❝乇𝕣ίŊ❞

“Is he in the room?” Allegra asked over FaceTime. “You said to call you back when he wasn’t.”

I spun my hair around the wand and yanked slowly, letting the loose curl pop free.

“I’m getting ready for dinner tonight.”

“What’s he doing?”

I shrugged.

“I don’t know.”

We’d showered together, and then he disappeared into the sitting area.

“Normally, he sits around in sweats, messing with his phone while I get ready. Did you know he didn’t even have TikTok until yesterday?”

“What?”

“I know, right? Who doesn’t do TikTok? And now he’s analyzing it instead of laughing at videos. He called it the perfect seven-second ad clip for Gen Z” I shook my head, my curls bouncing. “The guy gives amazing orgasms, but seriously, he’s so intense. That could be why he gives a good orgasm, though. When he’s focused, he’s focused.”

Allegra sighed.

“What?” I asked.

“I want to have a serious conversation about the fact that you are now actually sleeping with the man paying you thousands of dollars to spend time with him, and you’re laughing about TikTok.”

I froze mid-curl and then yanked the wand out so my hair didn’t burn.

We’d have to talk about that.

Taking his money didn’t feel right anymore. I tapped my nails on the counter.

“Rin?”

What had she said?

Probably something about her being concerned about my safety or Atlas being sketchy.

“I told you, Alle. He’s great. Our blind date was a total flop, but this... this is going pretty well.”

Atlas went out of his way to make me feel seen, and not just that “shit, you look hot” thing guys did. He included me in business conversations and looked for me in a room full of people. Our every interaction was just…natural, and easy.

I’d never had that before.

“I know you think it’s sketch, but I swear, Alle. He’s by far and away the most respectful, most attentive guy I know.”

“And you are so clueless. Do you even hear yourself?” Allegra frowned.

“I know you’re worried. But seriously, Atlas is the kind of guy you’d pick for a friend,” I assured her again.

“What happens in two days, huh?” Allegra demanded. “Think about a future more than two hours away.”

“Hopefully, he gets the account and makes his dad proud. And I have that fundraising event for Yolanda.” I shrugged.

“Not only are we not on the same page, but we’re not even in the same book. I don’t understand how you aren’t more attached. In one breath, you sound all-in, and the next, you sound like, eh, whatever.”

“Attached to what?” I asked, finishing my last curl.

“Him.” Allegra rolled her eyes.

I froze.

I wasn’t attached to my pretend fiancé, was I?

He was hot and caring and smart, sure. He’d totally make some girl happy one day.

That felt weird.

I chewed on my lower lip, uneasiness churning in my gut. The idea that he’d make another girl happy didn’t sit right. I frowned. The good news was that I would never meet the woman he finally settled down with because he’d be all the way across the country. And that was a blessing for said woman because I had the urge to hit the nameless, faceless idea of his future girlfriend.

Allegra sighed again.

“Okay, I can’t make you see this for what I think it is, so I’ll see you Sunday night?”

“Yep,” I nodded.

By the time I finished my makeup, Atlas was fully dressed in his suit and waiting in the common room. The man wore a suit like no other. His broad shoulders and narrow hips worked for him. With one hand in his pocket, the planes of his stomach behind the white button-down were on display. His moss-green eyes moved up from his phone, and a smirk danced on his lips.

“You better be careful eye-fucking me like that, Rin. Because if you keep that up, I’ll make us late for dinner.”

I shivered.

Walking straight to me, Atlas held out a hand. When I took it, he tugged me close and pressed his lips tight to mine.

Who cares if we are a little late?

Forty-five minutes later, Atlas was leading me through the dining room to our table.

“We’re not that late,” I assured him.

“Even if we were,” Atlas sent me a grin that flipped my stomach, “it was worth it.”

What was it about him that made me feel so much?

We wound through the room until finally finding the Myers’ table.

Belinda smiled at me and stood as we approached. She slid her arm through mine and pulled me toward an empty seat at one end of the table. Atlas sat with the men, but his eyes stayed trained on me as he settled.

“So glad you’re here. Do you see the woman over my shoulder who’s heading toward us?” Belinda whispered. “I don’t want to talk to her. Do you think you could put her off?”

“Of course,” I said as I pulled back. “What do you need me to do?”

“Tell her you’re acting as my assistant this weekend. She needs to schedule a meeting. Just schedule it for any time next month that works for her.”

“Easy enough” I stood and made my way toward the serious-looking woman in a power suit, intercepting her and introducing herself as Belinda’s temporary assistant.

By the time I was back in my seat, my phone had a notification giving me access to a shared calendar with Belinda.

“What’s wrong?” Atlas said from where he stood behind my chair.

His breath on my neck sent a chill down my spine.

“Nothing” I shrugged and added the meeting to the calendar.

Before Atlas could say more, Belinda was at my other side, introducing me to the rest of the table. In addition to the three Myers siblings and their spouses, Brandon, a top-floor executive assistant, and his partner were also seated with them.

“Atlas, do you and Erin golf?” Devin asked while we were waiting for our main courses to be served.

“My father and I play twice a week when we’re both in LA” I darted a glance at Erin.

“They only let me come sometimes, because I think golf is supposed to be fun. And they find it very important that the white ball gets to the hole quickly,” I interjected and then smiled over at Atlas.

He shook his head with a little laugh, probably wishing he could call me crazy girl.

Martha, Devin’s wife, laughed. “You need to play with me, then.”

Devin groaned. “Yeah, the rest of these guys,” he tipped his head at his siblings, “they won’t play with us anymore.”

“Control your wife,” Felix called out in a way that told me it was a running joke.

“The two most important words in any good marriage are,” Devin paused dramatically, “yes, dear.”

The entire table laughed.

“You’ll learn that quick, Atlas.”

Atlas watched me fingering the end of one of my curls.

“I feel that a little more every day.”

Normally, when he focused on me, the look was all heat and desire, and it made my heart pound. But this was different. Almost warm, like a cozy blanket.

“Why don’t you two join us tomorrow morning?” Devin suggested. “Maybe we’ve finally found a couple who can handle Martha and me.”

“Sure, sounds good,” Atlas responded.

Throughout dinner, Brandon was pulled away a few times to deal with business, and Belinda asked me to intercept two other executives who wanted to meet with her.

Atlas squeezed my hand as I took my seat again. There was something different about him tonight. For a moment, I thought about asking him. Then his eyes lingered on the swell of my breasts, and the air between them was normal again—all sexual tension and lust. I breathed out a sigh as he yanked his attention back to the conversation with the Myers brothers.

“You’re almost better at running interference than I am. I didn’t think that was possible” Brandon had switched seats with Belinda because she was chatting with her sister-in-law.

“What?”

“They bring us assistants along to step in when they don’t want to deal with certain people, but Belinda is without one this weekend. Tamara just gave her notice. She won’t be coming back after maternity leave.”

“Oh” No wonder Belinda had struggled with help this week.

“But I’m glad it’s you and not someone else, because Belinda tends to be quick to grab on to someone, and a lot of times, they don’t work out.”

I could see that. The way Belinda had taken to me was almost unbelievable. But truthfully, everyone there seemed to fit well together. Brandon and his partner were easy to talk to, and together, they made me laugh. I loved the entire group.

When dinner was over, Atlas got pulled into a conversation with two other men, while she chatted amicably with one of their wives.

I scanned the crowd as I half listened to the conversation around me, pausing when she caught sight of Brandon talking animatedly to Belinda. They turned in my direction, still locked in conversation, and when they saw me watching, they quickly yanked their gazes away.

Were they talking about me? Had I messed something up?

I hadn’t thought so. But the idea that I’d done something dumb to hurt Atlas’ chances with the Myers flipped my stomach.