She nods – like she even needed telling–and I wrench my gaze away, my body with it.
‘But Axel?’ she whisper-shouts.
‘Yeah.’
‘We need to talk… soon.’
She wants to get into the details. Of course she does. Taylor’s a planner. She needs to be one step ahead always. Not two fucks behind.
Same usually goes for me. But in this, I’d rather live in the moment and pretend the future doesn’t exist. Though when that future is supposed to bring her the baby she longs for… an innocent in all of this…
‘Yeah.’ I drag a hand through my hair. ‘I know.’
I thrust open the door, wishing I could bust out of the tightness in my chest as easy, and squint against the blaze of the midday sun. I fling a hand up to shield my eyes and almost take out a looming Theo in the process.
‘Bloody hell, Ax, you scared the shit out of me!’ He presses a hand to his chest and stumbles back, sunglassed gaze flicking from me to the door now swinging shut. ‘What on earth were you doing in?—?’
‘The pump was making a noise. Thought I’d check it out.’
‘Since when has pool maintenance been your thing?’
I shrug. ‘Figured I’d take a closer look, then report it.’
His frown doesn’t ease as he takes a step towards the closed door and I move to block him.
‘It all sounds pretty normal to me.’
‘Yeah, it stopped when I got in there, but I’ll let the guys know so they can check it out.’ I walk past him to grab my towel off the bed, my phone and bottle with it. ‘You coming? Taylor said you wanted to see me?’
‘Yeah.’ He gives the door one last look and moves. ‘Where is she, anyway?’ He nods to her things on the bed. ‘Those are hers, right?’
I flick the towel over my shoulder. ‘Knowing Tay, she’ll be off cracking the whip on the wedding planner.’
Funny how lying to my best bud comes easy when I get to screw the other.
Also, funny how Tay and flogging spring readily to mind.
And Theo and Tay say I ain’t fucked up…
They’re supposed to be the clever ones, too.
‘Seriously? We hired a wedding planner toavoidany of us getting caught up in it.’
‘This is Taylor you’re talking about; you honestly thoughtthatwould stop the Queen Bee from overseeing the entire damn thing?’
He chuckles. ‘Good point. You think she’ll ever quit trying to rule the world?’
My mouth quirks. She might rule the world, but I was busy ruining her kingdom just minutes ago.
‘If it hadn’t been for her obsession with world domination, I ain’t convinced we’d be where we are now.’
Theo nods, eyes still sweeping the surroundings for her. ‘You’re probably right.’
‘I know I’m right. Now come on, you wanted to talk; let’s talk.’
And then I move, making sure he has no choice but to follow…
8
