His hand took hold of mine and our fingers entwined. It wasn’t a surrender. It wasn’t a declaration of peace. It was simply being with another human.
“I know what you mean.”
“I know.”
We stayed for what felt like hours before the lights dwindled and the sky grew black. I knew before I went home to London, I’d have to see this at least one more time, more if I could.
“We still need to talk.” It was me who brought it up.
“If we’re going to share that property we have to call a truce. For business’ sake.”
“Agreed.”
“Look like a couple. Be seen as one. And get something formal drawn up by a solicitor so neither of us can fuck the other over.”
“Were you planning on doing that?”
He paused. I knew his answer before he said it.
“Yes.”
“What changed your mind?”
And then he kissed me.
* * *
It wasn’t a kiss like before.
This wasn’t for show or to solve an argument. This was because we’d just shared something that we hadn’t with another person and I had no idea what that something was. He tasted of spice, cinnamon maybe, and his lips weren’t demanding. There was no fight for control in this, no dare, no one to see or make comment.
No reason for it apart from we wanted to.
Why did I want to? Liam annoyed me, he was a tormentor and we both wanted the same thing, which right now was this kiss.
His need was met by mine, the balance something I was too aware of beneath this blackened sky and within air so crisp it had every nerve tingling. My hands grasped his arms, moving up them to his hair, threading my fingers through it and trying my best to control the kiss, to keep control.
I don’t know who had it. I was lost, everything was askew because this man was not who I thought he was and I didn’t know him. Not like he was now. One of his hands cupped my face, gently holding, but his kiss wasn’t gentle. It didn’t matter how cold it was outside now, we were kept warm by something else.
Chemistry.
I’d felt it before with him. The first time I saw him maybe. And that was what made me pull back.
“Why are we doing this?” My words cut into the calm of the night.
“It felt important.”
I moved away. Only by a few centimetres, but enough so I could read him better. “Is this your way of charming me into playing along with whatever game you’ve invented to end up with all the building?”
His face hardened; his eyes narrowed. “No, but it’s good to know what you think of me. I’ve told you I want a pre-nup.”
“You’ve also said you’ll shaft me over to get that building to yourself.”
“And you think I’m that much of a dick that I’d kiss you like that and it would be just to lead you on to reel you in even more?” There was anger in his voice.
“To be honest, fuck yeah. I think you would do that because let’s face it, you haven’t liked me from the start and this… thisarrangementis so fucking stupid. If I didn’t love that place so much I wouldn’t even breathe the same fucking air as you!”
“So why the hell did you kiss me?”
