“Kai.” She turned back to the waiter and laughed lightly, like she thought he was teasing. I knew she didn’t. “You look well. I heard you got a new job, must beat working at the pub?”
“Uh… Yeah. I guess…” Kai’s brow wrinkled. “But you didn’t answer my—”
“HowisRudy? I haven’t heard from him in ages.”
“You blocked him,” Kai muttered. “Last month. And you’ve still got my amp.”
Bonnie had slipped back into the room, whispering something in the ear of the senior waiter standing next to her.
“Is that what he told you? Bless him.” Andrea turned to me. “Reality was always more of a suggestion for Rudy.” She looked back at Kai. “I’m relieved he’s still optimistic, though. It means the therapy’s working.”
From the opposite couch, Eliza snorted.
Kai frowned. “No, Rudy said—”
“Kai, hon,” Andrea continued, “before this becomes a podcast episode, can we get the minister another drink?” She smiled at Hugo. “Same again?”
“Ah, yes please, Andrea. I don’t mind another Pimm’s.”
Kai slinked off to the kitchen, with Bonnie hot on his heels.
“Make sure he doesn’t get into trouble,” Andrea murmured into my ear. “He’s sweet, really. Just a bit too loyal.”
She’d neutralized him in under a minute. Impressive. And surprisingly… sexy.
God help me.
I liked her like this—fearless and impossible to control. Like she had been at the art gallery.
This woman I’d taken to lunch after the lift fell.
The same sexy woman I’d slept with afterward because I couldn’t resist her.
The woman I had no choice but to resistnow.
Leaning against the drinks console, Ben was watching me, arms folded. He raised a single brow.
Ben knew.
He knew it was fake.
But that wasn’t the real problem. The real problem was that even though Andrea was hot and cold, I could still remember the taste of the hot version of her. When she’d clung to me in her sleep as if letting me go was the last thing on her mind.
But I had to protect my heart.
Because losing it was a risk I didn’t know how tomitigate.
*
“Lovely evening, Liam.” Hugo was leaning back in his chair, enjoying a port. The plates had been taken; faint noises of clearing up still drifted through from the kitchen, where the staff were finishing. Except for Kai—he’d been sent home in a taxi.
“Glad you enjoyed it,” I said. We’d dodged a couple of bullets there. I was sure my brother would grill me later, though.
“So, Hugo,” said Ben. “Tell me about the wedding. What’s Nick got planned? I assume it won’t be a modest affair.”
Miranda laughed. “Our son doesn’t do modest, I’m afraid.”
“Neither do you, dear,” said Hugo.
