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He narrows his eyes. “Um yes I…I got them.”
Cameron winks at me from behind Josh and I know he’s enjoying my joke as well.
I hold out my hand. “Give them to me then.” He frowns as he looks at my outstretched hand. I can see him thinking what the fuck is she talking about. I see Adrian and Cameron stifle their giggles in the background and I bite my own lip to stop the smile from splitting my face.
He frowns and then grabs me in a headlock and I squeal out loud. “Very funny, Miss Marx,” he growls and we all laugh. “Don’t even mention heirs.”
I pull out of Josh’s embrace and turn to Adrian. “Are you ok honey, I overheard you being annoyed with someone?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “It seems I just got dumped.”
“Dumped?” I’m shocked. Who in their right mind would break up with gorgeous Adrian? This Ross must really be a dick.
“Yeah, I was going to break up with him anyway, it seems he beat me to it.”
My eyes flick to Joshua and I catch him make eye contact with Ben. I bet any money Josh had a fight with Adrian’s boyfriend today. What is going on here? Everyone falls silent as they wait for Adrian to say something. My experience tells me he needs to be distracted.
“I’m going shopping—want to come too?” His eyes flick to Josh for approval.
“Don’t look at him, look at me. I asked you if you will take me shopping,” I murmur.
He smiles and shrugs. “What do you want to buy?”
I shrug. “Don’t know, maybe lingerie or something. I thought I would give Rodeo Drive a run for its money.”
Josh and Cam both smile. They know exactly what I am doing.
“Go Murph.” Josh pats him on the back and then looks at me. “Show him how hot lingerie is—on the mannequin of course.” He does wide eyes at me.
Adrian frowns. “Eeww, are you that stupid you think I would want to look at your girlfriend in lingerie?”
Josh shrugs. “You’re only human.”
“Tash,” he whispers in my ear from behind. “I need to show you something.” I smile into my teacup, knowing exactly what he wants to show me.
“In a minute,” I whisper back.
“Now,” he growls into my ear, sending goose bumps scattering down my arms. He pulls me out of my chair by the hand. We have just eaten a beautiful three–course dinner and I am quite exhausted from shopping with Adrian all day. I have acquired some very naughty little outfits and Adrian has vented all day about hating men. Of course, I have made him come and stay with us, who knows what a scorned boyfriend could do? It seems I was right. Joshua told me the whole sordid story this afternoon. Adrian’s boyfriend is totally a dick. Josh grabs my hand as Adrian and Cam grab their beers and head out to the pool.
“I want to give you a tour of the house.” Josh smiles. Oh he really did want to show me something—that’s unexpected. We walk through the kitchen and he opens a door and a staircase is down a corridor. We go down two flights and Joshua flicks a light switch. Shit, a massive wine cellar is lit up like a Christmas tree. He gestures his hand around the room. “Wine cellar,” he announces and I smile. It seems Joshua is proud of his wine cellar.
I nod. “Very impressive.” He kisses me quickly on the lips and heads back up the stairs. We head down the corridor to the left of the kitchen and walk past the dining room and the lounge room. This house really is stunning. Joshua’s decorating style is a little sterile but the house looks too beautiful to be real. The high ceilings combined with the polished concrete and the amazing light fittings give the house a luxury feel.
“It looks like a resort, Josh,” I remark.
“That’s the look I have gone for.” He winks at me. He opens a door on the left, “Games room.” A massive pool table and bar complete with twelve bar stools are in here, complete with three big–screen televisions. My eyes flick back to him as I remember our night of movie making and he smiles, knowing exactly what I am thinking of. We continue walking down the hall and he opens a door on the right. “Part…pool room,” he murmurs. Why did he just correct his speech? He was going to say party room but he corrected himself. He quickly closes the door as if he doesn’t want me looking in. Hmm, mental note, I need to investigate this room tomorrow and find out why he’s uncomfortable with me in it. We continue down the hall and we get to a huge glass wall. “Gym,” he smiles. Ah he’s proud of this room and I mirror his smile. There is a huge flat screen on the wall and every damn machine I have ever seen. I just know I am going to end up hating this torture chamber. Now I won’t even have an excuse not to get to the gym—how annoying. We continue down the hall and it occurs to me to wonder why he wants to leave this house when he is so obviously attached to it? “
“Josh, why do you want to move?” I ask.
He stops dead in his tracks. “I want you to be happy, Tash, and I want you to pick the house you want to live in.”
I smile and pull him close for a cuddle and I kiss him on the lips. “Josh, I just want to live with you…in your house and if that’s a humpy in the damn desert then I will be happy. I don’t need a new house, Josh. This house is amazing. What is it about this house that makes you think that I won’t want to live here?”
He frowns as he considers my question. “It’s not that you won’t want to live here Tash…it’s me. I have been single a very long time and,” he’s trying to articulate his thoughts, “everybody in LA knows this house as a party house. I would like to live in something that…I don’t know. You and I are the only ones that see…certain parts of the house.”
I give him a sad smile. “You want to move so I’m the only one that has seen your bedroom.” He bites his lip and his eyes drop to the floor. I hit the nail on the head; he has too many memories here. Memories of other women. I pull him into an embrace.
“Josh, I’m not afraid of your past. It can’t hurt me unless you let it. I want to stay in this house for a while. At least until…I don’t know…down the track when Cam moves out and then if we find an amazing house we can move then. I have enough to worry about moving here than making you sell your beloved house.”
