Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 115308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
The couple’s eyes lit up and Afonso gestured for Luke to open it.
During this entire interaction, I was doing my very best not to look over at Baird.
And failing.
January, Lily’s younger sister, had appeared beside Baird like a gorgeous wee fairy. The memory of Lily telling me January was crushing on Baird hit me seconds before she pressed her palms to his chest and cocked her head flirtatiously.
My fingernails bit into my palms, but I focused my attention back to Luke and Afonso.
Luke plucked not one but two bottles of the very expensive cologne I knew they both loved but couldn’t afford. Pennington’s stocked it, so I’d gotten a discount. “You didn’t …”
I shrugged, thoroughly enjoying the glee on their faces. “I did.”
Just like that, I found myself embraced by two very handsome men who peppered my cheeks with kisses. Laughing, my gaze inadvertently met Baird’s. His eyes were warm and tender on me.
Hope bloomed in my chest.
Then January cupped Baird’s bearded cheek in her palm, somewhat aggressively pulling his attention back to her.
“What the fuck?” I muttered before I could stop myself.
“Oh, aye, that.” Luke cocked his head in their direction. “She’s been flirting with your fiancé since he walked in the door. You might want to have a wee word.”
Before I could approach to do just that, January pressed her entire body against Baird and whatever she murmured to him had him throwing a panicked look in my direction.
That little … “Excuse me, gentlemen.” I marched across the room and Beth turned to greet me before I could snap January like a twig. She threw her arms around me and said between gritted teeth, “Please don’t kill her.”
My response was a toothless, annoyed smile and a bitten-out hello to Callan. My eyes locked with Baird’s. A long, tension-filled silence stretched like there was a string attached to each of us, and it was pulling tauter and tauter …
Everything—the chatter, the music—all faded around me as I stared into his warm brown eyes.
“Oh, I didn’t think you were coming, Maia.” January grinned at me like her hands weren’t still on my fiancé’s chest.
I gave her a pointed look.
Wicked humor lightened her expression as she dropped her hands to her sides. “I was just telling Baird that I suspect your engagement is fake.”
Oh, holy hell. Tone even, I asked, “What makes you say that?”
“The evidence is substantial. You were barely broken up with Will. This campaign with Pennington’s. Baird’s escapades in the newspaper. The fact that the club has a new owner and maybe he didn’t like Baird’s escapades being in the newspaper. I’m thinking you needed a fiancé, Baird needed to clean up his act, and voilà!”
She really was too smart for her own good. If I wasn’t the object of her sleuthing, I’d be so proud.
The only obvious thing to do was to squeeze past Beth, gently maneuver January to the side, and stand so close to my so-called fake fiancé my breasts brushed his chest. I heard his breath stutter as I whispered, “Hi,” and then slid my palms over his hard pecs and up behind his neck. The scent of his familiar aftershave and the feel of our bodies touching sent tingles shooting down my nape and around my breasts. Pushing up onto my tiptoes, I feathered my lips over his mouth, once twice—
His arms banded tight around my waist so he could capture me in a deep, entirely inappropriate kiss that made my head spin and arousal tighten deep in my womb.
The wolf-whistling was the only reason Baird released me.
For a moment, we just panted against each other’s mouths. My skin was on fire and a throbbing need made itself known between my thighs.
Oh boy.
Remembering we weren’t alone, I lowered my heels and looked over my shoulder at January.
Her dark eyes brimmed with amusement. “So … does that mean you’re not up for stepping aside so I can have a crack at him?”
“Baird isn’t an object you can have a crack at, Jan. I know men have objectified women for centuries, but reverse objectification is just bad feminism.”
“I respectfully disagree.”
“Respectfully? Okay, respectfully … if you flirt with my fiancé again, it’ll be me hiding dead fish all over your flat.”
Jan saluted me. “Message received. I like this new aggressive you. And even though I’m not convinced this shit didn’t start out fake, I almost combusted at that kiss, so I’m glad my meddling made you see sense. I’m happy for you, cuz. Will sounded like a bore. Baird is definitely an upgrade.” She bounced off to cross the room to push between Lily and her boyfriend Sebastian. Whatever she said made Sebastian howl with laughter.
She’d deliberately flirted with Baird to push us together? “I think she might be the cutest, most devious person I’ve ever met,” I muttered.