Page 28 of Callum
“It’s hard to root for people who hurt you.”
She snorted. It was the least ladylike sound he’d ever heard, and he fucking loved it. “And easy to root for the bride to fall on her face while she walks down the aisle.” She quickly covered her mouth like she was surprised she’d said the words out loud.
The elevator stopped and the doors opened. “All right. Come on, you, before you see her and give her a shove yourself.”
“Payback for sleeping with my boyfriend.”
His muscles tensed, and he almost stopped walking. He waited for the elevator to start moving before he said, “He cheated on you with yoursister?” What kind of a scumbag did that?
Her face scrunched in disgust. He had his answer before she responded. “Yeah. I got home early from work one day and found them in bed together.”
Asshole.
“I liked that bed too,” she continued. “We’d only bought it a month earlier. It was the most comfortable bed I’d ever slept in. Big and squishy. I let him keep it when I moved out.”
On their floor, he walked her down the hall, then swiped his card on the door and led her inside. “Did you buy another when you moved?”
“Yes. I wanted differenteverything.” She dropped to the bed and closed her eyes. “Amanda didn’t even look shocked when I found them. She didn’t look guilty or remorseful. In fact, I’m pretty sure I saw just a hint of a smile on her lips. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’d set the entire thing up. Asked my boss to let me go early or something.”
He sat on the bed and lifted her feet onto his lap before undoing the strap on a heel. “I can see why you moved away from them.”
Another snort. “Maybe I should have moved further. There’s this town called Svalbard. It’s on an Arctic island and close to the North Pole. But I didn’t think I could take the months of no sun in the winter.”
He switched to her other foot. “I’m sure there are also dangerous polar bears near the North Pole, so Cradle Mountain was a safer choice.”
Her smile widened. “You and your team are way more dangerous than polar bears.”
“True. But we only pose a threat to bad guys.” When her shoes were off, he ran a hand over her calf, loving the smooth skin. “What did Freddie do when you found him with your sister?”
“He begged me to stay, but I just turned and left. I refused to take his calls or texts. I waited until a day I knew he’d be at work, and Stacey helped me get my stuff. The call just a few months later to say they were getting married was the final kick in the gut.”
Jesus. “You’re better off without people like that in your life. Sister or not.”
She pushed on her hands to sit up. It was like watching a baby panda try to sit, slow and uncoordinated. He laughed and tugged her arm to help her up, then she shuffled to sit beside him. “Have you ever cheated on anyone?”
“Never. And I never would.” He had too much integrity for that.
She held his gaze for a beat longer before nodding. “I believe you. But Fiona who hasn’t drunk her weight in wine might not.”
“Well, I’ll just need to fill you with wine every time I see you then.”
She didn’t even smile at his joke. “You’re too nice to me. I’ve been horrible to you about your book returns. And I’ll probably push you away again, even though I want to run my hands over your washboard abs while they’re oiled and hot.”
He pushed that image out of his head, because no fucking way could he get hard right now. It wasn’t the right damn time. “Why will you push me away?”
She laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. “Because I’m waiting for Mr. Short, Chubby and Bald.”
Callum laughed again, a full belly laugh. Whatever he’d been expecting her to say, it wasn’t that. “So I have to be short, chubby and bald for you to trust me?”
“Mm-hmm. Maybe wear one of those tight sleeveless shirts and show some round gut. Because that guy will have less chance of cheating, right? Well, it makes sense in my brain. I haven’t looked at statistics or anything, and hell, I might be way off in that assumption, but it just feels safer in my head.”
He cupped the back of her head and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I told you, Fi, I would never cheat, especially not on you.”
“That’s what Freddie said.” She dropped back down to the bed, and he felt the loss immediately.
Slowly, he rose and helped her adjust, then pulled the sheet over her body. She still wore her dress, but she looked on the verge of passing out, and no way was he tackling her clothes when she was too drunk to consent.
“You’re sleeping with me, right?” she mumbled, eyes never opening.
