“Thanks,” he eventually spoke, though there wasn’t a shred of gratitude in his voice as he headed out the back with nothing but a water bottle in hand.
Wide eyed, I spun to face Xav, a wind of fury pulsing underneath my skin.
“Girl, I need a tampy for my arousal. You didn’t tell me he was aggressively unhinged as well as rich,” he hissed, excitement dripping from his pores.
“I am so sorry.” I felt ashamed. So heavily mortified by Cooper’s disrespectful demeanour that I couldn’t even laugh at my friend’s joke.
“Why are you sorry?” He screeched, running to the blinds which separated us from the outdoors. “That was the hottest display of sexuality I’ve ever seen.”
“Xavier!” I snapped. “That was disgustingly rude,” I added apologetically. He really was so terrible at managing his emotions and his rudeness was bullshit and unacceptable.
“Oh, fuck awwfff,” he drawled, just as loud music began blasting from the backyard. “Evangeline Judith Micallef, get your fine fucking arse over here before I die,” he squeaked.
I was simmering, but there was an urgency in his voice which elicited a sigh as I joined him, my jaw almost hitting the floor.
“Do you think he’d be interested in a throuple? I would seriously consider entertaining the idea of tolerating an open wound for a man like that.” He dabbed at the non-existent sweat on his forehead dramatically and no longer able to contain my mirth, I cackled.
“Stop referring to the vagina as an open wound, youmisogynistic dramatist. I’m so mad, I can’t – I’m – I’m spluttering,” I stammered, gobsmacked at the scene before me.
“Me too, babes, me too,” Xavi interjected, empathising with my inability to articulate. Because as cold and boorish as he’d just been, Cooper was outside - shirtless - in a pair of grey sweats - holding-
“Is that an axe?” Xav asked before making a noise like his lungs had short-circuited as every remaining particle of oxygen left my own lungs in the slowest, longest exhale known to man.
“In all my life…” Xavier whispered.
“I really want to be angry, but fuck me, that lumberjack persona is diluting my resolve.Andlumberjack has ten letters.” I uttered quietly
“He is my new deity.” Xavi stated crossing himself as if physically confirming his proclamation. “And I can see his religion in those pants.”
“For God’s sake,” I mumbled, stifling another giggle. “We can’t let that body distract us, he was rude, right? Entirely disgusting, yes? I should go out there and–”
“Ask him to show youhiswood? Absolutely,” Xavi interrupted, and I scowled.
“Seriously though, what is he doing? Why does he need wood?” I asked, immediately apologising to him, myself and my mum for my profanity. “I’ll add a few dollars to the jar.” I waved my hand in the air dismissively.
“If he is a logger, my log loving days are finally going to pay off because that lumberjack chopping is aggressively hot,” Xavier practically panted.
“Do you need a washcloth, because you’re drooling,” I gritted, wishing I too could share in the admiration rather than feel a mania rising up my oesophagus.
“And you’re about twenty-six seconds from full Eva-nado, and I say that affectionately. Your swearing is impressive, and I feel as though I’m being tested with the questions firing out of you.” He grinned, because nothing delighted him more than mymeltdowns - the swearing and wild-eyed chaos always came next. My chest was starting to heat which was my only indicator that anyone within the firing range should take cover.
“I’m going out there,” I snapped. “You deserve an apology. We both do. Come on!” Only Xav grabbed my hand, halting me.
“Babes, as much as I’d love to stay and watch, I’m leaving because that rain is only going to get worse.” I followed his pointed finger to the blackened sky. “But please call me and tell me everything the second you can and for the love of God, take some photos before you go out there.”
The side-eye I flung his way only made his smile bigger before he pulled me in for a quick hug.
“Evs, that man has some seriously intense feelings. Maybe he just needs someone to talk to.” His words penetrated the surface of my anger, but it wasn’t enough to eradicate how dismissive he’d been to my friend. The same friend who was now defending him as if he deserved his empathy after the way he acted.
With one more deep sigh of appreciation, Xavi kissed me on the cheek and left as I shelved any potential sympathy and stormed outside.
CHAPTER 26
Eva
The clouds had well and truly opened when I stepped onto the soaked grass and made my way towards the man I wanted to choke. His back was to me and the music was blaring, a chaotic mix of noise tangled with the metallic clunk of splitting wood. Every swing was deliberate, fuelled by a temper I couldn’t place, but I could feel it - raw and radiating.
I halted just metres from him, hands curling into fists, the rain matting the hair against my skin making me even more of a mess than I’d already been.
