Want Me (Mess with Me 4)

All at once I realize how pervy that sounded.

“Not like that!” My face flames with embarrassment but I can’t stop laughing.

He shakes his head playfully. “You said you were choking on something? What could you have meant? Was it meat?”

I slap a hand over my mouth. We’ve pretty much blown our cover by being so loud at this point but I can’t stop. Seth seems to enjoy the fact that I can’t control myself, watching with undisguised amusement.

Suddenly the door to the closet flies open and someone pushes aside the coats blocking us from view.

Law glances between us, his jaw tight. “My apologies. I thought this was a coat closet.”

The unspoken censure in his gaze is obvious. Seth tenses next to me and I get the feeling that a little space is a great idea.

“No problem. We were just leaving. You ready?” I look over my shoulder at Seth, wondering if he’s going to play along.

He hesitates for a beat before nodding. “Whenever you are.”

11

LAW

Watching their backs as they walk away, it takes all of my patience to remain in place. Decking a client in full view of all of my employees, at the client’s own party no less, is probably not the best way to keep my business afloat.

But when Seth’s hand dips low on Anya’s bare back, all my thoughts of patience and self-restraint go out the window.

“That motherfu–”

A hand clamps down on my shoulder, holding me in place. I turn, ready to swing on the person stupid enough to get in my way but lose some steam when I see Milo’s grin.

“What are you smiling about?”

“Nothing. Let’s just say I feel your pain but this really isn’t the time to make a scene.”

It’s tempting to pretend I don’t know what he’s talking about but when I turn around to see if Seth is still groping Anya in public, the two are nowhere to be found.

They’re probably hiding in another closet somewhere.

“Are you okay or should I stick around?” Milo gestures with his drink toward the back of the room. “Otherwise I should probably go circulate. Make sure our clients are having fun.”

I wave him off, ignoring the sense of shame his words bring up. This is my company. GlowUp is a major campaign for us. Instead of working the room and generating potential new leads, I’m sulking in the corner like a toddler whose favorite toy has been taken away. It’s hard to ignore my emotions but that’s the job. When you own a business you can’t just think about yourself. Mirage has to be the best not just for me but for all the employees who rely on their paychecks for survival.

This is why I don’t do commitments. No emotion. It just gets in the way of what’s really important.

“I thought you just hated weddings. Now, I’m starting to think you hate people in general.”

The sly voice at my side is a surprise.

“Philippe Lavin. I’m surprised to see you here.”

The other man accepts a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. As usual, he’s wearing what looks to be a custom made suit, no doubt from his brother’s line. I wonder idly if he ever wears anything else. I’ve never seen him in casual clothes or anything that doesn’t look custom tailored.

“I’m an investor in the GlowUp app.”

My face must convey my surprise because he chuckles before taking an appreciative sip of his champagne.

“Milo mentioned the app when Seth first started looking for investors. I’m not just my brother’s keeper.”

Even though his voice remains even, there’s something beneath the surface that makes me wonder if all is well in the Lavin world. As happy as he always seems, being second fiddle to your brother has to be a difficult position at times. I certainly can’t blame the lesser known Lavin for wanting to invest on his own.