Merger (Triple Threat Book 3) Read Online Free Page B

bar, where they both ordered margaritas. She took a sip, and her eyes watered at the strength of the tequila. “I think they forgot the rest of the drink. This is just tequila on the rocks.” She gave him a feeble smile as she made the weak joke.
    He didn’t seem affected, but he did nod. “It’s certainly on the strong side.”
    At first, she sipped slowly, but as the minutes ticked past and her awkwardness increased, she found herself returning to the drink more and more frequently just to have something to occupy her hands. Before she knew it, she’d finished the entire thing, and her head was spinning slightly. She wasn’t drunk, but she was certainly on the edge of tipsy, so she was relieved when the maître d’ gestured in their direction a moment later, and she was able to slide off the stool without tripping in the high heels.
    That seemed like a major accomplishment, as did covering the distance between the bar and their table without stumbling like a drunken fool. Dominic held out the chair for her, assisting her with sliding it in before he seated himself. She was relieved to see rolls on the table and reached for one, slathering it with a thick layer of butter before she ever opened her menu. She needed food in her stomach if she was going to keep her brain working at even half-capacity.
    Even with the bread and a speedy arrival of their appetizers, she was still feeling giddy. It didn’t take long to realize it was the proximity to Dominic as much, if not more than, the alcohol she had consumed. She drank sparingly of her glass of wine that accompanied her meal, determined not to get drunk. The drink had loosened her tongue and lowered her inhibitions enough that the conversation flowed easily, and she learned quite a bit about him, including he was the oldest of a set of identical triplets. He told her about his family for several minutes, answering the questions she asked, before turning the tables on her.
    “And what about your family? Do you have siblings? Are your mother and father still together? I know it’s an unusual turn of events if they are.” His eyes sparkled as he made the observation, indicating he was probably teasing.
    She shook her head. “No, they aren’t. They divorced five years ago, which was a total shock to myself and my two brothers and sister. We thought my parents were in it for the long haul, but I have to admit they both seem happier without each other than with. It was still an adjustment.”
    His expression showed sympathy. “You would have been seventeen when they divorced?”
    She nodded, remembering with a small trace of bitterness that it had been the day before her birthday when they’d announced they were splitting up, probably not even giving the timing a thought. It had tainted that birthday and the first one after, but she was mostly over it by now.
    “I’m curious about who you chose to live with?” As he asked, he took a bite of the seafood enchilada he’d ordered, clearly relishing the flavor.
    “I went to live with my dad. My brothers and sister stayed with mom, but my dad just seemed so lost that I knew he needed someone to pick him.”
    “Was it difficult living with him?”
    She shook her head. “No, not really. I just maintained the expectations he set for me, and he was happy with that. I think it helped him transition easier, since the divorce was definitely my mother’s idea. She remarried a few months later.”
    “I guess you don’t like your stepfather?”
    Lily snorted softly. “He’s already gone. That marriage lasted less than a year, but I don’t blame my mom. When she discovered he was getting handsy with my little sister, she kicked his ass straight out to the curb.”
    “Good for her. She should have castrated him first.”
    He said it was such intensity that it was almost unnerving, though she didn’t disagree with his assessment. “I guess she was afraid she’d be arrested. I’m not sure if my father would be happy to