I pull him in close, forehead to forehead, when he sits down. “You are amazing,” I whisper as his thumbs come up to wipe my tears away. “I’m so glad I was here to see this.”
“Thank you. I’m glad you were here too.” And before either of us thinks better of it, he’s kissing me again. Short and sweet and tender.
There are a few more awards before the big one—the advertising agency equivalent of Best Motion Picture, I guess—Agency of the Year. And it doesn’t surprise me at all when I hear “Parachute, Sydney.”
Once again, Josh is getting up on stage, this time with the other department heads and the MD, whose speech is nothing more than an ear-piercingWoo-hoo.
Dessert is served as we all admire the three trophies in the middle of the table. I spare a minute to send the videos and pictures I’ve taken to the family group chat, which predictably goes off like a frog in a sock. I mute my phone and put it away so I can enjoy the rest of the night because the band has finally started up.
By now, everyone is well-lubricated, and whilst Josh and I aren’t drunk, we are pretty relaxed.
The managing director comes over and asks me to dance and I laugh at the disgruntled look on Josh’s face.
“How long have you and Josh been together?” he asks as we sway to a slow dance.
I know I should tell him we’re not, but in my heart of hearts, I believe we are, in a strange and unconventional kind of way at least. In the end, I give him a non-answer.
“Oh, we’ve known each other since we were kids.”
“Well, he’s a very lucky man.”
“Thank you. I’m the lucky one, though. And your agency is very lucky to have him. Make sure you look after him,” I counter with a grin.
When the song ends, he drops me back at the table, where Josh is chatting with Fiona, although I didn’t miss that he kept an eye on the dance floor while I was out there.
“This one’s a keeper, Josh. If your talent doesn’t get you to the top, her attitude will.”
Josh quirks an eyebrow at me before excusing himself from Fiona and leading me back onto the floor.
“What was that about?”
“Oh, nothing. We were just chatting about you.” I try for an innocent look, which makes Josh laugh.
“Yeah. Right.”
The beat picks up, and before long, we’re surrounded on the dance floor, which turns into a mass group dance and has us spinning away from each other. It seems like hours before the music slows down again and Josh is in front of me, taking me in his arms.
If this was a regency romance, people would be clutching their pearls and fanning themselves at how close he’s holding me. I might need a fan myself. Because as much as Josh protests we can never be anything more than friends, what’s pressed against my belly, the emotions I see in his eyes, the possessiveness of his touch, all tell me otherwise.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Josh
Ididn’twantGreerto come to this awards night. But fuck, I’m glad she did. It’s unbelievable how much having someone in your corner makes the wins so much sweeter. And she gets on with my team like they’ve known each other for years. Not to mention whatever she said to impress my boss.
Even Will hasn’t been there for me the way Greer is. The way she keeps on showing up for me, no matter how hard I try and push her away? It’s seductive and terrifying at the same time. And tonight, I don’t know if I have the strength to resist.
Which makes it all the more painful to know it’s going nowhere. Except while I’m dancing with her, it doesn’t feel like it’s going nowhere. It feels like the most natural thing in the world to have her in my arms and to know there’s a king-sized bed upstairs waiting for us to test it for comfort. Or strength.
I know she can feel my hard-on pressing against her stomach. I can see the pulse beating at the side of her neck. She presses closer. And I’m desperate enough, enchanted enough, to let her. And to tell her at least a little of how I’m feeling.
“Thanks for coming tonight, Greer. It meant a lot to me.” I lean back and look into her eyes, trying to convey my sincerity. “I don’t think I realised how much until now.”
“I’m really glad I was here. And not only to see you win. To see you with your team. The way you are with them. You know they idolise you, don’t you?” Her lips brush my ear, causing a shiver to run down my spine.
“That’s the booze and the adrenaline talking.” Everyone is pretty drunk, and deservedly so. We took out three top awards tonight in the creative department alone. Not a bad haul if I do say so myself.
“It’s not, you know. And you don’t have to be so modest. You’re very impressive.”
