THE VIBRATIONS FROM THE pocket of my jacket pulled me out of my conversation with Tinley. Earlier in the evening I’d instructed my publicist there were to be no distractions tonight. I simply wanted to enjoy a night with my friends.
Noting the name on the screen, this wasn’t a call I could send to voicemail.
“I have to take this call,” I said, pushing back from the table.
Tinley smiled up at me and nodded. “Do what you need to do.”
“I’m sorry, darlin’, give me one minute,” I whispered into the phone. I’d been in Ronan’s penthouse prior to this occasion, enough times to know where his study was located so that I could take this call in private.
“Hey,” I said, opening the door to the study. “What’s the matter, baby girl?”
“Uncle Matt, I miss you.” The words came from my adorable five-year-old niece, Evie. My brother, Nathan, had settled down and married his college sweetheart, Marlene, years ago. After nearly a decade of trying to get pregnant, and nearly losing hope, they were blessed with a miracle they never thought would happen.
“Aww, I miss you too, darlin’.”
She let out a soft giggle. “Are you comin’ to visit us soon?”
Pain radiated in my chest. “Well, I hadn’t planned on a visit anytime soon. But, I tell you what, how about we plan a video chat. Would you like that?”
“Okay, you promise?”
“I promise. I will call you soon.”
“All right,” Nate’s Texas drawl cut through the speaker. “That’s enough, Evie, say goodnight to Uncle Matt and run along to bed.”
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“Yeah, sorry about that. We got new phones and I haven’t setup the lock feature yet. I’ll be doing that once we hang up.”
After a few moments of idle chit chat, I ended the call with Nate and made my way back to the dinner party festivities. Shoving my phone into the pocket of my jacket, I glanced around the room for Tinley. Where is she?
As I walked towards the bar, Ronan stepped into my path. “Enjoying yourself, mate?”
“Yeah, thanks for the invite,” I answered, before ordering a bourbon. “How long is your sister going to be here?”
“I’m not certain, maybe a few weeks. It depends on whether or not she finds a space for her boutique and how quickly we can close the deal.”
My eyes drifted across the room catching a glimpse of Tinley as she raised a glass to her perfect lips slicked with a deep red color.
Feeling tightly wound and in desperate need of release, my mind began to conjure fantasies. What would her skin feel like against mine? I had a small preview when I laid hands on her earlier, but it wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough.
Looking beautiful in a strapless blue gown, she was engaged in a conversation with two men, one of whom was an executive I recognized from Avalon films. The expression on her face told me that she was bored, but nonetheless she entertained the man who was speaking. It’s the same look she had the night I first met her in Los Angeles. I debated whether or not to save her from the boredom, but something told me Tinley Atkinson wasn’t the kind of woman who needed rescuing. No, she was a woman who radiated confidence and sexiness in equal measure. Tinley was fascinating, and I enjoyed our conversation before and during dinner. At present, all I could think about was tasting her—just one little taste of her on my lips left me feeling irritated.
“You’ve had your eye on that woman all evening,” Ronan mumbled.
“Is it that obvious?”
“Slightly.”
I turned to face him. “What do you know about her?”
“Not much, Tinley’s a close friend of Holliday’s. She’s an artist, I think. Her father is a big oil tycoon or maybe that is her uncle.”
“Interesting, but I was more or less asking if she was dating anyone.”
He shook his head and tossed back a drink from his tumbler. “Oh, well, I don’t know about her dating life. For that you’ll need to consult Holliday. Or here’s an idea, just ask her out.” He slapped my shoulder, and then strode away.
Tinley turned around, her blonde hair slid over her shoulders as her gaze locked with mine. Coming here tonight and seeing her was unexpected, but now to find out that she and I shared mutual friends it all seemed like fate or some shit that I normally didn’t buy into, but it was hard to deny.
Tinley scooped up her black clutch from the table. The light from the chandelier glinted off the diamonds around her neck. I wanted to taste her there, everywhere.
The man she had been talking to put his hand on the small of her back leading her towards the hallway.
No, jackass, my hand goes there.
Glowering, my grasp on the tumbler tightened. Tossing it at his head would be a terrible fucking idea.
Holliday glided up to her side giving her a hug. Unable to move my feet, I stood there frozen.
Move, you pussy.
Tinley was leaving—leaving with a man that wasn’t me. The moment had passed, so much for fate.