The so–called “innocent campus queen” types weren’t exactly rare, butpared to Elissa, none of them quite measured up.
Tonight, she wore a deep green cocktail dress<b>–</b>simple cut, nothing shy. Among the crowd of trust fund princesses, her outfit barely registered, almost in.
But her figure–and that face–were simply impossible to ignore.
He ran his tongue along his teeth, a slow, deliberate motion. “Bet it feels amazing to run my hands along your waist and hips.”
“Go ahead, then.”
Elissa suddenly seemed to rx, leaning loosely against the wall, her lips. curling in a slight, teasing smile. “What do you think, if Rowan finds out–will he take your left hand, or your right?”
te’s fear of Rowan was almost instinctive, bred into his bones.
The moment Rowan’s name was mentioned, he flinched, just a little.
Then, trying to recover his bravado, he drawled, “What, you think I’m an idiot? Ever since that family dinner, you and Rowan haven’t had any private contact, have you?”
So he really did know everything.
Then again<i>, </i>of course he did. Even if he wasn’t exactly a star in the Murphy family, he still had his sources.
Elissa’s fingertips curled into her palm, but her smile didn’t waver. “If I hadn’t, how do you think I got a spot on the Murphy Group’s research project?”
te had heard vague rumors about that cancer research initiative.
But he’d been yed by Elissa before–he wasn’t about to swallow her story so easily. “Probably just a coincidence. Thepany has so many projects, Rowan can’t micromanage every single one. It’s normal for a few
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to slip through the cracks.”
“But I’m a nobody–totally unremarkable.” Elissa’s tone was open, almost inviting the insult. “If it wasn’t for his word, how else could I have gotten
in?”
That gave te pause.
Elissa’s only real achievement in life was that miracle year she managed to get into Vistapeak University. Since then, she’d faded into obscurity, drifting through a job at a local holistic clinic.
With her degree and her resume, there was no way she should’vended a spot on a high–profile project like that.
te eyed her skeptically. “You and Rowan are still in touch?”
“Of course<b>.</b><b>” </b>
Elissa nodded. “Just a couple days ago, after a team dinner, Rowan was the one who drove me home.”
She lookedpletely at ease, not the least bit flustered.
It was the truth, after all. Even if te was crazy enough to check the security footage, she had nothing to worry about.
“You” te gritted his teeth, jabbing a finger at her in warning. “You just wait. If I find out you lied to me again, I swear Fll make your life hell.”
He stormed off, furious–he’d almost had her in the palm of his hand, and now she’d slipped right through his fingers. Even his gait was angry, every step radiating frustration.
But Rowan… Rowan was his Achilles‘ heel.
“Mr. te-”
He’d barely re–entered the main hall when a woman called out to him, striding over with two sses of wine.
She was pretty, maybe halfway to Elissa’s level.
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But her taste was questionable. From head to toe, she was trying so hard to look elegant and refined that it circled back to tacky.
te wasn’t into that at all. His expression turned impatient. “What is it?”
“It’s business, actually.”
Marcia had no idea what was running through his mind. She smiled, offering him one of the sses. “Mr. te, how about we talk partnership?”
te narrowed his eyes, recalling who she was, his tone dripping with disdain. “You’re… Frank’s sister–inw, right? The one with the little secret on the side?”
Frank’s sister–inw. Which meant she was Elissa’s sister–inw, too.
Now that piqued his interest. “So, what kind of partnership are we talking about?”
Marcia nced toward the back garden, her smile bright and unhurried as she met te’s eyes. “The kind where we both stand to win.”