I looked over at Van, her eyes were sparkling, her hand touching Amelie's arm and Amelie was smiling, nodding emphatically. "Just a couple of games."
We played until midnight and the wine had been replaced with tea and water and Max ordered Amelie to bed, meaning they argued until we couldn't hear them anymore.
"That was a good night," Vanessa said, her dress pushed up to just below her ass, feet curled under her and hair mussed. She looked relaxed and comfortable and I assessed the chances of Max coming back into the living room.
"It was." I'd taken a couple of hundred off my brother as well, which was always something that would bring me pleasure for the next few weeks. "You got along with Amelie."
Vanessa smiled. "She's a lovely person. I think she'll be okay about her dad. It's the boyfriend she's less sure about."
"I didn't know she was seeing anyone," I said, trying to remember if Amelie had brought anyone with her recently when we'd all met up for drinks.
"I think he's married. But there's someone else she's interested in – she wouldn't tell me who – but that she doesn't think it would work. She didn't say anymore but we're going out for drinks next week," Vanessa said, stretching out her legs and gesturing to the seat next to her for me to sit down.
I put my arm around her and pulled her into me, relishing the scent of her perfume and the soft feel of her against me. "I'm jealous," I said, feeling an idiot for confessing.
"What are you jealous of?" she said, looking at me, then giving me a quick kiss.
"You're spending an evening with Amelie instead of me," I said. "I know it's ridiculous and I'm not trying to guilt you; but I might end up crashing your night, later on, you know, to make sure you get home okay. With the home being back to mine."
She laughed quietly. "I'll let you do that, if you're not busy yourself. I think you're out with clients that night. Wednesday?"
I recalled my diary. "Yeah, but I could see you after. It's a meal somewhere so we could meet for drinks. Are you as busy this week?"
"There's a show opening at one of the galleries I contract for on Tuesday and the meal at Simone's on Thursday. I thought you might like to come to that?" Her head rested on my chest and I closed my eyes, just liking the feel of her there.
"I think that's fine." I paused, knowing the conversation I needed to have.
"What is it?" she said, sitting up. "What did Max pull you outside for?"
"Amelie. He's taking Monday off to stay here with her. And Kirsty. Heather in HR has given him the heads up that we're office gossip," I said, watching her face for her reaction.
She was unreadable. "It was going to come out at some point. It might not be professional, but I'm not an employee and it's Seph who's dealing with my case."
"Technically Seph," I said, needing to make sure she knew who was really running it.
She rolled her eyes. "But I'll let you be my hero," she smiled. "What about Kirsty?"
"Max thinks she applied for the job because of me. I haven't noticed anything so it's probably just office gossip."
Her hand went to my leg and started drifting up and down my thigh. "Thank you for telling me. If she mentions it, I won't have to try and not act surprised. But honestly, Jackson, it's not your fault."
"We should go up to our room," I said, as her hand went higher, feeling my cock through my trousers. "Max might deliberately come through here, saying he's forgotten something."
"He makes a habit of trying to cockblock you?" she said, not moving her hand. "He stayed away while we were in the hot tub."
"That would've been too obvious, even for him," I said, slipping my hand up her dress like I had in the restaurant. Immediately she spread her legs slightly, allowing me access. "But he'll be thinking of revenge as I had you in his room. You're wet." I pushed two fingers past her underwear and inside her. She bucked against me and I felt my dick get even harder.
"I feel like a teenager," she said, moving her hips. She moaned when I moved my hand away. "Jackson!"
"Upstairs," I said, demanding. "I can rush it down here or have you how I want you on the bed." She stood up, her dress now exposing her sodden underwear. "Go wait for me on the bed while I lock up."
"And if I say no?"
I didn't respond, just folding my arms instead and giving her a grin, I knew was cocky.
Five minutes later, downstairs was secure and relatively tidy and my girl was lying naked on my bed, her hand exactly where mine was going to be. "You couldn't wait?" I said, pulling off my shirt. I felt her eyes on my chest, the only light in the room that of the moon.
"You look good enough to eat," she said, continuing to touch herself. I stripped off my trousers and let her look.
