Page 38 of Surrender
Her brows crumple. “Maybe he is worried it’s too soon since your divorce?”
“That shouldn’t be his concern. It should be mine!”
Freya exhales slowly. “Sloan, love, Gareth Harris isn’t a man about town. He’s not pictured in the papers with women, ever. He doesn’t even take women to red carpet events. He’s advertised as England’s sexiest loner! If he’s entering into some sort of relationship with you, he’s probably just being extra cautious.”
“That’s an overly nice way of putting it,” I snap. “You know what I think he’s being? A cock-tease!”
She snickers but quickly sobers when I don’t crack a grin. “So, how did you leave it?”
“The ball is in my court again. I’d already taken the ball and bounced it in a fucking trench coat. Now I have to put myself out there all over again.” I prop my elbows on the table and massage small circles on my temples.
“Well, that’s far better than rejection, love.” Freya rubs my shoulder encouragingly.
“It doesn’t feel like it,” I murmur.
Freya looks at the cut out patterned pieces of navy stretch cotton strewn about the table. Knowing Gareth’s texture issues, I am confident this fabric is one he’ll love. The very mild stretch also means that it can be fitted to his body to look more expensive than it is.
“Who is the suit for?” Freya asks.
I roll my eyes. “Who do you think?”
She lifts her brows. “Making a custom suit for a bloke must mean you like him.”
“I’d like to have sex with him! The suit is a…commitment of some sort I suppose.”
“Well, you’ve done the hard work of designing and cutting everything. Why don’t you go brush your teeth and get some sleep? A hot shower would do you good as well. I’ll take it from here.”
My face softens. “Do we have the time?”
“We most certainly do. Today we were going to start prepping pieces for that awards gala so many of our clients are attending. Last I checked, we had a dozen people to style for that night. But we have some time. Go take a sickie, Sloan. I got this!”
“You’re amazing, you know that?”
“I do, indeedy!” Freya beams. “Besides, this angry, hostile, scissor-slinging Sloan is a vast improvement from the moping mess you usually are when Sophia is gone.”
My heart lurches at the mention of my daughter. Then I marvel over the fact that I went an entire twenty-four hours without crying and worrying about what Sophia is doing or how she is feeling. I can’t remember the last time I did that. “Well, I suppose I wouldn’t mind brushing my teeth.”
“Yeah, you don’t want to get your stink on this nice fabric.” She smiles and helps me out of my chair. “Off you go. Take a nice bath and close your eyes. I have a feeling things will look a whole lot better when you wake.”
A few hours later, I’ve slept, showered, and groomed myself. Dressed in a neat pair of houndstooth shorts with black tights and a white blouse, I feel human again. A phone call from Sophia telling me she’s home from school cheers me up even more.
But, unsurprisingly, my thoughts drift back to Gareth as I head downstairs and lay eyes on the suit I designed that’s now hanging on a clothing rack in the foyer. My hands run over the seams, the stitching, the lapels, the navy button closures. Freya’s been busy. She even finished off the blue-and-white-checked pocket square. The two-piece suit has been pressed and sprayed with my signature vanilla essential oil that we spritz on the inside of all the clothes we send out to clients.
I lean in and inhale, imagining Gareth’s thick muscles inside the fabric, soaking up the scent of me. The stirring between my legs is all the sign I need to know that I’ll be delivering this to him today.
“Does it meet your superior standards?” Freya’s voice chirps from behind me.
I turn and give her a full, genuine smile. “Exceeds them, as usual.” I eliminate the space between us and pull her into a hug. Getting choked up over a suit is silly, but it’s such a representation of the life raft Freya has become in my life. “You are a true friend, Freya.”
“You’re bloody well right I am.” When I pull back, she hits me with a serious look. “You know this earns me some dirty details, right?”
I laugh and hug her again. “In due time, Freya. In due time.”
After a thousand more thank yous, I find myself in my car and on my way to Astbury. Freya gave me a calculated stare when I tucked Sophia’s booster seat into the concealed tailgate of my vehicle but let me escape without any questions.
I can’t explain exactly why it’s so important for me to keep Sophia a secret from Gareth. I suppose it’s since this is just a sex thing, I don’t see a need to share our life stories. Telling him I’m a mother also might change the way he sees me, and I don’t want that.
Today I’m going to be a sex goddess. Today I’m going to stroll into Gareth’s home and command his attention. I’m going to be the strong woman I know I’m capable of being, and I’m going to quit letting him tell me how this is all going to happen.
