“Oh,” Arlie said, thinking of Ericka and Charlotte waiting for her in the break room; she was already five minutes late. “Actually, I was supposed to link up with Ericka Cheng. She wanted to—”
“You know what you two should do,” Samuel cut in. “There’s a brand-new bistro that opened in the Five Penn Center building. Their espresso is imported directly from Trieste. You should go before Phillymag kills it with a rave.”
“Since when am I allowed to leave the building on a weekday before noon without receiving a check in the Unforgivable Wastrels column of your little leather notebook?” Mason raised a roguish eyebrow at his clearly flustered brother as he sauntered into the office and slid into the chair his twin had just vacated.
“You make me sound like some kind of tally-taking task master,” Samuel said, attempting a casual laugh.
“No effort required on my part.” Mason winked at Arlie from across the desk.
Such a strange reversal from a mere four days ago, with her now behind the desk and the Kane twins in front of it.
“So this is why you were a no-show.”
Ericka and Charlotte stood in the doorway Mason had evacuated. Ericka with her arms folded across the chest of her chic suit and Charlotte, chewing her lip and staring at her designer shoes.
The only question in Arlie’s mind at that particular moment was which of the Kanes Charlotte had a thing for.
One way to find out.
Arlie rose behind her desk. “Gentlemen, my apologies. I promised these two lovely humans I would have coffee with them. Also, Ericka is going to bring me up to speed about the plans for Supply Side West.”
Mason unfolded himself from his chair, “I need to catch up with Angela about the very same subject. Why don’t I join you?”
Arlie watched as Charlotte’s lips tugged upward, the roses returning to her cheeks. “Actually,” she said, looking pained, “you’re late for an eleven-thirty meeting with Laurel Greaves...the chief commercial officer of Neutratanicals? You’ve already canceled on him twice.”
“Of course.” Mason thumped his lineless forehead with a knuckle in mock exasperation. “You know I’d die without you, Charlotte.”
Charlotte’s cheeks turned an even darker shade of crimson as she watched him exit.
Mason.
She definitely had a thing for Mason.
“I’ll leave you to it.” Samuel nodded to Ericka and Charlotte, quitting Arlie’s office with urgent, long-legged strides.
Arlie’s imagination had always been vivid and vast, but this time, its services weren’t required. She had breathed the very air from his lungs. Had felt him. Tasted him. Could taste him still.
And she wanted to taste him again.
She’d fought this knowledge all night and all morning. All her life, it seemed. Fought it while her senses fed on his proximity, a longing echoing through her whole being.
Last night had been like a single swallow of water after years of thirst.
It had only served to wake up the pure, sweet need. An ache that danced through the deepest parts of her.
She had wanted Samuel Kane then.
She wanted him now.
Wresting her attention from the man who had become her world’s axis in the past twenty-four hours, she turned to Ericka and Charlotte. “Shall we?”