His Greed (Billionaire Blind Date Book 1) by Jacinda Chance Page B

to take. I lay my hand in his without even hesitating. What the heck was wrong with me?
    “Grant?” A short, balding man in a suit a full size too small for him walked up to us, grinning at Bill. “Never thought I’d see you here. How are you?” He held his hand out, but Bill lifted my hand as explanation, and I rose from the booth.
    “Richard,” Bill said. “I’m fine. We were just leaving.”
    Was Grant his last name? I couldn’t remember Bill’s last name, or whether Aunt Carla had even told me. When Richard kept talking, Bill slid his hand around my waist and pulled me against his side, as if we were a couple. I didn’t resist, and in fact my arm naturally went around his waist as we stood there. I was a little overwhelmed at the closeness of our bodies, so I missed much of what Richard said to him.
    “Here spying on me, no doubt,” Richard said, when I could manage to pay attention. “Wouldn’t it be easier to hire someone to watch me and report back if I’m making secret deals?”
    “My, aren’t you paranoid,” Bill said.
    “Sure.” Richard smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He held a hand out to me. “I don’t believe we’ve met. You’re Grant’s new girlfriend?”
    Before I could move or even open my mouth in surprise, Bill kissed my forehead. “She is. Sophie and I have plans, so if you’ll excuse us.”
    I stared at him. I was his blind date, not his new girlfriend.
    Richard laughed. “I’m sure you do. See you in the boardroom.”
    Bill walked us toward the door. I tried to look back at Richard, but Bill kept his arm in place so that I couldn’t turn without drawing attention to myself. Once we were outside the door, however, I pulled free of him.
    “What was that?”
    “Richard sits on the board of one of my companies, and he’s an asshole.”
    I held my hands out, my mouth open, trying to figure out which question of the many I had to ask next. “What—why did you—?”
    He put a finger over my lips. “Slowly.” His fingertip traced my bottom lip back and forth, and dipped just inside before he dropped his hand.
    Again, I should have been furious at such a thing, shushing me with a fingertip, but the touch sent a warm rush down my body. My nipples hardened, and I wanted to squeeze my thighs together. When had anyone had this effect on me?
    “Why did you lie to him? And why did he keep calling you Grant?”
    “Grant is my name.” His hand touched my shoulder, and then found its way into my hair.
    “Your last name?”
    “First.” His thumb stroked my cheek. I shivered.
    “Aunt Carla said—”
    “Sophie, I’ve never met your Aunt Carla.”

Four
    Bill—no, Grant—slipped his cell phone out of his pocket and thumbed the screen, his other hand still cupping my neck, thumb on my cheek.
    “What are you talking about?” I asked.
    “Your date, Bill, is waiting for you inside the restaurant. He’s the tall, skinny one with sweat on his forehead. Blue shirt under a brown pullover, table on the right.”
    I looked past him to see the man my Aunt Carla had actually set me up with. He looked much more like an accountant than the man touching me ever could.
    “I was here keeping an eye on Richard when I overheard your Bill talking about the date his friend set him up with. His description to the server didn’t do you justice, my dear.” Grant lifted his gaze to me and slipped his phone back into his pocket. “He has no idea how fucking gorgeous you really are.”
    I tried to suppress the shiver that laddered its way up my spine, because this was insane. “I don’t understand. Then who are you?”
    “I’m Grant. I overheard him talking about his blind date. And when I saw you, I couldn’t bear to see your evening wasted on him when it could be spent with me.”
    Sexy and flattering, or creepy? I think it skirted the line between them, but the throbbing between my legs kept screaming sexy.
    “So you just . . . lied?” I swallowed hard and leaned away from his