‘Sorry, no,’ she said chirpily before turning back to the coffee mugs and hitting the button on the grinder. The beans didn’t need any more grinding but he didn’t know that.
Fixing them both a coffee, she left his on the counter and took hers back to the table and her work which she’d been trying to concentrate on for hours now. It had been impossible of course, her mind completely preoccupied with how thismorning-aftermoment would play out.
Maybe he would pretend last night hadn’t happened. She would be perfectly fine with that. Some things were better left unsaid. Right? Or maybe, given his hangover, he wouldn’t even remember that he’d kissed her. The end result would be the same for both – the incident wouldn’t be mentioned.
But the second option squeezed like a hand around her throat.
‘You want to talk about last night?’
His quiet question put an end to her speculation and took her straight back to those moments. The beginning where his move had startled her and the split second it had taken for a tsunami of lust to rise and drown any iota of common sense as she’d leaned into the kiss.
Even now, the echo of that flood shot a frisson of awareness across her nape, down her décolletage and straight to her nipples, tightening them shamelessly.
With a shuddery breath, Paige blew on her coffee. ‘Nope.’
‘We probably should.’
She shut her eyes. He was right, of course. It was the mature, responsible thing to do. But she was sick of doing the mature, responsible thing. For once she wanted to stick her fingers in her ears and chantla la la not listening.
When she opened them again, he was pulling a chair out at the end of the table, Casper settling at his feet. Pavarotti preened at the bars of the cage, nose twitching, hoping for some attention but unfortunately for himandfor Paige, he was staring right at her.
‘We kissed.’
Like she needed reminding. ‘Youkissed me.’
Cocking an eyebrow, he stared her down with those blue Prendergast eyes. ‘Andyoukissed me back.’
The rebuff was gentle but Paige could hardly dispute it. ‘Look,’ she huffed, ‘it happened, okay? It had been a big day and there was the cognac and… I get it. It was a moment, astrangemoment that shouldn’t have happened.’
‘It shouldn’t have?’
‘Bella is my friend, Oliver.’ Her rebuke was almost as sharp as her glare. ‘Friends don’t… fool around with their friends’ exes. It’s not justbrosthat have codes, you know?’
He nodded. ‘Right, of course.’ He was obviously chastened by her instant rebuttal but he didn’t look so sure and that was confusing.
Surely, he knew that rule, too?
‘So, I say, let’s just put it down to the cognac and move on. Or… I could move out.’
Paige brightened at the thought.Herleaving would be too suspicious butifheindicated that might be the correct course of action, then she could hardly stay in those circumstances, right? Sure, she’d have left before her mission was complete but it would be a lot easier to face the others in that scenario.
‘It might take me a couple of days to find a temporary living situation but?—’
‘No.’
His vigorous head shake cut her off and the hope that he would hand her an easy out evaporated. It seemed she was destined to stay and do her worst.
‘You don’t have to go. I’m sure, as you say, we can move on from this.’
‘Absolutely,’ she murmured.
Staying meant she wouldn’t have to arrange some bridging accommodation which was a bonus. And also, she’d get to keep working on his book which she’d been enjoying immensely.
‘Look…’ He placed his mug on the table and sought her gaze. ‘I’m sorry. About the kiss. I… don’t know what came over me but I should have resisted. The last thing I want is to put you in a compromising position with Bella. I’ve hurt her enough already.’
Paige felt the sincerity of his guilt deep in her bones. Clearly Oliver was still feeling bad about his disappearing act which begged the question, what the hell had he been thinking? Because being in such close confines with him, seeing him throughhereyes, not Bella’s, he seemed like a good guy.
Grappling with some serious demons.
