The Collection (Contemporary Reverse Harem 5)

I reached out and tucked it behind her ear. And don’t you know, just as I did, she leaned into my hand.

Christ, I was dying to kiss her. But there’d be time for that.

“It’s just not really my thing, though, working with my dad. You know what I mean?” I asked.

“What do you want to do, if not work for a sports team?”

If I only knew.

“At some point, I’d like to do something entrepreneurial. Start something of my own rather than take the safe route and follow Dad. Until then, modeling is good. It pays the bills, and the hours aren’t too bad.”

“So is that how you have such an amazing apartment? Because your family is well-off?” she asked.

I knew she’d put two and two together. You didn’t have a home like mine in Manhattan without help from someone.

“Yeah. When my grandmother died, she left me money. I was fortunate enough to snag that place in Soho.”

I paid the bill, and we got up to leave, forced to weave back around the tight tables that were just as packed as when we arrived. The thing about weekend brunch in New York was that it never seemed to end. It started in the morning and went straight through ‘til dinner. And a restaurant like Uptown was always mobbed.

Out in the sunshine, I took a chance and draped an arm around Kealy’s shoulder. She pressed into me as we walked, which was a damn good sign.

“So, my green-eyed friend,” I said, stopping, “I’m quite impressed with you.”

She looked down shyly, but quickly back up at me with her usual confidence. “Really? And why would that be, my brown-eyed friend?” she asked.

“You have enough self-respect to not let a set-back put you out of business. You’ve got a plan B and have thought it out. You’re kind, as witnessed in the way you took care of your drunk friend. And you’re fucking hot.”

I didn’t really need to add that last piece, but it kind of slipped out.

I bent to kiss her, and she was delicious and lovely, just like I knew she’d be. Her lips welcomed mine with a pliant response, and when they parted slightly, well, my pulse sped up double time. I was hungry—no, starving—for the other things I wanted to do with her, but I knew to take my time.

I had plenty of time.