Page 18 of Her Every Fantasy

‘Are you ever not going to be pissed off with me about that?’ she asked, her voice low and husky.

I saw an opening on the floodlit avenue in front of me and stepped on the gas, needing the extra horsepower to dissipate some of my anger. ‘Not any time soon, rosebud.’ I didn’t see the need to add I was more furious with her ex than with her. That once or twice I’d wondered ifIcould’ve done things differently. The jury was still out...

She grimaced. ‘Would it help at all if I said it was my life and I’m entitled to live it as I see fit?’

I exhaled. ‘If it’s your life then whether I’m pissed off or not doesn’t matter, does it?’ I pulled into the parking space in front of the restaurant and applied the brakes with more force than necessary.

Before I could exit she placed her hand on my arm. ‘If the chef is as good as you say he is, then, like our lunch, I don’t want to invite indigestion with this thing between us.’

I dragged the heel of my hand across my eyes. ‘Let’s make a deal to not talk about him or the past during dinner.’

A wave of emotion flitted across her face. ‘The past is a huge chunk of our lives, Bryce. And for the most part, I liked what you and I had.’

For the most part.The light and frivolous parts that didn’t matter.

Frustration bit me hard. ‘Fine. Then we’ll find something else.’

‘Like what?’

I cast around for a subject that wasn’t volatile. I came up with nothing besides an old...dangerous favourite. ‘Truth or Dare. You got to play last time, albeit atrociously. I think it’s my turn.’

Her hand dropped from my forearm, the look on her face a cross between anticipation and apprehension. If this ended anywhere like it had last time, we’d be straying into dangerous territory. But, fuck it if now I’d put it out there I was going to take it back.

I threw my door open and glanced at her. ‘So, you coming?’

The reaction I wanted arrived in a millisecond in a form of a challenging toss of her head. ‘Hold your horses. I’m coming.’

Our table was one of the best in the house. Semi private and ambient but with enough of the see-and-be-seen vibe that normally appealed to me. But tonight, too many male gazes veered to Savvie. And stayed on her once they recognised who it was they were staring at.

Even before the sommelier approached with menus, my mood was spiralling downward with an emotion I wincingly recognised as jealousy.

I yanked it back long enough to discuss wine choices, not surprised when Savvie went for her favourite Chilean Pinot Blanc. Our waiter arrived soon after that and I felt the tug of a smile when Savvie asked for the quickest starter on the menu.

Five minutes later, she was moaning in ecstasy as she tucked into a small plate of calamari dipped in creamy tartare sauce.

God, she was so predictable in many ways.

And shockingly unpredictable in the worst, most important way.

Enough. Let it go.

But no amount of admonishing myself would free that knot of arctic fury and disappointment in my chest.

‘You’re doing that thing with your mouth again, Bryce,’ she murmured.

I frowned. ‘What thing?’

‘That thing you do when you’re disgruntled.’ She set her wine glass down firmly on the table, her eyes fixed on mine. ‘If this was a bad idea—’

‘You’re hungry. We’re having dinner. End of.’

After a moment, she nodded. ‘Okay. But before we get to your games, I have a neutral subject to discuss.’

The back of my neck tingled. ‘Yes?’

‘I heard Gideon got married.’

I relaxed. My brother’s engagement and subsequent wedding had taken everyoneby surprise, not least the man himself. But so far, he and his new wife hadn’t killed each other yet, which was great, I guessed. I liked Leonie a lot, but I wasn’t holding my breath because, well...she’d married a Mortimer and we were notorious for being bad at matrimony despite our impressive clan numbers. If they proved me wrong and lasted a year, or more, so be it.

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