I open a mouth filled with a million denials until I decide he’s not speaking about what just happened. But I’m done for the day.
‘There are other ways to get money,’ I murmur, bending to gather my things once again, causing him to step back.
Because no man wants to be headbutted in the nuts.
‘Everyone has their price.’
‘There isn’t enough money in the world to persuade me to marry you.’
Chapter 11
BECKETT
I lift the corner of my phone from the table to check for messages again before casting my gaze on the cool interior of the restaurant, content we aren’t sitting out on the roof terrace this evening. Clouds hang low over the city, dank and humid, and London’s inhabitants are desperate for the reprieve a little thunder will bring.
She’ll come around.
She hasn’t any real choice in the matter.
I just wish she’d bloody well hurry up.
Money and business aside, she’s interested. The night in the car we might’ve already fucked if not for my need of her. The attraction was mutual, even if she’s crying wolf right now.
Too much is at stake for me. But she’s interested, definitely interested. Maybe not in marrying me, but she will be. It’s just a matter of time. And time is something she doesn’t have the benefit of, according to my enquiries.
‘Your conversation today is riveting, Alexander.’ I look up from the remains of my dinner that has yet to be cleared from the table. ‘I thought that would get your attention,’ Harrison, my supposed friend, adds quite happily. ‘Aren’t you going to give me the patented Beckett steely gaze and tell me first naming you is naughty? Verboten? Worthy of a kicking?’ As well as a Tom Ford suit, the fucker is wearing a shit eating grin. ‘What are you going to do about it, hey?’
‘Turn the other cheek?’ I suggest, uninterested in the conversation because my mind remained on a certain woman who I’m disinclined to talk about to him. To mention her would be a mistake. If I’ve learned one thing since entering this strange sort of friendship circle, it’s to never discuss the woman you’ve an interest in fucking. I may as well just hand them the chain to yank. Strangely, it’s okay to discuss the women you’ve already fucked, but I think that’s because no one enjoys the thought of double dipping. Well, I certainly don’t.
It goes without saying that it would be foolish of me to speak with him about the woman I’m going to marry, for convenience or otherwise.
‘Last time I called you Alexander, you didn’t turn the other cheek.’ Griffin arrives at the table, sliding into the seat opposite. ‘You nearly fucking burst it, as I recall.’ As though to support his words, he prods the area in question, his tone aggrieved.
‘It was your nose.’
‘It was my fucking cheek. I should know. And it led to a trip to the emergency room.’ In my defence, it was an accident. I caught him with my elbow, though I did feel like punching him at the time.
Harrison drains his drink, his shoulders moving with a deep chuckle. ‘Where you nobbled one of the nurses in a side room.’
‘A junior doctor, actually. She was from Prague.’
‘So he did you a favour, really. Besides, you tried to cuddle him. You know he doesn’t like that demonstrative shit.’
‘So he nearly broke my fucking cheekbone because I wanted to show him a bit of drunken love?’
‘You’re late.’ I slide him a disapproving glare, though, as usual, it’s wasted on him.
‘Yeah, I got chatting to a couple of girls outside.’ A collective groan goes up at the table. ‘What?’ he exclaims, struggling to hold back his grin. ‘What’s the problem with that?’
‘Come on, spit it out. There’s always a story with you.’ Nothing is ever simple with him.
‘I can’t help I have an interesting sex life.’
‘Like the dominatrix you met on the Waterloo line?’
‘What about her?’ He grins rather idiotically, sliding a cold chip from my abandoned plate.
‘We know you made an appointment,’ Harry replies disparagingly. ‘No woman is going to admit to beating businessmen for money on public transport, for fuck’s sake.’
