I laughed too, and they all twisted around to the doorway where I stood.
“Catherine,” Hugo beamed, his round face shining like a glazed gammon. His legs flailed as he struggled to pull himself up from the low sofa. Jeremy scoffed and jumped up to give him a hand before moving over to me.
“You’ve scrubbed up well, Trusty.” He leaned in and kissed my cheek. “We’re showing Francesca how to play Bastard.”
“Teaching her how to cheat, more like it,” said Hugo. He gripped my shoulders and pressed a flaming cheek to mine. “Lovely to see you, Catherine. You look delicious.”
“Good to see you too, Hugo.” I looked past him and held up a hand to Archie, who bobbed his head in return.
Hugo leaned in, the smell of bourbon sickly on his breath. “I can teach you if you like; we can make it doubles. Give these two a run for their money.”
I looked over at Francesca, her dark eyes sparking like flint, lips puckering against a grin.
“Thank you, Hugo, but I think I’ll sit this one out.”
“Suit yourself, but I’d be happy to show you a few tricks whenever you’re up for it.” He gave me a leery grin. The guy had confidence; I had to give him that.
I perched on a stool at the edge of the table, as far away from Hugo as possible, and took a sip of Champagne every time Jeremy touched Francesca, the sharp liquid adding to the stab in my gut. Twenty minutes later, quiet young Archie threw down his last card.
“Bastard,” he said smugly, and Hugo looked like he wanted to slap him.
“Right, well, that concludes that.” Jeremy gave Francesca’s shoulder a consolatory rub before he stretched up from the back of the chair. I shuddered at the sight of his skin touching hers, but she was looking right at me. I lingered as the boys went on ahead, catching Francesca’s wrist as she moved to follow them. She spun, her eyes flashing as she looked down at my hand, still holding her wrist.
“You two looked cosy.” The words came out more accusatory than I’d intended. I released her hand, and she pressed it to my chest, pushing me back into the wood-panelled wall.
Her dark-red lips twisted into a grin. “Jealous?”
“Of course I am.” I pointed vaguely toward the dining room. “They think you’re his girlfriend.”
“So what?” She leaned into me, her eyes dropping to my lips.
“I thought we were…” Again, I stumbled to find the right words.
“Go on.”
“A thing?”The question almost squeaked out of me.
Francesca stood so close, I could feel her breath when she laughed. She fixed me with a stare so penetrating she could’ve nailed me to the wall with it.
“I fucked you, and I’m going to fuck you again. We have unfinished business, remember? So if that’s what you mean bya thing, then yes. We’rea thing. Are you…” she slid a hand down between us, palm up and applying pressure as she reached between my legs, “…okay with that?”
I nodded dumbly, transfixed by her eyes. My brain still screamed with questions, but I wilfully ignored the red flags, instead focussing all my energy on not grinding myself onto her hand.
She must have felt me holding back as she cupped her hand tighter, squeezing me through my trousers and the now-saturated fabric of my underwear. She smothered my gasp with a kiss, soft at first and then rough, nipping at my bottom lip until it hurt.
Seemingly satisfied with herself, she pulled back and patted my chest with the hand that had been groping me just seconds ago.
“I’m starving!” she announced, as if she’d just woken from a strange dream. Her eyes raked over me, then she dramatically flounced out of the room. I stood, rubbing my bruised lip with my thumb as I caught my breath, echoes ofI’m going to fuck you againbouncing around in my head.
Yes, I wanted that; Ireallywanted that, but I couldn’t help noticing she hadn’t denied she and Jeremy were an item. I didn’t want to be a bore about it, but I needed to clear that up. I nodded to myself in shaky resolution before making my way to the dining room.
14
CLOSE TO ME
The clatter of cutlery and Jasper Dalton’s booming voice competed to fill the lofty space of the dining room. A banquet of dishes sprawled across the table, and the only remaining seat was between Hugo and my dad. Francesca didn’t even look up from her leaned-in conversation with Jeremy. Hugo beamed and patted the chair beside him.
“Saved you a seat, Catherine.”
