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There was a pause, before Felik guffawed. “Damn, still tense as shit. Still haven’t got laid, huh? What’s the deal?” He smirked. “Lost that famous Nuni var Rorik charm?”

I snorted, not bothering to answer. Why would I want to go out trolling for a threesome when I’d had Anita in my bed all weekend?

“You experiencing a change in your libido, bro?” Now Felik looked genuinely concerned, as if going without sex for a couple months was a medical emergency. “You should go to your doctor.”

I huffed. “I’m fine, dude. Just busy. Helping my brother with a project. He’s starting his own business. I’m meeting him on my lunch break to go look at some places.”

Felik made a face. “Yeah, but that can’t be taking up all your time—”

“Plus there’s the event stuff.”

“Oh shit, yeah.” Felik chuckled. “How’s that going? Damn, maybe I should be more involved so I could shoot my shot with that hottie, Corva.”

“Corva’s not the one working on the event. It’s Anita Chaudhary.” My stomach went all squirmy. “The woman who came with her to meet us.”

“Oh, okay.” Felik didn’t seem at all interested, which made me feel simultaneously relieved and weirdly defensive. He was a moron if he hadn’t noticed how hot Anita was. “So how’s it going? What’s she like?”

Awesome. Crazy hot. Funny and athletic and brain-meltingly good in bed and we made each other come about a million times at the weekend.

I shrugged stiffly. “She’s fine. Haven’t spoken to her much except through email. We’re holding it at the Basalt, by the way.”

“’Kay. Good choice. So it’s all going smoothly?”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, dude. I’m on top of it.”

“Sweet.” He glanced at his watch. “Better go, got a call in five. You should come out this weekend, bro. Tami’s still interested in meeting you.”

I grimaced. I was sure Tami was great, but… no fucking way. “No thanks. Busy this weekend.”

Felik paused. “You know she’s a model, right? A model, Nuni.”

I snorted. “I got that, bro. I’m still busy this weekend.”

He stood up with a shrug, eyeing me like I’d just elected to not have life-saving surgery. “Okay, man. Your loss.”

It really wasn’t. I waited until he’d left my office, then grabbed my phone.

Good morning, I texted Anita, then immediately cringed as I stared down at it.

Was I being too eager? Was she going to reply saying she didn’t actually want to talk until we saw each other at the weekend? It wasn’t like this was a relationship. Maybe she wanted to keep it separate—confine our interactions to our agreed sex-time at the weekend. We had texted a lot last week, but things felt… kind of different now. She’d had her fingers up my ass. I’d come inside her.

I’d had a lot of sex in my life, but I’d never done either of those things before Anita. They were kind of big. In my opinion, at least.

I was trying to get on with work when my phone vibrated on my desk. Abandoning my half-written email, I snatched it up and felt my pulse leap when I saw it was from Anita.

Morning, she’d replied. I’m just about to email you in professional mode.

I mean, it wasn’t the most heartwarming of texts, but a big grin still spread across my face as I hurriedly refreshed my inbox. A second later, an email from Anita popped up with the subject line, Food-tasting with Piquante for event.

I read it hastily, keenly aware that Lipa had been copied in.

Dear Mr var Rorik,

Hope you’re well. Piquante Catering has offered us a food-tasting appointment for the event’s menu this Friday at 4 p.m. Hopefully that time works for you and Lipa. Do let me know if it doesn’t and I can rearrange accordingly.

Attached is the list of menu items that you previously approved on a tentative basis. Piquante will also provide a few extra options in case some of these end up being unsuitable.

Best,