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“Stop drawing this out, Charles, and just tell me. I’m on a time schedule here. Seth is about to make good on his promise to do dirty things to me before we go to sleep.”
“I’m temping for Jill North for two days. Today was my first day.”
She stares at me, blinking slowly for dramatic effect. “How is that going?”
“Well, Jill was nice to me, but I walked in on an argument she was having with Owen first thing this morning, so that was awkward.”
“Jill was nice to you?” She’s shocked. “Jill isn’t nice to anyone.”
“I definitely got the impression she and Owen don’t get on, but she was okay with me. I only saw her for half the day, though. She was out of the office all afternoon.” She ended up getting a migraine and going home for the rest of the day.
“Well, all I can say is tread carefully there. Especially if she catches wind of the fact you slept with her husband.”
It’s my turn to frown. “Her ex, right? They’re divorced, aren’t they?”
“They may be divorced, but everyone knows she never wanted the divorce and still thinks of him as hers. I witnessed it for myself about three months ago when I was out with Seth and Owen one night. Owen met a woman while we were drinking and was chatting with her at the bar when Jill showed up. She wasn’t happy with him and practically drove the woman away with her jealous outburst. And let me just say, she can bemean. The kind of mean that draws blood. Do everything you can to stay off her radar when it comes to Owen.”
“Right, got it. Tomorrow I won’t even look at him, because let me tell you, if she catches me looking at him, she’ll know I’ve done filthy things to him.” I gulp some wine down.
Poppy watches me drink. “As in, you’ve done filthy things to him at work? Or are we talking about the filthy things you did in the elevator at my wedding?”
“I did no such things to him in that elevator. I wanted to, but he’s got more class than me and made me wait until we had privacy in his suite.”
She arches her brows, waiting for me to answer her question.
“I haven’t laid a hand on him in the office. I’m trying to never lay a hand on him again.”
“Why not? You said the sex was the best you’ve ever had. Get yourself some more of that.”
I groan. “I really want some more of that, but this can’t go anywhere between us, Pop. I’m not staying in New York for more than a year. I may even leave earlier than that if I can save what I need sooner.”
Her eyes widen. “Ah, no, you’re not leaving sooner than that. You told me a year, and you’re giving me a year. End of story. And as far as Owen’s concerned, just have some fun. Not every relationship has to go somewhere.”
“Ugh, you sound like Dylan.” I pause. “I don’t want to hurt Owen if he wants more than I can give.”
Poppy’s face softens. “This doesn’t have anything to do with Owen, though, does it? Not if you’re honest with yourself. Benjamin hurt you. Sampson hurt you before him. And Tim hurt you before that. You’re avoiding Owen becauseyoudon’t want to get hurt again.”
The way my chest and stomach are reacting to what she says tells me she’s right even though I don’t want to acknowledge this. Why must she be so good at understanding me?
“Some days, my life would be much easier if you were more clueless and self-absorbed,” I mutter.
“Iamself-absorbed, so clearly you don’t do as good a job at hiding yourself as you think you do.”
I smile at her. Poppy might be a little self-absorbed, but she loves me so well that nothing sneaks by her. She sees me like no one sees me. “I can’t get hurt again, Pop,” I say softly. “I don’t know if I’ll survive it. I think I might be all hurt out, you know?”
“Oh, my darling, what is life if not to get all hurt out a few times in the pursuit of love and happiness and great sex? And where’s the Charles I know and love? She would never let a little hurt keep her down.”
“What’s this about the pursuit of great sex?” Seth asks, slipping behind Poppy on the sofa and wrapping his arms around her while looking at me through the computer.
Poppy places her hands over his and turns to kiss his cheek before looking at me again. “Charles and Owen. She’s temping at his office for two days. Working for Jill.”
He gives me a knowing look. “He texted me yesterday and asked for your number.”
My heart makes herself known. “He did?”
Seth smiles and nods. “Yeah. I haven’t given it to him yet. I told him I’d check in with you first.”
“Well,” Poppy says, “I don’t think he needs that clearance anymore. He’d have access to it through work now.”
