“Wow, she’s hot,” I blurt out. Realizing that may have been rude, I follow it up with a hurried, “Sorry.”

Skyler laughs and puts her phone away. “I know, right? She’s a babe. I’ll see if she wants to come out with us on Friday...if it’s okay to bring our partners.”

“Oh, that sounds like fun. Maybe I’ll ask my—” I pause for a quick second, then just say it “—boyfriend. See if he wants to come, too.”

“Sure. Sounds like a good time. After we hit Marie’s Yacht Club for some food we can go to Seven Eight Nine—it’s a club next door if we want to go dancing after.”

“Good call.” I think about Oz and I meeting there. Maybe he’d like to go back so we could dance.

We exit the elevator and walk through the lobby. I make my way toward the front of the building. Skyler said she was taking a cab to meet Jamie for dinner, so we walk outside together. Looking left, I see Oz’s limo, and as I spot it, the door opens.

“I’m this way. See you tomorrow,” I toss over my shoulder, making my way over to Oz.

He steps out as I approach, his black suit looking as crisp as it did this morning. The gray tie catches a little of the setting sun, and his smile beams at me, dimples and all. As I approach him, I see his eyes move past me, and then his smile drops.

I turn, looking over my shoulder, and see Skyler staring at us. She has an odd look on her face, but after a second, she walks away in the other direction.

I turn back to Oz, and he looks down at me, but there’s something in his eyes. I can’t tell what it is. It’s almost like he’s hesitant. The happy beaming face from before is gone, replaced by worry.

“Hey. Do you know her?”

“No,” he says quickly, and then his eyes clear of whatever it was that was bothering him. Letting out a quick sigh, he smiles at me and reaches out, pulling me into his arms. “How was your sandwich?”

When he leans in and places a soft kiss on my neck, all thoughts of Skyler vanish from my brain. The feel of his warm lips on my skin makes everything wonderful and perfect. I want to wrap around his body and soak in his size and strength, but he pulls back, taking my hand and helping me into the back of the limo.

Once we’re in, he takes my hand in his and brings it to his mouth. He places a soft kiss on the inside of my wrist, and the heat warms my cheeks. Even the simplest things he does to me are sexual. I love that he can’t seem to stop himself from touching me.

“Dinner?” he asks, moving his lips back and forth across my wrist.

“Hmm?” I’m not sure I understand what he’s asking because I’m so focused on what he’s doing.

The car pulls away from the curb, and he smiles, bringing my hand to his face. He holds my palm there, looking at me, and it’s the most intimate thing in the world.

“I missed you,” he whispers. I don’t know why, although it’s only been a few hours since we were together it somehow seems longer. The way he says it makes it sound like it’s been years since he’s been with me.

After a second of looking at me, he reaches over with both hands, pulling me onto his lap. I laugh, thinking that he can’t stand even the smallest distance between us.

“I love that sound,” he says, burying his face against my exposed neck.

The heady smell of amber and honey hits me again, and the familiar rush of excitement pools in my lower belly. Being this close to him is dangerous, but I can’t seem to find it in me to stop him. His big hands come around my back, holding me to him, and I reach up, running my fingers through his dark waves.

“How was your day, dear?” I joke, holding him to me. It’s as if we’ve done this every day for our whole lives, falling into a well-known embrace.

“It was miserable. You were in it far too little.”

I laugh again, and he squeezes me tighter.

“What did you really do? I was deep in reports all day,” I ask, wanting to know. I have no idea what he does on a day-to-day basis.

He lets out a deep sigh, like his day was long. “I mainly had to wrap up some deals and close some things out.”

I look up at him. His answer is very vague and I’m sure he can tell what I’m thinking by the look on my face.

“I buy businesses and either dismantle them and sell off the parts or I turn them into something more. I spent a lot of my day looking at numbers.”

It makes me smile that we have something in common. “You like the numbers, too?”

“Everything comes down to numbers.” He moves in a little closer, like he is going to kiss me. “Except you. You’re one formula I can’t seem to crack or predict. It’s different and I rather enjoy it.”

I like that because I’m the same way. Numbers are safe and easy. There’s always an answer and the rules don’t change. There’s no questioning them. They are what they are. It’s nice to have someone like Oz. Something that’s not an equation.

“Where are you taking me to feed me?”

He pulls back looking up at me excitedly. “It’s a surprise,” he says, wiggling his eyebrows.

After a moment, the limo stops. “Are we here already?” I ask, trying to look out of the limo windows. They’re beyond blacked out, so even seeing what street we’re on is nearly impossible.

“Would you like to ride around the block a few more times?”

Oz gives me a wicked grin and I know exactly what he means by that. But I’ve told myself that tonight I’m getting to know this gorgeous man who’s taken hold of me. I want to get some answers about him and see where he thinks things are headed. I may be new at this, but I want to be honest about what I want and what I expect. I don’t want to get a few months in and find out we aren’t on the same page.