She grinned. “The first part came from Sophie. The second was my and Ashley’s take on the situation.”
Olivia gave Jessica a narrow-eyed stare. “I didn’t want Chloe doing anything she’d regret today.”
“Um, I know it sounds bad,” Chloe whispered. “But part of me doesn’t regret coming on to him. I mean, at least I gave it a go.”
“Do you mean the part that reached for his belt?” Samira smirked.
“Hey, who here can’t relate to that drunk instinct?” Nicole pointed to herself. “I know I can.”
They were objectifying him, Olivia thought, annoyed.
Jessica gave her concerned look. “What’s the frowny face for, Liv?”
“We’d be cross if we overheard a group of guys talking about one of us like this.”
“They’re having a laugh,” Jessica countered. “And I doubt Connor would be offended by it.” She peered at Olivia closely. “What’s more, I think you know that, like you also know the person you’re really annoyed at is yourself because, like it or not, you consider himyourman.”
She wanted to dismiss her sister’s hypothesis as nonsense, but the lie stuck in her throat. Galling as it was to admit, she didn’t like Sophie’s friends, heryoung,gorgeous friends, finding him attractive. “What’s on the agenda today?” she asked in a desperate bid for a change of subject.
Jessica gave her a knowing smile and looked over at Chloe. “You’re in charge, Chloe.”
“Oh God, I can’t remember.” Chloe held her head in her hands. “Whatever we had planned, I’m going to spend it sleeping.”
“I’m surprised you’ve got a headache.” Nicole nudged her in the ribs. “Didn’t you sick up most of the alcohol?”
“Piss off.” Chloe flipped her off, then sunk her head onto the table. “You guys go and have a good time. Just leave me here.”
“No way. Why don’t we go to the beach?” Sophie suggested. “Chloe’s not the only one who needs some downtime. Let’s have a quiet day and an early night so we can live it up tomorrow.”
They all agreed on a time to meet but Olivia declined, opting to stay in the hotel. A decision based on the fact she could read through her traders’ macro thought piece without being nagged at. And not because there was a chance of bumping into Connor. It was a measure of how hungover they all were that nobody made much of a protest, though Jessica did give her another of her far too knowing smiles.
After choosing a lounger overlooking the harbor, Olivia slavered her body in suntan lotion and settled down to catch up on her reading.
She had no clue how long she’d been there when the hairs on the back of her neck began to twitch. When she glanced up, her heart beat that little bit faster.
Connor, his white chef jacket rolled up at the sleeves and undone at the collar, stood a few feet away from her, looking like every woman’s holiday fantasy.
“All alone?”
“I didn’t fancy the beach.”
“Didn’t like the idea of getting sand out of...” His eyes dropped to what she was reading and he screwed up his beautiful, perfectly symmetrical face. “Financial reports? Seriously?”
“God, not you as well.” She jutted out her chin. “I enjoy reading them.”
He let out a bark of laughter. “If that’s your idea of fun, you need to reconsider the definition of the word. Have you had lunch?”
She glanced at her watch. Was it really that time already? “No.”
With one slick movement, he pried the document out of her hands. “Come with me.”
“Er, no, thanks.” Ignoring the skip in her pulse at the authority in his voice, she glared back at him. “First, nobody tells me what to do. Second, I don’t go anywhere without knowing exactly where I’m going.”
He sighed. “Okay, Livvy, would you please let me take you out to lunch.”
“Olivia.”
He shook his head. “Nope, some things are nonnegotiable.”
