Free Blurring the Lines (Men of the Zodiac) by Marisa Cleveland Page A

the office.”
    Keith choked on his whiskey. “It’s eight. Besides, I think Tish just spotted me. It would be rude to leave without saying hi.” He slid some bills in the bill plate, and the two men approached the bar. Blake listened again for her signature laugh. Even with her hair down and her back to him, his body still reacted. How did she draw him in without even trying?
    Tish’s eyes widened. “What are you two doing here?”
    Blake laughed at her surprise. “Getting a drink, like you, I suppose.” He glanced past her to Kira. “Ladies.”
His brother sidled up to her side of the bar. “Hey.”
    Tish picked up her martini glass and slid off the stool. “I see another friend of mine. Keith, want to meet a model?” Then, with her glass raised above the crowd, they snaked their way to the opposite side of the U-shaped bar.
    Kira wiggled into the abandoned seat and crossed her legs, her skirt hitching to mid-thigh. “What kind of drink?”
    “Excuse me?” It was difficult to remember he didn’t mix business with pleasure when she crossed her legs like that. If he touched her skin, would it be as soft and smooth as he imagined?
    Her big brown eyes blinked at him with innocent inquiry. “You said you were here for a drink, which makes sense, since it’s a bar, but what do you drink? Anything fun ?”
She said fun like she was challenging him, and he agreed. “I suppose Scotch wouldn’t be considered fun.”
    She shot the bartender a disgusted look. Dramatically rolled her eyes and refocused on him. “Oh, ugh. Borrrrinnnggg.”
    He snorted, hating how much he enjoyed her teasing. He guessed he deserved it, so instead of acting all offended, he laughed and countered, “There’s nothing wrong with traditional.”
    She gripped his arm—his bicep—and electric shocks coursed over his shoulder and tightened in his cheek. “Scotch is like for eighty-year-old men. Not some thirty-year-old CEO.”
    Stepping closer, inhaling her tropical scent, he lowered his voice, “How do you know how old I am?”
She leaned forward, treating him to a magnificent view of her pink lace bra just beneath the deep V of her top. “Hello Google? Really, I asked Tish.”
    He straightened. “Funny.”
    She lifted her glass to her lips. “What is?”
    He shouldn’t admit it. He should keep his mouth shut. But he wanted to see her reaction, and he hoped it would open up the conversation for further discussion. “I thought about doing the same thing.”
    She curved her lips upward in an enticing smirk. “You thought about asking Tish how old you were?”
    He laughed. Witty and gorgeous. “About you.” Too much more time with her and he’d be tempted to take her home. Hell, he was already tempted. Had been tempted since the first day, really. Something in the way she’d reprimanded him over three espresso shots stuck in his mind and wouldn’t let go.
    She took a long sip of her sticky sweet Mai Tai and gave him a closed-mouth smile. The deep V of her top drew his attention to her breasts, and he nearly groaned when he noticed the outline of her hardened nipples through the fabric. But it wasn’t a crime to admire a beautiful woman. Just one who happened to work for him.
    He shouldn’t have come over here. Not at the end of a long week with Kira occupying so many of his thoughts. “So, would you like to tell me your age?”
    She re-crossed her legs, drawing his attention to her smooth, bare skin. “It would be more fun if you guessed.”
    He shook his head. No way would he dig himself into that hole. “Guessing has never worked in my favor.”
She pouted. He waited. She caved. “Fine. Twenty-five.”
    “I would’ve guessed younger,” he admitted.
    Her nose wrinkled. “My early twenties weren’t good years for me.”
    Interesting. “Why not?”
    She held up her empty glass. “No goals. A spontaneous and very bad haircut.” She smirked. “I was going through a…transition.”
    His gaze landed on her hair, and