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Me: What?
Olivia: Check out my phone wallpaper.
A picture appeared in our conversation. A picture of me.
Olivia: Don’t start getting worried. Just thought it was a nice photo. You’ve got a sexy smile.
I inhaled sharply as I studied the image. I was sitting at the desk in the meeting room at work, grinning at the camera—well, at Olivia, in fact. It was the picture she’d taken on the day we’d started working on the Delny project, the picture she’d said was her evidence of me smiling at her. My expression was unguarded; I looked…happy? Lustful? Was I into Olivia even then, before I’d realised?
Me: If you’ve got me as your wallpaper, it’s only fair I have a pic of you as mine. Send one over.
Olivia: No. You can take a photo of me tomorrow.
Me: Deal. Night, Liv.
Olivia: Night x
18
Olivia
Gripping my takeaway coffee cup, I flopped down on the grass beside Avery. I’d arrived at Regent’s Park later than planned, thanks to delays on the Tube, but I couldn’t be annoyed. It was the perfect spring morning, hints of summer in the air.
“Morning, doll.” Avery smiled, leaning over to hug me.
“What a gorgeous day.” I leaned back on my elbows, adjusting my sunglasses and basking in the warm sun. Inhaling the scent of freshly mown grass, I sighed in appreciation.
My attention was caught by the incredible view. Four shirtless men—Luke, Ethan, Alex, and another guy—tossing around a rugby ball, their muscles flexing in the sun, a thin sheen of sweat on their toned, athletic bodies.
Avery grinned, following my gaze. “I love my life. Great weather, great company, amazing view.” We stared at the men in admiration.
Luke noticed my presence. Staring over at wher
e I was sitting with Avery, his eyes raked over me from head to toe. My breath hitched as I recognised the look in his eyes—the same one he’d given me at the party. He raised his gaze to meet mine, biting his bottom lip, and my stomach flipped. Jogging over, he bent down to give me a quick kiss and a breathless “hi,” then ran back over to the others. I tracked his movements all the way, unable to tear my eyes away from him.
“Look at you, with that dreamy smile on your face. You’re so smitten.” Avery eyed me.
“Yeah, I think I am.” I sighed. “I’m not so sure about Luke, though.”
“Really? What makes you say that?”
I bit my lip, deep in thought. “Well, he was one hundred percent against having a relationship. He made that very clear. Then we slept together and agreed to be friends with benefits. And…I get the impression he wants to be more than that, but I feel like he’s holding himself back.”
I threw up my hands. “I just feel confused. I’m trying not to worry about it and see what happens, but I can’t help thinking it’s going to end up with one, or both of us, being hurt. There’s no way we’d be able to go back to just being friends if everything goes wrong.”
Avery turned to face me fully, pushing her sunglasses on top of her head so I could see her eyes.
“Okay, let’s be clear. Luke is one of the most stubborn men I know, and he knows his own mind. There’s no way he’d even suggest being friends with benefits or anything along those lines if that wasn’t what he wanted. And can I point out, I’ve never seen him act the way he does around you with any other woman, ever, and neither has Ethan.” She patted my hand reassuringly. “If I were you, I’d enjoy it, no pressure—let it happen naturally. What will be, will be. Remember, this is all new for him.”
I plucked at the blades of grass next to me, my thoughts churning.
“Yeah, I guess so. I’ll let him dictate the pace, and see what happens.”
“Good. It’ll all work out, babe.” Avery smiled, then leaned closer, lowering her voice. “Okay, I wanted to ask you this yesterday, but I couldn’t since we were in the gallery—how was the sex?”
I laughed. “Incredible. Light years above anything I’ve ever experienced in the past. The man knows what he’s doing, that’s for sure.”
I groaned aloud.
