Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
She took her time with her makeup and left her hair down.
She chose a new Milly designer dress, a one-piece black sleeveless mock turtleneck that ended with a Boho colorful handkerchief hem she adored. The shoulders were a generous cut, revealing arms she worked hard to keep toned. She paired the dress with a medium-height block heel and a fun natural-and-black-striped clutch that had a thin strap if she wanted to hang it over her shoulder.
Grabbing a short, thin black leather jacket, she was ready to leave. She opened her ride share app and called for a car. Knowing she’d see Knox again, the butterflies in her stomach had only gotten worse, and by the time she stepped out of the car and walked into the restaurant, they’d fully taken flight.
At the hostess stand, the woman there informed her the rest of her party had already arrived, then led Jade to a back corner. Knox and Holly sat at a table, deep in conversation, giving Jade a chance to stare at Knox without his knowledge.
Once again wearing a sport coat—this one a tonal navy, with a light blue shirt beneath—he was everything she liked in a man. Dammit. Why couldn’t he have worn a T-shirt? Maybe she wouldn’t have been as attracted to him.
Liar.
As if he sensed her stare, Knox looked up and saw her, then rose to his feet. Had Theo ever stood up when she walked into a room? Ummm… No. His gaze slid over her like a soft caress, his warm smile telling her he liked what he saw. She let out a sigh. At least she wasn’t alone in this unwanted attraction. Though he didn’t seem to mind.
“Sorry I’m late,” Jade said. “My Uber got stuck in traffic.”
Holly waved her hand, dismissing Jade’s concern. “We haven’t been here long.”
“Here. Have a seat.” Ever the gentleman, Knox pulled out her chair and Jade sat down.
He settled in the chair next to her, making her aware of the alluring scent of his cologne—a scent any sane woman could get high on inhaling.
“Was your expo booth successful?” he asked.
She nodded. “It was,” she said with a grin as she placed the folded napkin on her lap. “We accumulated a list of names to add to our mailing list. Some women even wanted to set up appointments to book wedding dates two years in advance.”
“Two years!” Holly let out a squeak, causing Jade to laugh.
“I know, you’re in a rush,” Jade said. The young woman’s enthusiasm was infectious.
Knox groaned. “She’s determined,” he muttered.
The waiter walked over and paused by Holly. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“I’ll have a glass of pinot grigio.”
When he looked at Jade, she said, “A club soda with lime, please.”
“Sir?” he asked.
“Whiskey, on the rocks. Dirty Dare, if you have it.” Knox locked eyes with Jade and winked.
Her panties grew damp at that subtle gesture, and she shifted in her seat.
“I thought Dirty Dare was vodka,” Holly said as the waiter walked away.
“It is. But they bought out a whiskey company last year,” Knox said. “Right?”
Jade nodded. “We did.” Her family vodka business, in which all her siblings had a stake, had begun to expand, buying a well-known brand and relabeling it under the Dirty Dare name. “To quote Asher,” she said, using finger gestures, “if we want to be a major player in distilled spirits, we need to invest in a variety of categories of alcohol.” She indicated the end quote with her fingers and laughed. “No joke though, Asher is brilliant at what he does.”
She admired her brother’s business savvy. When he’d decided to create Dirty Dare Vodka, he’d insisted all the siblings contribute from their family-provided trust funds. He then proceeded to increase their income, ensuring none of them would ever have to worry about money. Each of them still worked in their chosen fields—Harrison was a world-famous, award-winning actor, Nick and Jade worked in the hotels, and Zach spent his hours in the bar he owned, though everyone suspected Zach did more than just run a bar. Her brother loved being mysterious.
“Asher’s smart,” Knox agreed.
“You and Asher are old friends, right?” Holly asked her brother. “I remember you mentioning him back when… Yeah, I remember.” Her cheeks turned red. It was obvious she’d just realized that when she’d mentioned back when, she was talking about the time Theo had cheated on Jade with Knox’s wife.
“They are,” Jade murmured. She glanced at Knox. “Though I didn’t realize Theo was your stepbrother until he and I started dating. It was a little… complicated in the end,” she said.
“Incestuous but not,” Knox grunted, just as the waiter set down their drinks.
“I was going to say it was just so wrong. Sometimes, I can’t quite believe I’m related to Theo.” Holly wrinkled her nose in disgust.