Page 32 of Our Chaotic Love Affair

“I’m a terrible friend. Hiding away like this while everyone else is happy and celebrating. What kind of person does that?”

“The human kind.” I tilted her chin up so she had to look at me. “You’re not a terrible friend, Cleo. You’re the opposite. I watched you all yesterday, anticipating Melody’s every need, making sure everything was perfect, putting her happiness above your own. The last thing I’d call you is a bad friend.”

“But—”

“A pain in the ass? Sure. That’s accurate. Opinionated? Definitely. But a bad friend? Never.”

A watery laugh escaped her. She shook her head. “You’re not supposed to make me laugh right now.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m having a moment. A proper emotional breakdown. You’re supposed to let me wallow.”

“I don’t do wallowing. It’s inefficient.”

She looked at me like I had just saved her from shark-infested waters. It was a look I had never seen before. She looked at me like I was worth more than my business sense. Like I was a man holding a woman.

Before I could process what was happening, she was kissing me.

It was passionate. Abrupt. And so fucking sexy that my brain short-circuited for a moment. Then instinct took over. I kissed her back. My hand reached up to cup her cheek while my other one slid to the back of her neck to hold her in place.

Her fingers slid into my hair. A soft moan filled the quiet. Her? Me?

I kissed her like I’d been wanting to since last night. I felt a want and a connection I didn’t know I was capable of feeling. Then, from downstairs, I heard voices. Laughter. The sound of the others coming back inside.

We broke apart, both of us breathless. We stared at each other in the fading light coming through her window.

Her lips were swollen from kissing. Her eyes were wide. My heart was pounding so hard it actually hurt.

“Come to Rome with me,” I blurted out. The words were out before I could second-guess them.

She blinked at me. “I’m sorry. Is that code for something sexual? Like you want to take me to Funky Town?”

I shook my head and didn’t break eye contact. “No, I mean Rome, Italy. In Europe. Come with me.”

The look on her face would have been funny if it wasn’t at my expense. I had screwed up. I had taken it too far. I jumped off the bed. “I need to, uh, make a call.”

“Cash, wait.”

CHAPTER 12

CLEO

The in-home chef had prepared an extraordinary meal. Multiple courses of food that were made to look like mini pieces of art. Every course had been paired with a wine that I didn’t even want to know how much each bottle cost.

I took a seat at the long dinner table, smiled at the right moments, and made the right appreciative sounds when a new course appeared. Approximately zero percent of my attention was on any of it. My head was still upstairs. In that room. With that kiss. With him.

Cash Bancroft.

I kissed Cash Bancroft.

I reached for my water glass and tried to organize my thoughts into something resembling order. Cash had been clear. Businesslike, even, which was very on-brand for him. He needed someone with my skills on standby in case his client required a rebrand. Two weeks maximum. Light schedule so I could enjoy the city. He’d pay me well. He’d make it worth my while.

Perfectly reasonable. Professionally framed. Completely logical. Except for the part where his hands had been in my hair and I’d forgotten my own name.

I touched my bottom lip without meaning to and then immediately dropped my hand back into my lap. My lips still tingled. Hell, it wasn’t just my lips. My entire body tingled. It felt like I had been sucking on a live wire.

There was no reason to say no to his offer. That was the maddening part. The trip made sense on paper. Rome. Paid work. A reason to step outside my own life for two weeks and breathe different air and think different thoughts. A chance to work on something that wasn’t for Melody, which Cash himself had pointed out I needed. He wasn’t wrong.