Page 47 of The Payback Plan
Oliver shrugged. ‘No point having the best surround sound system money can buy if you’re not going to use it.’
She was wearing a polar fleece tiger onesie – because of course she was. But her hair was out of those ridiculous balls and was fluffed around her head in its usual disorder and the central zipper of the onesie ended at a point between her breasts that left a generous amount of cleavage exposed.
He was reminded of Caroline’s quip today about breasts and his gaze lingered on the pillowy flesh. If he pulled on that zipper would she just peel out of that thing like a banana? Blinking at the crazy thought, he took another drink. Do not gothere,knob head.
After the way he’d treated Bella, it was a miracle this woman hadn’t murdered him in his sleep as some kind of sisterhood revenge. The last thing he needed was to develop some kind of sexual fixation on his jilted bride’s friend. Paige might be tolerating him because he’d been able to help her out of an accommodation bind but women stuck together.
Everyoneknew that.
Still, maybe he could just lay his head there where it looked all warm and soft and drift off to sleep. Or maybe he was drunker than he thought…
She glanced at the top shelf above before turning her gaze on him, a tiny frown knitting her brows together in a little V, reminding him of the V of her cleavage, all soft and squishy.
Jesus,dude… get your shit together.
‘Where’s Oscar?’
He pointed. ‘In there.’
She turned her attention to the cage, squinting into the dark, her eyes widening a little as they zeroed in on the statue dominating the cage like some ridiculous golden phallus.
‘Ohhh-kay,’ she murmured as her gaze pulled back to him before moving quickly to the bottle on the table. ‘Are you drunk?’
‘Nope. Not yet. Well…’ Oliver grinned. ‘Perhaps a tiny bit tipsy.’
‘I see. And what are we drinking?’
‘My father’s very best vintage cognac he’d been saving up for who knew what.’
‘Ah…’ She nodded. ‘We’re having a little day of rebellion then?’
Oliver laughed, short and sharp. He liked that Paige was insightful and not reticent to speak her mind round him. Too many people in his life had pulled their punches because of who his father was. Even Bella had rarely called him on his bullshit.
‘Something like that.’ He lifted the bottle. ‘You want one?’
‘No.’ She shook her head.
‘Not a drinker?’
It was her turn to laugh, the flickering light from the TV making the merriment in her eyes shimmer. ‘I’ve been known to indulge in my time but I’ve just brushed my teeth. Plus, someone clearly has to be the responsible party here tonight in case you decide to really let it rip and poor Pavarotti wakes up to a couple of Tonys in his cage as well.’
Oliver’s lips twitched at the idea – a real Hollywood bro hang out – but he dismissed it as physically impossible. ‘And that’s you, huh? The responsible party?’
‘Apparently,’ she quipped but the shimmer dimmed a little and Oliver was reminded of that moment at the WI hall today when Doris had been pushing for a picture and Paige’s shutters had come down.
Curious and curiouser.
‘Sounds boring,’ he said with a tease, hoping to lighten the mood. Hoping if he gave her enough space she might elaborate.
‘That’s me.’ A really big, really fake smile pushed up the corners of her mouth. ‘The boring one.’
Oliver’s gaze dropped to the zipper in her cleavage.Not from where he was sitting. ‘I have a tiger onesie that begs to differ.’
She shrugged. ‘Another sibling purchase.’
‘I think I’m going to have to meet this brother and sister of yours. They seem fun.’
‘Yeah,’ she murmured, the carnival clown smile softening into something much more natural. ‘They are. Now’ – her voice turned brisk – ‘I’m off to Bedfordshire.’
