Page 31 of Not So Happily Ever After (British Bad Boys)
“I’m on duty tonight,” she tells me. “Not that we’ve ever had a nighttime emergency, but if I suddenly shoot off, that’s why.”
“It’s lovely here,” I tell them.
“Yeah, Will found it,” Mike says, as he turns the food on the grill. “Used to be a bring your own tent camping site. Really run down.”
“Who are your clients? Schools?” I glance at Will, who’s standing next to me, and he’s staring at me with an odd smile on his face. As though we’re sharing a secret moment, just the two of us. We’re close enough that one false move and we’ll touch, and if I had any sense I’d move away. But I don’t. Because even though we’re just friends and nothing’s going to happen tonight, I love the flare of heat in his eyes as he catches my gaze.
Then he looks away, and reality stampedes through me. Seriously, what am I thinking? Asecret moment?The breathtakingly fiery dusk is clearly messing with my mind.
“Yes, we’ve got a few repeat customers now, which is amazing,” Lucinda says, and it takes me another sip of beer before I remember she’s answering my question. “But we’re always looking to expand. I expect Will’s told you.”
Yeah, not so much. Not that I’m going to admit that, so I just make a noncommittal noise which seems to satisfy her.
The guys serve up the food, and we sit on the benches chatting like we’ve all known each other forever.
“Oh.” Lucinda waves a spare rib at me. “I’ve just got it. You’re Harry Carter’s sister, right?”
“Guilty.” It’s a little funny she picked on Harry. Usually, if people figure out my brother is famous, it’s Lucas they think of.
“I loveThe Plains of Exitium. I keep telling Will he should bring Harry here for a weekend, so I can fangirl over him.”
“Forget Harry,” Adam says, while I snort into my beer at Lucinda’s dramatics. “Bring Lucas. At least he likes being outdoors.”
Mike grins at me. “We only keep Will because of his connections.”
“It’s true.” Will’s sitting next to me on the bench, and although we’re not touching, I can feel the heat from his body reaching out to me like an intoxicating caress.How strong is this beer?Except it’s not the alcohol, and I know it. “We’d only known each other three years before they discovered I’d grown up with United’s star player.”
“Holding out on us.” Adam tosses Will another beer, but instead of opening it, he places it on the ground. A quick glance confirms he’s only halfway through his first bottle. That’s weird. Whenever we’re out socially, he’s always been one of the biggest drinkers I know.
Is he, though? Really?Uncertainty spins through me as all those endless parties we used to go to with Lucas swirl through my mind. Okay, maybe I misjudged him there. I’m starting to think I don’t know him nearly as well as I’ve always imagined.
It’s not a great feeling.
I nudge his arm. “I need the loo.”
“Inside the lodge, at the back.” He stands, and for one surreal moment, I think he’s going to take me inside himself. And even though I don’t need an escort, I won’t say no because his chivalrous streak is kind of hot. But before my stupid tongue manages to respond, Lucinda breaks the moment by strolling over.
“I’ll take you. The door’s locked.” She swings a key, and we make our way to the lodge where she unlocks the door. “Here you are.” She hands me the key. “Just lock up before you leave.”
“Sure thing.”
I find the bathroom without any problem, and my mind drifts back to earlier this afternoon before we went to the village—thefirsttime Lucinda interrupted Will and me. She seems to have a knack for it.
Never mind that. The big question is, what was he about to say to me?
It’s been plaguing me all afternoon, but after she’d left, the moment had passed. And then when we were in the village, it just seemed weird to refer to it.
In any case,hedidn’t mention it again, either. But my imagination’s been working overtime.
His words echo through my mind.But not something we should ever repeat.
And my automatic response.Because that would be a disaster.
Was he going to dispute that? Tell meit’ll be fun?
Why can’t I let it go? Do I really believe our relationship could handle that?
Yeah, didn’t think so. I let out an exasperated breath and leave the bathroom.
