Page 4 of Owen North


Font Size:  

I regretfully drag my eyes from Owen to glance at my cousin. “He was, ah, helping me with something.”

Her face scrunches into a frown. “Is that code for like, sex?”

I figure it’s easier to show her than to tell her what happened. I turn so she can see my back. “I ripped my dress. Owen came to my rescue. We were just in the middle of getting my emergency kit out of my bag.” Well, kind of.

Poppy retrieves my purse and its contents from the floor and passes it to me. “Hate to break it to you, Charles, but I don’t think evenyouremergency kit can fix that dress.”

My kit is world-renowned. In my world, that is. Whenever I’m out with friends, it’s me they come to for any little emergency. I’ve never once failed to fix a situation. “I am not a quitter,” I declare loudly as I rummage for something to save my ass from my mother’s eyes.

“Aunt Joan is going to have a conniption when she sees your dress.”

I stop what I’m doing momentarily and hit Poppy with a glare. “I know! Why do you think I’m losing my shit over here?”

She returns my glare while she pushes her shoulder-length red hair off her face. “Don’t snap at me. I’m just the messenger. And besides, we don’t have time for this. I need you to come work your magic.”

My eyes bulge. “Do I look like I’m in any state to go anywhere with you?” It’s a good thing Poppy and I are as close as sisters, otherwise our relationship would disintegrate quickly with the way we snap and snarl at each other sometimes.

“I don’t care what state you’re in. My shares are going to crash! I need you to tell me what to do.”

Poppy has millions tied up in shares. I’ve always helped her with her investments, but about three months ago, Seth insisted she hire his friend to take over her portfolio. Something about me not being qualified enough for him. Whatever. I told her to keep the peace and let the guy take over while I watched from the sidelines. About a month ago, he insisted she invest in a company I didn’t think she should. Seth stepped in and told her to listen to the professional. I get it, she was between a rock and a hard place, but now it seems that maybe the advice was bad.

“Duttons?” I ask to clarify what I’m already guessing.

She nods. “Yes.” Her shoulders slump. “I should never have stopped listening to you.”

My mind swings into action. “Okay, there has to be a way up to my room without anyone seeing my ass. You can walk behind me and shield me.”

Owen shrugs out of his jacket and hands it to me. “Here, wear this. It’ll cover everything you need it to.”

I want to kiss him.

Well, let’s be real, I already wanted that.

Now, I want to kiss him and hump his leg.

Okay, okay, I wanted that before, too.

I grab the jacket before he changes his mind. “Thank you.”

He confuses me when he exits the stall we’ve been squashed in and says to Poppy, “Good luck with your shares. Yell out if you need help.”

“Wait,” I call out. “You’re not coming with us so you can get your jacket back?” I cringe at how desperate I must sound. I’m just not ready to let him go yet. I want more time in his company. I want to stare into those eyes of his and imagine swimming some more.

His baby blues sparkle as they take me in again. “Keep the jacket. I have a feeling you need it more than I do tonight.”

With that, he turns and leaves Poppy and me alone in the bathroom. I’m ready to sag against the wall and run a play-by-play in my head of the entire interaction I just had with Owen, but Poppy grabs my arm and demands, “We need to go!”

She drags me out of the cubicle before I can collect myself. I stumble because I’m only wearing one of those heels she’s trying to kill me with. “Geez, Pop, give me a moment.”

Letting me go, she drops her gaze to my feet. “Where is your other shoe? Goodness, Charles, what’s gotten into you tonight? You’re a mess.”

I make my way to where my other shoe landed in the corner of the bathroom when it broke. Snatching it up off the ground, I mutter, “Yougot into me tonight! You made me wear things I would never usually wear. And being in this hotel for the entire weekend with my mother is enough to put me off my game for months. You’re lucky I love you as much as I do.”

She takes a deep breath and allows some of the tension in her body to seep out. “You really must love me. Who else would put up with all my shit? Especially when I didn’t even ask you to be one of my bridesmaids. I’m sorry I’m such a bad cousin.”

I put my arm around her waist as we exit the bathroom. “You’re not a bad cousin. And for the record, I do not do the bridesmaid thing. You know that. And can I just say, this jacket is the best jacket I’ve ever worn in my life.” It really is. Mostly because it smells all manly and sexy.

“That’s because it belongs to Owen. I’m not sure how you managed to get him into that stall with you, but girl, he’s the guy every woman at this wedding wants to score.”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com