‘Yeah! Course!’ My voice shot up several octaves. Jess narrowed her eyes like she wasn’t convinced. ‘I will be.’
‘I just don’t want you to get hurt, that’s all.’
‘I know and I love you for that, thank you. I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t wish something could’ve come from this. We got on surprisingly well, and you were right: underneath the cocky front he puts on, he really is a decent guy. But I accept that it was just a one-weekend thing and it’s over now, so I’ll be fine.’
‘Well, if ever you need to talk or cry on my shoulder, I’ll be here. Okay?’
‘Thanks. How was your weekend?’ I asked.
‘Good. But I’ll tell you more later. I’ve got a call in…’ She checked her watch. ‘Four minutes! Gotta go! Love you!’ She picked up her bag and ran off.
I looked at my watch. It was time for me to go too.
Here’s hoping that my first day back at work after my multiple shag sessions with Ben won’t be too weird…
52
BEN
As I tucked my shirt into my trousers, zipped myself up, then slid on my shoes, I sighed.
I was meeting Theo in ten minutes to check the progress of the retreat and I already knew he was going to give me shit after he saw me half-naked on my doorstep about to kiss Sarah.
I’d sworn blind that I wasn’t going to get involved with her and I’d reneged on that promise.
Theo wouldn’t be upset with me per se. He knew that as a grown man I could fuck whoever I wanted. But he also knew I had no intention of getting into a serious relationship, so he’d be concerned about me hurting Sarah and ruining the happy atmosphere that he and Jess had worked so hard to create at the library.
I may not have honoured my promise to avoid screwing any colleagues, but I wouldn’t let my personal life affect my professional one.
Once I’d locked up, I headed over to the retreat. It was looking good. All of the internal building work was done, so there was just the decorating and landscaping of the front and back gardens left to do.
‘If it isn’t Mr Can’t Keep His Dick in His Pants,’ Theo’s voice boomed behind me.
‘Give it a rest, bro.’ I blew out a frustrated breath.
‘I won’t sleep with any of my co-workers, I promise!’ Theo did a terrible impersonation of my voice.
‘Sometimes shit happens, okay?’ I snapped back. ‘You of all people should be able to relate after you slept with your competitor.’
Jess and Theo were originally rivals competing to buy the same building. At the time Theo worked for Father’s property development company and he was competing to secure the space to build some luxury apartments, whilst Jess wanted it to create the library and honour some lady called Mrs Davis’s dying wish.
When Father found out that Theo had been sleeping with the ‘enemy’ he was pissed. And that was putting it politely. Now they no longer spoke.
Theo made the right choice, though. He’d never been happier. Which was precisely why he should be more understanding.
Not that the situation was the same, though. Obviously Theo and Jess were in a serious relationship. Sarah and I had just hooked up a few times, that was all.
‘Iknewyou two would end up together!’ Theo said smugly. ‘Jess and I even considered putting a wager on how long it’d take, but when we heard you were going to the wedding together, we decided it wasn’t worth it because it was too obvious that something would happen.’
‘Un-fucking-believable!’ I shook my head.
‘What? Do you think we didn’t notice how you two looked at each other?’
‘You mean the way Sarah glared like she was plotting all of the many ways she wanted to murder me?’
‘That wasn’t the look of hate, bro.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘Trust me, I know. Jess used to look at me like that and…’ A smile touched his lips like he was reminiscing about some happy memories. ‘Anyway, now you’ve got your dick wet, don’t start pissing all over the library and what we’ve created here.’
‘I know, I know. Sarah and I are adults and we spoke about it before anything happened and agreed that it was just sex.’
