“Please don’t.”
“That’s her, isn’t it?”
I sigh. “Yes.”
He whistles lowly. “She’s a bit of all right, isn’t she?” He pauses to study her with appreciation. “No wonder you’re twisted up. She’s bloody gorgeous.”
My mouth tightens. “She is.”
“Who’s the bloke?” he asks, jerking his chin toward Henry.
“Henry Mathews. Her boss. He’s working on the campaign with us,” I deadpan as my eyes narrow, watching their exchange.
“Certainly doesn’t look like her boss,” he says, his voice laced with amusement.
He’s not helping. This sudden possessiveness is totally foreign to me. As much as I’m trying to fight it, seeing her with another man, colleague or no, grates against me.
I try to remind myself how miserable Anna looked at dinner on Sunday. I try to talk myself out of walking over and claiming her best friend.
“Why don’t you go over there?” Noah suggests.
“And what? Leave you?”
He chugs the remainder of his beer, placing it down on the bar with a light thud, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He checks his watch. “It’s getting late, anyway. Elena’s going to need a hand after bathing the kids. I like to be there to tuck them into bed.”
His youngest is only two. I nod. “All right, I’ll get going too.”
“Oh, piss off. Stop worrying about your sister—she’ll survive. It has nothing to do with her. Go over there and see to it that gorgeous woman enjoys the rest of her night, yeah?” he says.
I exhale, feeling my last tether of restraint snap clean in two.
He slaps my back. “Good lad.”
Fuck it.
I can’t resist any longer. I’m going over there.
I’m not a religious man, but I’ll take her being here as a sign from the universe.
Noah claps me on the shoulder before pulling me in for another hug as we say our goodbyes.
“Give my love to the family. We’ll catch up before I leave,” I assure him.
“We bloody better. Have fun,” he says with a shit-eating grin. He turns and leaves.
I down the last of my beer and walk straight to their table. Henry spots me first, his eyes widening. He leans forward and says something to Gemma a second before he nods toward me in acknowledgment.
Gemma turns in her seat, and when those jade green eyes lock with me, everything else in the bar fades into the background.
I’ve made my decision.
She’s mine.
Chapter Nineteen
Gemma
It’s been a productive week, and I’m relieved Max and I didn’t ruin it by kissing yesterday. Anna’s name flashing on my screen in that moment was like standing barefoot in snow. A damn cold reality check.
