Fixed on You Read Free

look
he gave my bosom as I did so. “I wouldn’t throw yours away. I wouldn’t take
yours at all.”
    His eyes narrowed, but the
laughter from earlier still danced in them. “Not your type?”
    “Not necessarily.” Pretending I
wasn’t attracted to him was futile. He had to be aware of my reaction to him.
    “Why then?”
    “Because you’re looking for
something temporary. Something fun to play with.” I leaned even closer to
deliver my punch line—the one that would deter even the horniest of men. “And I
get attached.” I stood back up to my full height so I could take in his
reaction. “Now doesn’t that just scare you shitless?”
    I’d expected to see panic flash
through his face. Instead, I saw a flicker of amusement. “You, Alayna Withers,
do anything but scare me.” But despite his words, he stood, buttoning his suit
coat as he did. “Congratulations again. Quite an accomplishment.”
    I watched him for far too long as
he walked away, more crestfallen about his abrupt departure than I wanted to admit.
    It took me a good five minutes
after he left to realize I’d never given him my name.

Chapter Two
     
     
    “Have you met the new owner yet?”
    I glanced up from my clipboard at
Liesl’s backside as she studied the contents of the small fridge behind the
bar, her cascading purple hair dancing with her movements. My brow furrowed. I
hadn’t forgotten about the new owner but had tried not to think about him, knowing
I’d obsess.
    Irritation at being reminded of
him now filled my response. “When would I have met him?” I hadn’t been at the
nightclub since my graduation more than a week before.
    Liesl closed the door to the fridge
and shrugged. “I don’t know. You could have stopped by or something.”
    She knew me too well. I’d stopped
myself several times that past week from wandering over. It had been a battle,
but I’d stayed away. “Nope. Actually, I spent most of the week at a spa near
Poughkeepsie.”
    “Well, la de da!” Liesl raised a
studded eyebrow. “Did you win the lotto when I wasn’t looking?”
    “Hardly. It was a gift from
Brian.” He hadn’t bothered with a card, just an envelope containing the train
ticket and voucher for the resort delivered to me by my doorman the morning of
my graduation. It was thoughtful. And so very unlike my brother. Maybe it had
been his wife’s idea.
    “How…nice.” Liesl detested Brian
and never bothered to hide it. One of the few people in my life who knew my history,
she was fiercely loyal and always on my side. My brother, not so much. That
automatically put them at odds.
    “Don’t sound so shitty. It was nice. I did a bunch of crap I’d never done before—horseback riding, rock
climbing. Tons of spa treatments—feel my skin!” I held out my hand for her to
feel. “My hands have never been this soft.”
    “You’re not kidding. Baby
smooth.”
    “It was good for me. Really.
Exactly what I needed. Relaxing but still kept me preoccupied.”
    “Wow. Score one for Brian. Maybe
he’s finally growing up.” Her voice lightened. “And how was your time not at
the spa?”
    Miserable. The five days at the
spa had been perfect, but after the trip was over, I had to return to my real
life, which meant an empty apartment and a mind that refused to stop working. “I’m
glad to be back, if that’s what you’re asking. And I may have four or five
files of new ideas for the club.”
    She laughed. “Hey, at least
that’s healthy obsessing.”
    I smiled sheepishly.
“Healthyish.” I searched for the Skyy Vodka that my report said should be on
the shelf and marked its presence on my paper when I found it. There were
benefits to an active mind. I always had perfect inventories and flawless
presentations. It was in relating with people—men, to be precise—that obsessing
had its disadvantage.
    I leaned against the back counter
and checked my watch. Fifteen minutes until opening. That meant fifteen more
minutes before the lights