“This, however, isn’t my house, and if you kill me, it wouldn’t be an accident.”
“I’d make it look like one.”
He chuckled softly and pushed off the doorframe. “Hmm. So, you don’t want to talk about work, family, or your ex-boyfriends. I’ll remember that.”
“Oh no, you won’t remember anything. Forget it! That is what we both are going to do!” she corrected, pointing her index finger at him. “Besides, the screenwriter may have been unsuccessful, but the street artist…” Okay, he had been unsuccessful too. “It doesn’t matter!” she replied angrily. “It’s none of your business. And why are you suddenly in such a good mood? You were just in disaster management.”
“Yes, but I’ve had time to think about it, and to be honest, it’s not that bad. And hey, I almost forgot about the appointment for the paperwork. So, it’s good that your brother reminded me. Maybe I’ll catch him outside and we’ll save ourselves a trip.”
She knew he was joking. Nevertheless, Penny wasn’t in the mood to laugh. “Jack, you just said it yourself; no one must know that this ever happened!No one.” She looked at him sternly. “I can’t screw this up before I’ve even started. Not again.”
“Again?” His eyebrows shot up.
“Yes,” she said without elaborating. “And I have bad news for you: You can’t ever wear those shoes again.” She pointed to the floor. “Your jacket too, in case Gareth noticed it. And your car…you should probably scrap that too.”
He gave her a wry look. “Your brother won’t remember your lover’s shoes.”
“My brother rememberseverything. Why else would he be such a damn good lawyer?”
He sighed. “Fine. I’ll give the shoes away. But the car and jacket stay.”
Yes, she could live with that. “Fine. Then you can go.”
“Okay,” he said but didn’t move.
“Jack…” she insisted.
“Penny,” he replied calmly.
“What are you waiting for?”
“I need my t-shirt back.”
“Oh.” She dropped her hands. Right. She shifted from one foot to the other, uncertain, and then said, “Okay, turn around.”
He snorted. “I saw you naked barely an hour ago!”
“Yes, but I wasn’t your boss barely an hour ago!”
“Ah, right. You’re my boss,” he repeated slowly before chuckling softly and rubbing the back of his neck. “Hey, can I at least get a raise for my efforts last night?”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “No, I’m sorry. You only get one after five orgasms.”
He glanced at his watch. “Well, I still have time.”
Ignoring the expectant shiver that danced down her spine, she rolled her eyes, pulled the t-shirt over her head, and pressed it against her chest. “Get your other stuff, the t-shirt will come last.”
She saw Jack swallow as his gaze flicked over her upper body. It didn’t matter if the fabric covered her, she immediately felt naked.
“Fuck,” he whispered, rubbing his eyes. “Put it back on and keep it. It’ll smell like you or us anyway and…make the whole forgetting thing difficult.”
She bit her lip and did as he said while he slipped on socks and shoes before finally pulling the coat over his bare upper body.
Watching the play of his muscles, a sigh escaped her throat. But before the sound made it to the air, Jack caught it in his mouth. Burying one hand in her short hair, he kissed her. Gently and slowly. Luxuriously.
“Just a reminder,” he whispered against her lips as he pulled away. “So I know what I need to forget.”
The next moment, he was gone.
