward the couch, urging Addison to get comfortable.
“What’d you think of tonight?” I directed my question to Ben.
“The dinner?”
I nodded.
“It was interesting. My client seemed rather pleased to have been invited. Said he was always open to expanding his network.”
When Luci originally suggested that we have dinner with those we did business with from time to time—not merely our own—I hadn’t known how it would go. Due to the vast differences in our clientele, it was always questionable. However, I agreed that networking was important in our world and introducing our clients to one another could potentially work well for them.
I liked that Luci’d had the forethought to come up with those ideas. It was one of the very reasons she was doing so well. I suspected Addison would step into the role for Ben and me as easily as Luci had.
I took a seat a few feet to Addison’s left while Ben dropped into the chair across from us.
Crossing one ankle over my knee, I twisted to look her way. “And you? How was your first day?”
She seemed surprised that I had asked her that. “It was interesting. I hadn’t thought I would be, but I managed to stay busy all day. It’s a lot to take in, so I’m still trying to wrap my head around it all.”
“Right now, things are little out of the norm, what with the dinners and interviews,” Ben replied. “Once we get some people hired, it will be slightly less chaotic.”
I took a sip and watched while Addison did the same. As soon as the liquor hit her throat, she coughed and spurted.
