Chapter 9
LIAM
I smelled the douchebag before I saw him. His cheap cologne announced his presence from a mile away. I spun, my face hardening into a displeased mask when I saw him approach her. The guy who had dumped London in Texas was here.
As I watched, he said something that made her turn to face him and I saw the moment her face went blank.
Prepared to step in if she needed me, I quickly pointed the girl I’d been talking to toward the applications and then headed over.
London always hid it well, but I knew her and I knew this had thrown her off.
A little too happy that she’d evidently forgotten he was even going to be here, I got ready to tell him to get lost when she suddenly seemed to find her voice. “And you are…”
James’s lips parted and his head cocked slowly when she didn’t betray the fact that she recognized him. “Very funny, London. It’s me. James. We were together very recently.”
She smirked. “Weird. I don’t remember a James. I do remember a Jon, but you’ll have to excuse me. I’m drawing a blank on the name James.”
“Well, good.” His own lips pulled into a satisfied smirk. “Then maybe it’ll be easier for you to give me a second chance. This can be a fresh start.”
“A fresh start?” she echoed after him before she laughed. “I’m sure you’ve got the wrong person.”
“I definitely don’t. There’s only one London Walker.” His gaze remained locked on her, practically undressing her as he ran it from her eyes to her feet and back up again.
Although she was doing an amazing job holding her own, it was plain that was she wanted nothing to do with this butthole. I’d never actually spoken to him myself, but I’d listened to her going on about him for weeks and I’d caught glimpses when he’d come to pick her up from the office in Houston.
From the looks of things now, I had a feeling he wanted her back and he’d waited until the convention because he knew he’d be seeing her in person here.
What the poor guy hadn’t realized was that London wasn’t the most forgiving person.
She held grudges the size of independent nations and she clung to them like a parasite to a host.
Clearly, she was done with him. No matter what he did or said now in an attempt to win her forgiveness.
“Hmm, so you do know who I am,” she said mildly, still holding her pose, but I could hear the hint of panic in her voice now.
She was cracking. Fast.
Having had just about enough of the guy myself, I stepped up and tapped him on the shoulder. “Hey, buddy. Either apply for a job with us or get out of here. This is a job fair, not singles’ night. Unless you’re looking for work with the firm, we’ll see you around, bud.”
Instantly defensive, his features grew hard, eyes narrowing. He straightened up. “Who’s this, London? Is he your boyfriend? Because if not?—”
I started saying that we weren’t together, but London suddenly slid her hand around my shoulder. She let her long, delicate fingers squeeze it as she stepped into my side and smiled up at me.
“Yes, actually. That’s exactly who he is.”
“You’ve moved on? Already?” James seemed almost as shocked as I was, but I catapulted into the lead on the shocked scale when she gave me a very specific smile.
I’d seen it on her lips before, that soft, loved-up smile she gave her boyfriends just before she went in for the kiss. And then she did it. Her grasp on me grew possessive, her free arm sliding around my hips as she lifted herself up on her toes.
Her blue eyes dropped to my lips. Her chest brushed against my arm as she leaned closer.
Time slowed in that moment and I saw every sweep of her long lashes when she blinked before moving her gaze back up to mine.
I saw the tip of her pink tongue darting out to wet her lips and the faint blush that touched her cheeks.
Reacting to her on instinct, I snaked an arm around her hips and gently tugged her closer. My free hand tucked back a tiny lock of hair that had escaped behind her ear. I couldn’t believe this was happening, but I bent my head anyway, not even thinking about not following through.
I’d wanted to kiss her a thousand times, but fear of ruining everything between us had held me back. Since this was just for show, it felt safer. It felt fine.
London was insanely beautiful and I loved kissing beautiful woman. She needed me to play along with her right now, so why not?
Slowly moving my hand from her ear to her cheek, I put my palm to her face and finally took control of the moment. Committing to going in for the kiss, I closed the distance between our mouths, feeling her breath wash over my skin and relishing the feel of her body melting into mine.
Her frame was toned, but she was still soft in all the right places. Plus, she smelled divine, that expensive spice with the hints of strawberry so very London that it made my pulse spike. As soon as our lips touched, I felt my stomach drop and my heart slow.
Kissing her felt like home and adventure all at once and while I’d known somehow that she would be a good kisser, I was taken aback by how I felt now that I was finally getting to do it.
London tasted like coffee and something uniquely her.
It was weird, but it was almost like I’d known her taste for as long as I’d known her.
Her soft lips parted beneath mine, and once again, my heart rate went nuts.
I hadn’t been expecting to deepen the kiss, yet I felt the tip of her tongue tentative against my own.
Uninterested in wasting the opportunity, I stroked her tongue with my own, delving into her mouth and exploring every nook and cranny.
London didn’t stop me or push me away. She leaned into me, bringing a hand to the side of my neck and cupping it gently as she tipped her head back.
Aware that we were in a very public space and that this kiss was quickly becoming unfit for public consumption, I finally groaned and slowed it to a natural end.
I didn’t let go of her, though. Half for show and half because I couldn’t not do it, I let my gaze linger on hers, our heads still so close together that our breaths were mingling.
James cleared his throat, the sound grating as it sent me hurtling right back into reality. I blinked hard and released her, the sounds of the convention filtering back into my consciousness. I turned to face him.
He was scowling at us, his face dark and unamused. “Well, you have my number. When you two inevitably break it off, call me.”
Spinning on his heels, he stalked away with his hands clenched into fists at his sides and his spine completely rigid. A hard breath escaped her once he was gone, and she swept the back of her forearm across her forehead.
“Sheesh, that was close.” She glanced up at me without actually making eye contact. “So, uh, thanks for your help. Let’s get some more people to apply, shall we?”
Without looking back, she strode to the table where the application forms were and started walking around the booth with them in her hands. It was pretty obvious to me that she was just trying to keep herself busy, but I’d seen the dazed look in her eyes and the deep flush on her cheeks.
That kiss had affected her just as much as it had me, but even though I knew it hadn’t meant anything and that we were both going to try to play it off, it hadn’t been nothing either. I was absolutely going to be nonchalant and pretend that I’d forgotten it even happened, but shit.
That kiss had been insane—and it was going to be etched into the deepest recesses of my memory forever.