Free RUSH (Montgomery Men Book 1) by C.A. Harms Page B

Marino’s. Lex was a sneaky shit, and so was his boss. To quote Ashton, I don’t give up until I’ve won. I had every reason to feel as though tonight would be just another setup.
    So when I arrived and was led to a table occupied only by Lex, I was a little surprised and instantly felt guilty for doubting his motives.
    “You suspected I was pulling a bait and switch, didn’t you?” Lex said as he stood up and pulled out the chair across from him.
    I shrugged and sat in the chair he was offering, then tucked my purse safely away on the floor at my side. “Well you can’t blame me for doubting you.” I arched my brow, almost begging him to argue.
    “Oh, sweetness, you are such a treat,” he said, sounding almost too giddy. “I thank the heavens every day that I was at the office when you came in that first time. You are a gift, a gem, I tell ya.” He continued to gush, and something told me he meant to say that he wasn’t the only one who saw me this way.
    “Can I get you something to drink, miss?” our waiter said from my left.
    “Yes, please,” I replied as I lifted the wine list. I was just about to choose the cheapest glass when a dark, soothing voice interrupted my thoughts.
    “Good evening, Fernando.” I looked up to find Ashton standing at the edge of our table, wearing a dark suit that highlighted the bright blue tie that accompanied it. “Why don’t you get Lexington and his guest a bottle of Cheval Blanc 1947.”
    Our waiter, who I now knew as Fernando, scurried off, leaving me staring up at Ashton as he eyed Lex, still avoiding turning to face me.
    “Good evening, sir,” Lex said, batting his eyes, which only caused Ash to smirk.
    I couldn’t look away from that strong jaw and those prominent cheekbones. Ash was a delicious man. I pressed my thighs together just a little tighter as I thought of running my fingers through his hair while he. . . .
    A delicate hand with long, pointy, fire-engine-red nails slid around Ashton’s shoulder, interrupting my thoughts. For some reason, I felt the desire to wrench her hand from him and stab her with her own nails.
    “I thought I’d lost you,” she cooed in a whiney voice.
    I meant to keep my thoughts to myself, but when all three of them turned to face me with questioning looks, I realized that my humph of laughter was loud enough for them to hear.
    “Did you say something, Ms. Masterson?” Ashton asked.
    Oh, so we were back to formalities?
    “No, Mr. Montgomery,” I said as I lifted the menu and pretended to be completely unaffected by him and his current fling—or at least I hoped it would look that way. “I was just thinking I would much rather have a bottle of Château d’Yquem.”
    I didn’t look at Ashton to see his response, but judging by Lex’s shocked look, I could only assume my knowledge of overpriced wines had surprise Ashton as well.
    It was a slipup on my part. I was Kiera, the girl that came from the suburbs of Chicago, not Kinsley, who had been married to one of the richest, most powerful men in Miami.
    “Fine choice,” Ashton finally said, and I looked up to find the bottle blonde with tits the size of Mt. Everest staring at me through narrowed eyes. Apparently she didn’t like that I was taking attention away from her.
    I didn’t like it much either. In fact, I wanted both Ashton and his whore to go far, far away.
    “If I found you sharing dinner with someone other than Lex, I may have been a little jealous,” Ashton said, shocking both me and the woman at his side.
    He was on a date, for Christ’s sake. How rude.
    “Enjoy your evening,” he said before offering a gentle nod in Lex’s direction and moving toward a table in perfect view of ours.
    “Why is it that every time I allow you to convince me to do something, I end up regretting it later?” I hissed as I focused yet again on the menu.
    “Hey,” Lex said, “this time I had nothing to do with it.”
    “You expect me to believe that?” I asked,