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“How about Evie?” She’s a police officer. “She’ll have access to handcuffs.”
“She frightens the shit out of me,” Titus says, and we all laugh.
“Plus you have the X-Y chromosome thing going,” Huxley adds.
“Oh yeah,” I say, “I forgot she was gay.”
“Chrissie?” Victoria suggests. She partnered Titus in a mixed doubles tennis tournament back in January.
“She’s sweet,” he says. “But she’s dating an accountant.”
“That leaves Heidi,” I say, somewhat mischievously. Heidi Huxley is twenty-four and gorgeous, with blonde hair that’s so long it reaches past her bottom. When Huxley was twenty-one, he had a party at their parents’ house, and Heidi, who was all of sixteen at the time, was there. She had a couple of dances with Titus, and afterward I walked into the kitchen to get a drink and caught them kissing. They broke apart, and Titus’s first words were, “Don’t tell Huxley.” Nothing came of it, I don’t think, because she left shortly afterward to travel around Europe, and she now lives and teaches in England.
Titus opens his mouth to reply, then catches Huxley’s gaze. Huxley raises his eyebrows, amused. Oh… he knows. I guess Heidi must have told him.
Titus clears his throat. “Er… yeah, lovely girl. Bit of a drawback that she lives on the other side of the world.”
Huxley chuckles. “She’s coming home during her summer holidays for a visit.”
“There you go,” I say. “Looks like a holiday fling is in order.”
Titus gives me a wry look, then stands and picks up his briefcase. “And on that note, time for me to go. Congratulations, Mack. See you guys later.” He heads out.
“Yeah, I’d better be off,” Mack says, and the rest of us get to our feet.
“Elizabeth,” Huxley says, “can I have a word before you go, please?”
It’s not at all unusual for any of the guys to make such a request, so I have no idea why my face grows hot. I see Mack glance at me, obviously spot the blush, and watch his eyebrows rise and a smile spread before he sees my glare, hastily wipes the smile away, and leaves the room. Jesus. I concentrate on finishing off my notes and packing up my briefcase as the others file out after him before finally getting to my feet.
Huxley has walked around the table, and now he rests his butt on it and leans his hands on the edge as he waits for me to walk toward him.
“Afternoon,” he says.
I stand in front of him, holding my briefcase like a shield. “Hey,” I say quietly.
He tips his head to the side as he studies me. “You okay? How are you feeling?”
“Delicate. Not surprisingly. You?”
“Yeah, a bit fragile.”
“You don’t look it.”
“Neither do you. You gorgeous young thing.” He smiles.
I study my shoes for a moment, liking the compliment, although I would never admit it. Then I lift my gaze to his. “Thank you for taking me to the suite last night.”
His light-gray eyes crinkle at the corners. “You’re welcome.”
“I appreciate it. You know. What you did. Not… um… taking advantage of me, at the risk of sounding like a character from a Jane Austen novel.”
He gives a short laugh and then sighs. “I did kiss you though. I’m sorry about that.”
“I asked you to, if I remember correctly.”
“Yeah, well.” His lips twist. Of course, I was the one who suggested we go back to his room, too. Fuck. I really shouldn’t go near alcohol.
“I’m… sorry,” I say.
