Nico lifts his glass and takes a sip. “So, how did you end up at Brenton-Lake?”
“It’s nothing glamorous,” I confess. “I needed a job, and Weston Burke was hiring an assistant. If you didn’t agree to be my client, I’m not so sure Burke would have given me a chance.”
“Why not? You’re good at your job.”
“Thanks.” I smile. “Burke is old school. He doesn’t believe women should be agents because we’re too emotional.”
“He was wrong about you,” Nico shoots back.
“Happy to prove him wrong,” I say with a wicked grin.
“I’m glad I took a chance on you.”
“I approached you too soon. You hadn’t had enough time to process Vinnie letting you go.”
“Yeah, maybe. Everything seemed to fall apart at the same time. Losing my agent and my house. I promised myself I would never be broke again.”
“You’re not broke,” I point out.
“Not yet.” He groans. “I didn’t realize how much money I was spending every month until I talked to my accountant.”
“It happens to a lot of stars.”
“I didn’t appreciate the money. That’s not why I got into this business.”
“You had the lottery winner mentality,” I quip.
He smirks. “Yeah, I guess.”
“You are friends with Carrie Le Blanc, right?”
“Sure. We go way back,” he says with laughter in his tone.
Carrie is at least a decade younger than Nico.
“Would you talk to her? For me. Burke couldn’t convince her to switch to Brenton-Lake.”
“Am I calling her for you or Burke?”
“Me. We hit it off in New York, but Burke won’t let me talk to her now that she’s turned him down.”
“Wouldn’t that be a conflict of interest?”
“I want to sign her. And Burke wants her at Brenton-Lake.”
“I’ll call her tomorrow,” he offers.
The waitress takes our salad plates, replacing them with our steaks that smell incredible. The scent of garlic wafts off the steamed asparagus, and my stomach growls. She asks us to cut into our steaks to check the temperature. We slice into the meat, satisfied with the color.
“This is the best steak I’ve ever tasted,” I say between bites.
Nico winks. “Wait until you see what I have planned for dessert.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Nico
After dinner, Willow cracks open a bottle of wine to celebrate our success. We’re an unstoppable team when we work together. Willow pours each of us a glass. The fruity liquid tastes amazing as it slides down my throat. I refill my glass and clink it against Willow’s. One drink leads to another, and before I know it, we’re emptying the bottle of Merlot.
Buzzed from one glass, Willow giggles and slides off the kitchen counter. “You’re a terrible influence, Nico Chase.”
I grab her hand as she attempts to walk away. She slips her fingers between mine and closes the distance between us. Our eyes meet, and it’s as if the world falls apart, just the two of us in our little bubble. She’s gorgeous, with those plump lips that are begging for a kiss. I drag my thumb along her bottom lip, and she sticks out her tongue.
“You drive me wild,” I confess.
“And you make me feel like I’m losing control.”
Her lips crash against mine, her kisses eager as she slips her tongue into my mouth. I grab her ass in my hands, lifting her onto my rock-hard erection as she wraps her long legs around my back. She hooks her arms around my neck, threading her fingers together, neither of us coming up for air. I want to explore every part of her delicious body. Maybe I should take my time and savor this moment, make her beg me to come. But when I pull back, her kisses become more desperate and hungry.
Lowering her to the floor, I spin her around and shove her against the wall. I spread her legs with my knee, massaging her breasts over the soft fabric of her dress, and she moans, the tiny buds pebbling from my touch. Holding her arms above her head, I pin her hands to the wall and kiss her neck. I feel like an animal released from his cage, fueled by my desire.
She rubs her ass against my hard cock, rocking her hips until I’m in physical pain. Sliding her dress over her hips, I tug on her panties. The fabric rips on one side and slides down her leg, falling onto her black heels. Willow glances down, then kicks off her shoes, so she’s five inches shorter, small enough to tuck her head under my chin.
Adrenaline rushes through my body, making my heart pound and my pulse race from the high she provides. All of those years of meaningless drinking and partying disappeared overnight. This beautiful woman is responsible for the man I’m becoming. Willow makes me feel things I haven’t felt in a long time. She makes me feel alive and whole, like I can do anything with her by my side.