Page 43 of Heart Match

‘So that’s part of your work then, representing brands?’

‘Yeah, part of it.’

‘You know, my friends keep telling me to found my own brand. Quit my job.’

‘Oh yeah? I must say, I don’t know your friends, but I think I agree with them,’ Luc says, sounding excited about it, his eyes widening.

‘You do?’

‘As a customer I can guarantee the quality of the product. I’m very satisfied,’ he says seriously, arching an eyebrow.

I chuckle, placing myself on top of him, propped on my knees, one on each side of his muscled torso. ‘What are you talking about?’ I trace the path down his happy trail, the trail to sin. He’s still naked and warm beneath me.

‘I don’t wear them, but I get to see and touch them, so I can speak from my customer experience,’ he says, his voice hoarse.

He’s watching my finger moving down his body.

‘Also, I like the designer.’

‘Oh … do you now?’

Our eyes meet.

‘Oh yeah. I think she’s really talented,’ he says pulling me into him.

I prop my hands on his chest, he reaches closer so that he can kiss me.

‘When do you leave?’ I ask as if it weren’t a big deal. I want to know because I need to prepare myself. This is not lasting long, as good as it may feel. And this time the reason isn’t me.

‘Are you trying to get rid of me?’ he teases, running his beautiful and perfectly shaped nose along mine. The intimacy makes my chest burn.

‘Maybe,’ I tease.

‘Is that so, Miss Charlton? In that case let me—’

He pretends he’s leaving, but I start laughing and dig my nails into his chest, pinning him back on the mattress, forcing him to stay where he is. He laughs, his mouth curving into a wide self-satisfied smile, showing his sexy dimple, where I place a soft kiss.

‘If everything goes right, then I leave next Monday,’ Luc says, gently stroking my cheek with his rough fingers.

‘And if it doesn’t?’

‘Then I might leave on Tuesday.’

‘This Tuesday? The day after tomorrow?’

He nods.

‘You look disappointed, Olivia.’

‘Maybe,’ I tease him once more, and ignore the annoying pain my heart just experienced.

He shifts me so that he stays on top of me, and starts to tickle me everywhere. I shriek underneath him.

‘Oh yeah?’ he tickles on my belly, under my ribcage, then he begins to spread soft bites around my breasts. I laugh hard, screaming ‘Stop,’ but he’s unforgiving.

‘It’s not true, it’s not true,’ I beg, and my own words shock me.

He stops and stares down at me.

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