‘That has a certain ring to it. From now on, I think you can refer to me as just that.’
‘And you can kiss my ass,’ she replies with a snort.
‘I thought you’d never ask,’ I answer, burying my mouth against her neck.
‘I thought the honeymoon was over!’
‘It seems I was a touch premature.’ I cut off any smart-arsed reply with a glance of my lips against hers. It’s a barely a brush but a welcome one, judging by the small moan she makes. A small moan that lengthens as I lower my body, my chest brushing hers.
‘Beckett?’ Her voice pulls at my attention, the soft curl in my name causing me to lift my head and stare down at her. The dark moss of her eyes is a perfect complement to her flushed cheeks. ‘We’re attracted to each other. This isn’t just about business.’
Dipping my head, I look down the space between our bodies, my cock hanging hard and heavy behind the thin material of my shorts.
‘Does that look like business to you?’ I ask, my gaze returning to hers.
‘It looks like it means business.’ She bites her lips against a smile. ‘Whatever else this is, do you think we might be friends?’
‘Olivia.’ Beautiful, tempting Olivia. ‘You should make it a personal rule to only be friends with people who are worthy of you.’
‘You’re saying you’re unworthy?’ It’s not a taunt or a snarky response, but a genuine one. And one I wish I didn’t feel compelled to answer.
‘Of friendship, yes.’
Of you, most definitely.
Chapter 32
OLIVIA
‘Oh my God!’ I can’t believe you snuck off to New York to get married, and you didn’t even tell us!’
‘Holy heck, Heather!’ I reply with a wince. ‘I think if there’s life on Mars, they heard that squeal. Ouch, my ears.’
‘Actually, there isn’t life on Mars,’ Jorge mutters coming up behind me, not waiting for me to step into the office. ‘It’s been proven it can’t be sustained there. It’s too cold, there’s no water, and there’s too much UV radiation. Plus, the issue with the soil.’
He takes off his denim jacket and loops it over the Ikea coat stand without looking around. Which thankfully means he’s completely oblivious to Heather pretending to hang herself through boredom, Miranda’s pitying look, and my perplexed one.
‘Not the right nutrients,’ he adds. ‘It’s all barren wasteland. And the pressure is enough to make a person shrivel up.’
‘Sounds a bit like your sex life,’ the younger girl mutters, not quite under her breath.
‘Heather!’ Miranda gasps, but Jorge just ignores her. In fact, he ignores us all as he trudges off to the tiny kitchen to flick the kettle on. I know this, not because I can see through walls, but because the man is a creature of habit, if he’s nothing else.
‘Well, he didn’t even say good morning to the boss lady, never mind offer her congratulations.’ With that, Heather takes two tutu-clad steps in my direction and throws her arms around my neck. ‘I am so happy for you!’ She plants a big smacking kiss on my cheek before falling back on her heels, her body almost vibrating with excitement.
‘Did you have a good time?’ Mir asks carefully.
I was dreading this. I’m not a great liar at the best of times, and despite Beckett’s assumptions, I’m a terrible actress. I foresee a whole lot of screw-ups over the next six months.I can only try to meet my part of this arrangement.
‘Of course, she had a good time,’ Heather crows. ‘She was whisked off to mother-fluffin’ NYC for a bit of nookie and ended up married! Did he propose in Central Park? Times Square? Where? Tell me where!’
‘Do you think it would be okay if I just took my coat off first?’
‘Yes, but then you have to tell us all about it,’ she demands as I deposit my laptop bag on my desk and hang up my Burberry trench, while trying to tune Heather out.
‘... How he proposed, where. What he said when he asked you, and what you said in response. It’s all just so exciting,’ she says with a little twirl.
She’d be so upset if she knew the real story.
