Page 108 of Strictly the Worst

Linc takes my hand in his, using his finger to trace the lines on my palm. “I had a meeting with Roman this afternoon.”

“To talk about the Paris office?” I ask him, trying not to smile at the memory of him looking so shocked when Roman said his name. It served him right for sending dirty messages to me when he should have been concentrating.

Not that I minded. Truth was, I was thinking about sex, too. Something I seem to be doing a lot of recently.

Because sex with Linc Salinger is mind blowing. The kind of sex I didn’t realize was possible. He’s a generous lover. I’ve never seen him more intense than when he’s coming inside of me.

“He’s expecting me to run it.” His voice is low. He’s staring straight ahead.

“While you’re setting it up?” I ask.

Linc shakes his head. “No, full time. He’s offered me a partnership. Wants me to move to Paris permanently and be in charge of European operations. He wants somebody he can trust to run the business there.”

My chest tightens. “So you’d live there?”

He lets out a long breath. “Yeah, I guess.” He turns to look at me, deep furrows lining his forehead. “I told him I’d think about it, but I’m going to say no.”

“To a partnership?” I ask, my voice lifting. “Why would you do that?” It’s the pinnacle of our business. Nobody in their right mind would say no to a partnership. The chance to earn the big bucks. To be your own boss. Linc already brings in the clients. This is a chance to cash in on the profits he creates.

“Because it’s in France,” he says, frowning at me.

“And? You’ve been flying there for the last two years. It’s not like you don’t know the place.” And now I’m thinking of his client. The beautiful one – Celine. And part of me wants to cry because the world is full of beautiful women, and Paris must have more than its fair share.

He’s still looking at me. “But then I won’t be able to spend time with you.”

There’s an intensity to his stare that makes my breath catch in my throat. “We can still see each other. Sometimes.”

“How? I can’t see you hopping on a red eye to Paris every couple of weeks.”

“I could try,” I say, my voice small. Because I think we both know it wouldn’t be possible. Because of Zoe. I can’t be in another country without her on a regular basis. Exuma was hard enough.

Linc shrugs. “It’s okay. I’ve made my mind up. I’m going to say no.”

Alarm rushes through me. “You can’t say no because of me.”

Those lines are back on his forehead again. “You want me to go?”

I try to breathe in but my chest feels tight. I don’t feel prepared for this conversation. “I don’t think it’s about me, it’s about you. If I wasn’t here, would you go?”

“Yes.”

That’s what I thought. And in a weird way, it’s almost a relief to hear.

“Then you have to go,” I tell him. “It’s too good an opportunity to ignore.”

He shifts his position, pulling his feet from the table. I sit up as he turns to look at me.

“Do you want me to go?” he asks, his voice low.

“That’s not what I’m saying.” I blink, because he looks angry now.

“Then what are you saying, Tessa? Because I want to hear it.”

It’s the first time he’s said my first name when he’s angry and I hate it. I inhale a ragged breath. “I’m saying that if it was me, I’d take it.” It’s a lie, but I can’t think properly. My brain is a mess.

“You’d leave me for a job opportunity?” His voice lifts. He’s not just angry, he’s furious. His eyes are trained on mine, his lips pressed together. I pinch the bridge of my nose to try to get my thoughts to work properly.

“It’s not just a job opportunity,” I whisper. “It’s the chance of a lifetime. To be in charge of your own business. To earn the big bucks.”

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