It sure as hell wasn’t helping him. All it did was remind him of all the reasons he wanted to see her again. Not just sex, but that was a huge motivation, he admitted as he slid his hands down her back, forced them to rest just above her bum and not go lower, where they wanted to be. Damn it, heenjoyedher. Enjoyed sparring with her, challenging her, being challenged by her.
But she didn’t want to see him again. Reluctantly he eased away.
“It was good catching up with you, Connor,” she said softly. She turned, walked to the playground, and called Mia over.
The four of them said their goodbyes, Mia giving him a sweet hug, which, following the one he’d shared with Olivia, sent a boulder-size lump into his throat.
“Will we see Mia again?” Ellie asked as they watched them walk away.
“I’m not sure,” he admitted gruffly.
“Shame. She was good fun.” His daughter’s hand curled around his. “Livvy’s nice too.”
“Yes.” He could hardly get the word past his constricted throat.
“But we’re not allowed to call her that, even though you do.” She gave him a sly glance. “I saw you hug her.”
He searched Ellie’s face for annoyance or hurt but all he saw was interest. Clearing his throat, he led her toward the exit. “We became good friends on Nantucket.”
“Uh-huh.” This time her glance was watchful. “The sort of friends who kiss?”
It was the first time he’d had to talk to Ellie about a woman. His other liaisons—brief hookups—had been carried out well away from her. “Yes. She has a big, important job, though, which takes up all her time, so I won’t be seeing her again.”
“But you want to.”
It wasn’t a question, but he answered anyway. “Yes.” With a rueful smile, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “When did you get so wise?”
She grinned. “When I turned eight.”
He could do with some of that wisdom, he thought as they made their way toward the tube, because all he could think was that he had Livvy’s number now. And no way was he sensible enough, smart enough, or proud enough not to use it.
“If I started dating, would you mind?”
Ellie pursed her lips, big blue eyes studying him. “Would I still be your number one girl?”
“Always.” He hugged her tight. “You will always be my number one.”
“Then I don’t mind.” She gave him a wide grin. “As long as we get to go to Go Ape again.”
Chapter 19
Olivia kicked off her shoes and poured herself a glass of wine. She deserved it tonight. The day had been long and hard, but she’d navigated three meetings and nailed the presentation she’d worked on last night.
God, she was tired, though. Thirty-year-old Olivia had thought nothing of working till midnight and getting up again at five. Thirty-nine-year-old Olivia found it much tougher.
After selecting tonight’s takeout—Indian—she scrolled through her notifications, wincing as she saw a string of messages on the Davies sisters’ chat. The conversation started with a polite inquiry from Jessica asking if she was around for a video call and ended with Ashley threatening to come over if she didn’t answer within the next five minutes.
Too exhausted to handle an in-person visit, Olivia quickly messaged them that now was good for a call. A minute later, she had both sisters filling her computer screen.
“What’s so urgent?” she asked, perching on a stool at the island in her kitchen.
Ashley gaped at her. “We’re not supposed to be interested in the fact you sawConnorat the weekend?”
How could just the sound of his name make her heart jump, her belly flutter? “I’m more interested inwhyI ended up seeing him,” she retorted, giving Ashley a pointed stare.
“He asked about you,” her sister protested. “I didn’t know you taking Mia to the Tate was a secret.”
“You were meddling,” she said. “Just like you meddled in Nantucket—”
