Page 27 of Forget

‘If we’d hooked up at uni, do you think we would’ve been different?’

His brows drew together in a frown. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean personally.’ She shrugged. ‘Professionally we’d have been the same. I would’ve succumbed to my parents’ cajoling and joined them in their business after my degree, you would’ve carved an impressive niche in IT. But would we have had anything in common beyond the sex? I mean, I don’t know anything about you. Where you’re from. What your parents do. Do you have any siblings—’

‘I don’t believe in dredging up the past or wasting time discussing what-ifs.’ He touched her arm briefly before letting his hand fall. ‘Now I have to run.’

He dropped a quick peck on her cheek. ‘I’ll be in touch regarding a time for our business meeting this afternoon.’

She watched him stride across the quadrangle, long steps that were almost a half-run, as if he couldn’t get away from her fast enough. She might have agreed to a fling but she still didn’t know anything about him and by the way he bolted when she’d asked he wanted to keep it that way.

Brock had made it perfectly clear. He didn’t want to develop anything meaningful beyond them screwing. So she had to suck it up and focus on getting what she wanted out of this: her onlinecharity software fool-proofed, with the added bonus of scorching sex at night. Sounded simple enough.

But if her parents’ treachery had taught her anything, it was not to lie to herself. And she knew that continuing to see Brock, to spend time with him, would only reveal what she already knew: that in less than twenty-four hours she might have fallen for him a little.

A stupid notion that her teenage self might’ve believed in, but she was older and wiser now. She didn’t believe in fairytales or love at first sight or any of that fanciful nonsense. But Brock made her feel good in a way she never had and she’d be an idiot not to crave more.

Sighing, she sat back down on the bench, picked up her coffee cup, and took a sip. The latte had cooled but considering she hadn’t had any sleep she needed the caffeine hit.

A few students straggled into the quadrangle, most of them headed to Merv’s truck. She’d been mortified initially when he’d remembered her regular order from a decade ago, knowing Brock would pick up on it being calorie conscious.

But her mortification had given way to something else with Brock by her side: confidence. He knew her body-shaming secrets and he didn’t judge her for them. In fact, he’d only ever reiterated how attractive he found her and set about proving it last night.

Of course, that could be the words and actions of a horny guy wanting to get some, but she didn’t think so. He was a better man than that. She might not know a lot about him, but she knew that much.

She couldn’t believe he’d wanted her during those four years in uni and had never made a move. That alone told her he wouldn’t mess with her when he finally had the chance.

Yeah, being with Brock made her feel good. It gave her confidence to be herself and she couldn’t say that about anybody else in her life.

Sure, she had friends. Girls from her private school she kept in touch with, mainly on social media, and a few people from uni. But once they learned she couldn’t use her influence in financial circles because she worked for her parents’ charity, they didn’t seem too interested in maintaining a friendship.

Ironic, that the one person who hadn’t been impressed by her wealth back then was Brock. He’d bought his own drinks at the pub if they went out in a large group and never hung around the cafeteria where she’d frequently shouted fruit salads for the crew in her year. She’d known nothing about him back then for the simple reason she hadn’t wanted to know. He’d been too smart, too aloof, too hot, for her.

Not much had changed. A guy with his intelligence and his money could have any woman he wanted. And for the short term, that woman was her. She wanted it that way.

So why did it hurt so much that though he was sticking around for six weeks he was more than happy to end this thing between them in two?

She took several gulps of coffee to ease the lump of emotion lodged in her throat. It didn’t take much for her insecurities to override her common sense.

Was she not thin enough?

Was she not smart enough?

Was she not… enough?

Her parents had drummed that into her for years and it would probably take a lifetime to get over it.

But for now, she had more important things to worry about. Like getting started on her website so Brock could look over the software and ensure it was foolproof.

Taking control of her life meant honouring Sasha’s memory the right way, of fostering her sister’s dream, of proving to herself that while Sasha may be gone their bond could never be broken.

She had to do this right.

13

Brock had turnedinto a wuss around Jayda. Again.

Avoiding her for four years during uni had nothing on the way he’d hightailed it to the western suburbs now to put some much-needed distance between them.

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