Page 121 of Strictly the Worst

“Was it you?”

He smiles against my mouth. “No, but I’m guessing it was somebody important. I was the first one on there. Couldn’t wait to get back to you.” He pushes the hair from my face. “You look like shit, Carmichael.”

“Thanks.” I roll my eyes, but I can’t stop the smile from pulling at my lips. I’m just so happy he’s back.

I didn’t know I’d find it this hard for us to be apart. And yes, some of that is my messed up hormones but the rest is him.

I can’t bear to be without him.

“Seriously, did you get any sleep without me here?”

“Not much,” I admit. He turns so my head is resting on his chest. He starts to stroke my hair. I always thought I’d be happy alone. I was never afraid of being the only one in the house. But when Zoe is at her dad’s and Linc’s in Paris I’ve hated the echo of silence that greets me every time I walk in.

“I told you that you should have stayed at my place,” Linc says. His fingers are drawing circles on my spine.

“I’m not moving into your apartment,” I murmur, closing my eyes because having him here is making me feel relaxed for the first time in days.

“You’ll have to eventually,” he says softly.

“Why?”

“Because this place isn’t big enough for three people.”

My eyes fly open again. “You want us to move in with you?” I ask him.

“I mean, not immediately.” He grins at me. “We need to tell Zoe about us first. And get her used to us being together. But it’s going to happen eventually. Once the Paris office is up and running and I’m back here full time I won’t be hopping from one bed to another. I want you in mine.”

“And Zoe?” I whisper.

“We’ll get her room decorated any way she wants it. Hell, we can move into a new apartment if she prefers. We’ll talk about it.”

“Isn’t it too soon?” I ask him.

For the first time uncertainty flits over his face. And this is a man who is never uncertain. “Is that what you think?” he asks. “Because I’m of the opinion that it can’t come soon enough. I want you and Zoe living with me. If that’s not what you want…”

“I didn’t say that. I just…” I let out a mouthful of air. “I haven’t even met your family yet. What if they hate me?”

“Why would they hate you?” he asks, a smile flitting at his lips. “They’ll fucking love you. Now shut up and let me show you how much I’ve missed you.”

“I thought you were tired.”

“Never too tired for that, Carmichael. Now spread your legs and let me in.”

I do as he asks, as he drags his finger along me, until he finds the part that needs him most.

“Christ, I missed this,” he whispers, kissing his way down my body.

“I missed you too,” I whisper and then he buries his face between my thighs and all rational thought rushes out of my brain.

Linc has to leave to meet up with his brothers and his father for a meeting. I should be working on the house, but instead I call Angela in a panic, because nothing in my closet looks good enough to wear to meet his family. I didn’t want to spend money on a new dress, but something new is needed.

“Don’t panic,” she tells me. “I’m on my way.”

She ends up taking me to a consignment store she knows right outside the city. She insists on sitting on a bench seat with a tie wrapped around her neck as she assesses each outfit I try on, like we’re in some kind of rerun of Pretty Woman.

“Too flouncy,” she says about the first dress. And she’s right. I’m not a flouncy kind of girl, no matter how pretty the pink feathery skirt is.

“Too tight.” She wrinkles her nose at the second dress. “You have a kick ass body but that one makes you look like you have a pooch.”

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