Page 110 of Strictly the Worst

“Really,” I agree. “I like your kid. She’s part of you. I want to be part of both your lives.”

“I can’t stand in the way of you and your promotion,” she tells me. “It’s too soon. What if you turn it down and we don’t work out?”

I swallow hard, because the thought of things not working out with this woman slays me. I can’t remember the last time I was this happy. I think never might be the answer.

“What if I take it and it ruins us?” I ask her.

“It won’t.” She cups my face, her eyes soft as they catch mine. “You told Roman you’d think about it. How long do you have?”

“I asked for a couple of weeks.”

“Okay.” She nods, looking serious. “So you fly to Paris next week and you think about it. Really think about it. And if that’s what you want, to work there, then do it. For me.”

“And leave you?”

“We can do long distance.” The corner of her lip curls. “Think about the reunions.”

“I’ll rub my cock raw,” I mutter and for the first time she laughs.

“Please?” she asks. “Tell me you’ll consider it.”

I let out a long breath. I don’t want to. I want this concluded now. Because when you meet the person you’ve been searching for your whole life, you’d be a fucking fool to give that up.

“Okay,” I say. But I’m not happy about it.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-SEVEN

TESSA

Just so you know. Weddings make me horny. You’re missing out. – Linc x

I smile at his message. I get the feeling that he doesn’t hear the word no very often. But there’s just no way I was going to his brother’s wedding when I’ve never met his family.

What exactly is it about watching a family member say ‘I do’ that fires your libido up? – Tessa x

I hit the send button then lift the cloth back up. Now that the water is back on I’m putting the finishing touches to the living room. Angela is here helping me, though she’s been talking more than she’s been cleaning up.

“So then Lisa told me she was on her period,” Angela continues. She’s been trying to tell me this story for the last ten minutes but we keep getting interrupted. First by Zoe stopping home on her way to brunch with Jared and his parents, because she had to wear the skirt that she bought from some previously-loved clothes app the other day. Then by Linc who insisted on sending me a photograph of him in his tux.

And yes, he looks amazing. Even Angela looked a little flustered when I showed her.

“Are you even listening to me?” Angela asks.

I look at her, blinking. “You were telling me about Lisa’s period.”

“I told you that three times. And then I told you that Ryan told her that PMS is no excuse for the other three weeks out of four that she’s a bitch and then she actually body tackled him to the ground.”

“At work?” I murmur. “Wow.”

“No, not at work. This was at a conference for work. And they’re definitely fucking.” Angela shakes her head. “Anyway, it’s a boring story. I only started telling you it because you told me to stop asking you about Linc.”

I bite down a smile. I did ask her that, mostly because she’s had way too many questions I don’t have the answers to.

Before I can say anything else, another message flashes on my phone. I go to look at it but Angela snatches my phone from me, grinning as she reads whatever Linc’s decided to put as a reply to my question about weddings making him horny.

What makes me horny is the thought of you in a dress in my cabin, bent over my bed while I fuck you until you scream my name. – Linc x

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