Page 39 of No Strings Attached
I simply watch her.
“I mean it. Even though we had sex?—”
“Mind-blowingsex,” I cut in smoothly.
Her gaze snaps to mine, and I catch the flicker of a smile before she rolls her eyes.
“Yes, sure.Mind-blowingsex. Still doesn’t change the fact that it can’t happen again. You’re my client, and it would be unprofessional.”
The corner of my mouth tugs upward. “That sounded a lot like a compliment buried in a lecture.”
She exhales, shaking her head, the faintest blush dusting her cheeks.
God, Amira’s stunning when she’s flustered. Even while sayingno, her body betrays her.
She tugs a blanket from the arm of the loveseat and drapes it over her lap, retreating into its warmth like armor. I don’t call her on it. I just sip my tea and watch the fire dance.
A few quiet minutes pass.
“Tell me something real,” Amira says suddenly, not looking at me.
I blink. “Like what?”
“I don’t know. Something you wouldn’t tell most people.”
I set my mug down and lean back, running a hand through my hair. “You mean aside from when I spilled my entire emotional backlog on anxiety and fame?”
She laughs softly. But her smile fades a little, replaced by something quieter.
“What’s the story with you and Nantucket? It’s not exactly a quick getaway from Seattle.”
“I grew up here. In this cottage, actually. Worth and I moved to Seattle for the business, but our parents stayed back. Mymom always said Nantucket’s the only place that forces everyone to slow down.”
“And you hate that,” Amira guesses, lips twitching.
I smirk. “Not as much as I used to. Lately, I don’t know… things feel different. I’ve worked my ass off to build the life I thought I wanted, but something has been missing. Can’t quite put my finger on it.” I shrug, like that might make the weight feel lighter.
“Wow. Is Mr. Billionaire having an existential crisis?”
That pulls a laugh out of me. “Maybe. I think being home for the first time in years is messing with my tough guy aura.”
“Why has it been so long?” Amira asks, no judgement in her tone.
I run a hand down the back of my neck. “I just got caught up in city life and never made the time. We still saw my parents often, though—we flew them out to Seattle for holidays or whenever they wanted to spend time with Brianna, since she can’t miss school that often.” I hesitate for half a second, but then let it out. “I got busy and… I don’t know. I guess I forgot how to press pause.”
She studies me for a moment, then smiles. “Sounds like you need a companion to remind you to breathe every once in a while.”
I raise a brow. “You volunteering?
Amira laughs, looking away. “Easy,Grinch. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
I clutch my chest in mock offense. “Not you, too?”
She just grins, clearly enjoying herself.
I lean in slightly, voice low. “For the record, I may be a Grinch… but evenhegot the girl in the end.”
Amira rolls her eyes. “Yeah, well. That girl isn’t me.”
