on stronger today.”
Grace rubbed the back of her neck. “Geesh. I guess I’m a trophy girlfriend now?”
“Take it as a compliment,” he said.
She raised a brow. “The thief of an investment banker and the consultant I’m only pretending to be with are fake fighting over me. What a nice thought.”
“It doesn’t have to be fake.” Her face went pale and he wished he could take the words back. Damn it, this wasn’t the time or place to be pushing things. But he wanted her to know it wasn’t all an act. Sure, it was convenient, but she was smart and beautiful. There was no reason they shouldn’t take things further.
“I’m going to grab a drink,” she said, fake smile firmly in place. “Did you want another?” She motioned to his empty glass.
He looked over to where the waiter poured glasses of wine. “I’m going to find something a bit stronger,” he muttered.
Grace left him, and Simon watched her leave before switching his attention to study the other guests. DuFord’s barbeque was a joke. The man wasn’t cooking a damn thing. The entire event was being handled by caterers, waiters, and servers. But if DuFord got just one new client out of all this, it would more than cover the expense.
Simon recognized most of the people there as guests at the Summer Blowout. So if DuFord had already buttered some poor sap up, this barbeque would be the perfect follow through. Let the mark think they’ve had the illusion of time, but reinforce all the benefits of working with him.
If Simon didn’t utterly despise DuFord so much, he might actually respect him. He continued his surveillance as he circled the patio and made his way closer to the bar.
Just as the bartender handed Simon his whiskey on the rocks, Grace was by his side again.
“You’re a man of simple tastes, aren’t you?” She eyed his drink.
He took a sip as he eyed her. “I don’t know about that.” With a hand on her arm, he led her to a less crowded section of the patio, closer to the house and overlooking the bulk of the party. “What can you tell me about the guy in the blue shirt and pink tie?”
Grace looked over Simon’s shoulder and he could tell the exact moment her eyes locked on the guest in question. “Daton Gable,” she murmured. “He’s a banker. Like, works at an actual bank, not just a money-moving company. He and Mark are good friends.” She squinted at something. “The girl is new, though.”
Simon casually turned, and his focus caught on the young woman next to Daton. She was definitely pretty, but she didn’t have the same poise and polish as the rest of the partygoers. Even he could tell that her dress was probably off the clearance rack at a discount store, and her eyes darted between guests.
“She’s definitely here with Daton,” muttered Grace. “Why were you asking about him?”
“He’s one of the few people here who wasn’t at the Summer Blowout last night. I’m just trying to figure out the players here.” The girl moved in closer to Daton, and Simon frowned. “I don’t think they’re sleeping together,” he muttered.
Grace swatted him on the arm. “What the hell does that have to do with anything?”
“Sex has to do with everything.”
She stared up at him. “Okay, I’ll give you that. Well, Daton is totally into her. She just wants to get the hell out of here.”
He snorted. “What makes you say that?”
“Look at his face when she gets close.” She leaned in closer to Simon. “It’s not just happiness to have her close. He’s smug about it.”
“I can’t believe you could tell that just by looking at them for twenty seconds,” he muttered.
She let out a laugh. “Seriously? You do this kind of stuff all the time.”
“I’m not used to other people doing it, though.”
Grace’s grin managed to get even wider. “Well, Mr. West. It appears you’ve met your match.”
He smiled back at her, and wasn’t sure whether he should be excited or terrified at the
Grace rubbed the back of her neck. “Geesh. I guess I’m a trophy girlfriend now?”
“Take it as a compliment,” he said.
She raised a brow. “The thief of an investment banker and the consultant I’m only pretending to be with are fake fighting over me. What a nice thought.”
“It doesn’t have to be fake.” Her face went pale and he wished he could take the words back. Damn it, this wasn’t the time or place to be pushing things. But he wanted her to know it wasn’t all an act. Sure, it was convenient, but she was smart and beautiful. There was no reason they shouldn’t take things further.
“I’m going to grab a drink,” she said, fake smile firmly in place. “Did you want another?” She motioned to his empty glass.
He looked over to where the waiter poured glasses of wine. “I’m going to find something a bit stronger,” he muttered.
Grace left him, and Simon watched her leave before switching his attention to study the other guests. DuFord’s barbeque was a joke. The man wasn’t cooking a damn thing. The entire event was being handled by caterers, waiters, and servers. But if DuFord got just one new client out of all this, it would more than cover the expense.
Simon recognized most of the people there as guests at the Summer Blowout. So if DuFord had already buttered some poor sap up, this barbeque would be the perfect follow through. Let the mark think they’ve had the illusion of time, but reinforce all the benefits of working with him.
If Simon didn’t utterly despise DuFord so much, he might actually respect him. He continued his surveillance as he circled the patio and made his way closer to the bar.
Just as the bartender handed Simon his whiskey on the rocks, Grace was by his side again.
“You’re a man of simple tastes, aren’t you?” She eyed his drink.
He took a sip as he eyed her. “I don’t know about that.” With a hand on her arm, he led her to a less crowded section of the patio, closer to the house and overlooking the bulk of the party. “What can you tell me about the guy in the blue shirt and pink tie?”
Grace looked over Simon’s shoulder and he could tell the exact moment her eyes locked on the guest in question. “Daton Gable,” she murmured. “He’s a banker. Like, works at an actual bank, not just a money-moving company. He and Mark are good friends.” She squinted at something. “The girl is new, though.”
Simon casually turned, and his focus caught on the young woman next to Daton. She was definitely pretty, but she didn’t have the same poise and polish as the rest of the partygoers. Even he could tell that her dress was probably off the clearance rack at a discount store, and her eyes darted between guests.
“She’s definitely here with Daton,” muttered Grace. “Why were you asking about him?”
“He’s one of the few people here who wasn’t at the Summer Blowout last night. I’m just trying to figure out the players here.” The girl moved in closer to Daton, and Simon frowned. “I don’t think they’re sleeping together,” he muttered.
Grace swatted him on the arm. “What the hell does that have to do with anything?”
“Sex has to do with everything.”
She stared up at him. “Okay, I’ll give you that. Well, Daton is totally into her. She just wants to get the hell out of here.”
He snorted. “What makes you say that?”
“Look at his face when she gets close.” She leaned in closer to Simon. “It’s not just happiness to have her close. He’s smug about it.”
“I can’t believe you could tell that just by looking at them for twenty seconds,” he muttered.
She let out a laugh. “Seriously? You do this kind of stuff all the time.”
“I’m not used to other people doing it, though.”
Grace’s grin managed to get even wider. “Well, Mr. West. It appears you’ve met your match.”
He smiled back at her, and wasn’t sure whether he should be excited or terrified at the
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