Lachlan’s fingers tipped up my chin as his mouth seared over mine. In shushed tones he called me beautiful and sweet, and I wanted to melt into the floor and take him with me. My lips craved more, and I began my own pursuit, taking lead as I was prone to do. But oh, the reward. Lachlan laughed into our kiss and—
My cell phone buzzed.
Lachlan’s nose grazed my cheek as I automatically turned my head to locate the interruption. A knee-jerk reaction, born of years of repetition.
“Did you seriously bring a phone?” he asked.
“Yes. My dress has pockets." He was not the least bit impressed. “Isn’t that handy?”
“Let it go,” Lachlan said.
“I can’t.” The phone vibrated again, and I fished it from the slit in my skirt. “It’s probably—”
“Celeste.”
“Yes.” Tearing my eyes from Lachlan, I checked the screen. “I have to take the call.”
Lachlan released a ragged breath as he dragged his hand through his hair. “Your boss can give you one night off. Whatever debt you owed has to be long since paid, Olivia.”
The call went to voicemail as the band played Adele. “I’ll decide that.”
Lachlan guided us to the side of the room, away from the dancing. “I hate watching the way she takes advantage of you.”
I’d heard this from my sisters, and to hear it from him was a match-drop in kerosene. “I think what you meant to say, Lachlan, is that Celeste appreciates and depends on my work ethic and reliability. I’m not swimming in wealth like you. If I don’t prove myself irreplaceable, then I’m easily fired.”
He gave a dismissive shrug. “Then you find another job with a firm that respects your time and treats you well.”
“You make that sound as easy as playing a video game.” My words caused an instant snarl on Lachlan’s face.
“Is that all you think I do?”
“No, it’s not all. But I do think play time is more acceptable in your world than in mine.”
Lachlan set his jaw, his gaze stormy as an Ozark spring. “Are you running to Celeste or running away from how you feel?”
A maelstrom of emotions swirled in my chest, and I suddenly found it difficult to breathe. Between Lachlan’s kiss and his thorn-covered questions, my entire system was on the verge of overheating.
When my phone buzzed again, I was almost relieved for the intrusion.
Of course it was Celeste.
“I’m going to take this call,” I said. “Feel free to use this time to network like we practiced.”
“Olivia—”
But I pasted on my Happy Wife smile and walked away. I had some work to do—which included putting some much-needed space between my temporary husband and me.
ChapterThirty-Three
OLIVIA
Being a fake wife was hard.
We needed a support group. A secret handshake. A lifetime supply of liquor and cookies.
Two hours later I walked beside Lachlan back to the hotel room. My feet hurt and so did my bruised feelings. I’d said things I shouldn’t have—things I didn’t even mean. But had I apologized yet? Nope.
Because the surly, silent man who called himself my husband hadn’t spoken ten words to me since I’d returned after my call with Celeste. But that was okay. I’d danced with Governor Hernández’s husband, then some man who’d quizzed me about Lachlan’s announcement at TechieCon, which I assured him was top secret even to me. While Lachlan had networked with two other prominent CEOs, I’d spoken to three reporters about Lachlan’s movie and philanthropic deeds.
