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That made all of my sentimental thoughts evaporate. “What?” I turned and stared at Michael. “So? What the hell does that have to do with me?” Everything about that question just irritated me.
“I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Pfft.” I gave an actual snort. “You’re giving advice to the wrong woman. I don’t get hurt. I don’t fall in love.” I glared at Michael. “I don’t need to be warned to the fact that Sean is a perpetual bachelor. I saw that a freaking mile away.” I preferred not to be reminded of it an hour after he was inside me, but I wasn’t an idiot, thank you very much. “I was not born yesterday. Besides, what makes you think that there is anything more between us than a kiss?”
Michael didn’t say anything. A minute ticked past.
“What?” I demanded.
He shook his head slowly. “Uh, that was a very strong reaction.”
It was. Damn it. “That you’re going to ignore.” I reached for a sticky pudding. “This conversation never happened.” I walked away like we’d just conducted an illegal drug deal or international espionage.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I started in the direction of my f
riends, swiping a glass of champagne off the table.
But before I could get across the room, Sean’s mother stepped in front of me and gave me a smile that was as chilled as the champagne. “Hello. Isla, right? Felicia’s friend? I believe we met at Michael’s engagement party.”
Mrs. Kincaid was old school Upper East Side all the way. Classy, icy, and coiffed. She was wearing a floral spring suit and was eyeing with me and up. There was no question she found my jeans and spiked heels an inappropriate outfit for a baby shower, and she wasn’t wrong. But I didn’t particularly care what she thought.
“Yes, it’s nice to see you again, Mrs. Kincaid.” I smiled back, politely, wondering what the hell she wanted.
“Thank you so much for preparing all this interesting food,” she said.
I guess she wasn’t a fan of bubble and squeak cakes. She looked like she’d hate carbs. “It was my pleasure. Sean and I had fun with what Felicia wanted.”
“How is that going, dear?” she asked, looking at me sympathetically. “Sean isn’t easy to work with. Oh, actually I suppose you work for him, don’t you? That’s even harder.”
I wasn’t sure what she was trying to do. She obviously had an agenda but I couldn’t figure out what it was. Another mother, I’d assume she was trying to protect her son, but this woman seemed more capable of eating her offspring. At any rate, whatever her intent, it was ridiculous given her son was thirty-five years old.
But she was Felicia’s mother-in-law and Sean’s mother so I was going to just grin and bear it. “Working with Sean has gone surprisingly well,” I said, which was the truth.
Her lips pursed briefly. “You’ve slept with him, haven’t you?”
She said it as if Sean were married and I was his homewrecking secretary.
“I’ve never once been in Sean’s bed,” I said, with total honesty. “Excuse me, I need to check in with Felicia.”
As I walked away, I rolled my eyes. I couldn’t help it. But at least Mrs. Kincaid was behind me so there was no way she saw the gesture.
Sean, on the other hand, did. He’d also clearly heard what I had said.
He gave me a smile that warmed me from the inside out.
I made a point of walking past him without glancing in his direction.
“Tonight or tomorrow night?” he murmured. “Ladies choice.”
I paused just briefly. “For what?”
“To be in my bed.”
That made me smile but I started walking again. When I felt like I was far enough away, I texted him.
Tomorrow. Bring your A game.
There was only one thing that could take my mind off Sean and that was being stabbed in the back by Martin, formerly my favorite co-worker at Bone. Now a dirty rotten thief.
