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Blonde.
Oliver ground to a shuddering halt.
The woman sashayed forward, her heels tip-tapping on the polished blackbutt floor.
“Hi babe,” Leonie purred. “It’ssogood to see you.”
* * *
It tookher lips on his cheek, her hand squeezing his arm for Oliver to register that this was real. That Leonie was in his—their—because that’s what it technically still was—apartment. He stared at her hand on his arm, the white-tipped nails, then raised his eyes slowly to her face.
“You never said you were—”
She smirked. “Surprise!”
Yes. She was beautiful. Really and truly, absolutely stunning with those long-lashed cornflower blue eyes, full lips and hair that shone like one of those ads for hair products.
His heart pounded. Because the fact was, those eyes, and lips and hair… they were allwrong.
Seeing her, he knew with certainty he wanted her to be an altogether different woman.
Leonie pouted. “A slightly warmer welcome would be kind of nice.”
“Why are you here?” It startled him, the harshness in his voice.
“Oh god, you’re stillsoangry with me.” She gave a nervous little laugh, flicked a long strand of hair over her shoulder. “I’m here to find out what’s going on. I’m completely in the dark about the apartment, you’ve barely answered any of my messages.”
“I’ve been busy.”
Her brows arched.
“Writing my book.”
Her brows got higher. “Arianne said something—or rathersomeone—was occupying your time. Having a little fling maybe?” She made air quotes as she said the word “fling”.
Oliver’s lips tightened. He’d kind of suspected Arianne would have told Leonie. Maybe even hoped she would, secretly, coward that he was. But he hadn’t expected an immediate hightailing back from Bali. Perfect eyebrows remained arched. “Well, babe?”
“Are you here to check on who I’m dating?”
“I’m here to put the apartment on the market. Since you haven’t,” she snipped, then batted dewy eyes on him in a complete backflip. “But also… wedohave to talk, Oliver. I—I need to explain why I left.”
“Bit late.”
“Don’t be like that, I—I’ve been feeling utterly miserable about it.”
“For god’s sake, Leonie, I needed this six months ago.”
She hung her head. “I know, I know,” followed by a soft lip curl. “At least can we sit and have a drink together?”
He realised he was pretty close to scowling. Leonie pouted. “I’m holding out an olive branch here.” Her hand fluttered towards his arm. He pulled away. She bit her lip. “Pretty please, babe, we have to clear things up.”
He sighed heavily. Would it help—to know? To have an explanation, when there had been so many unanswered questions for months?
Maybe moving on meant closing this door before he could open a new one.
“Give me a moment. I need to go and change.” He stalked stiff-backed towards the guest suite.
“Where are you going?” she called after him.
