Page 97 of How to Get Even

‘You can’t do that,’ Bella cried.

‘Well, Idid, so it’s done,’ he said with a shrug.

‘You can’t lie about things like that.’ She wanted to throw the pillow at him where he stood looking far too good, the shirt from last night open mid-way down and half-tucked into the formal trousers.

So, it hadn’t been an aberration. Just looking at him made her entire body hum, expectant shivers pushing at her skin and wanting more.

‘It’s fine. When I called them this morning, they said they’d raised a record amount of money and they were extremely thankful for the Nayak’s donation – which wewilltalk about tomorrow,’ he said, with a warning point of his finger. She bit her lip. ‘But apparently it was an extremely popular donation,’ he conceded.

They hadn’t messed up, no one was upset, she didn’t have to fix anything. In fact, Chase had handled it for her. He hadn’t waited for her to fix it, or solve it; he’d done it himself. And God that made her feel…

Her phone buzzed somewhere in the room, but she ignored it. So did Chase.

It made her feelthings.

‘Last night,’ she started, her throat rough from the pleasure he’d made her moan with. Just the thought made her skin flush. ‘Last night you gave me a choice,’ she tried again, forcing the words out.

His eyes, hot and heavy on hers, grew serious, and he nodded slowly.

‘And’ – she shrugged, not quite sure how to say it – ‘if you want to just leave it here…’ She trailed off. She didn’t know what to say, what the correct words were to ask whether this was a fling or something more. Good girls didn’t have flings. But Bella wasn’t a good girl any more.

When she looked up, Chase shook his head, slowly, something determined in his gaze.

She bit her lip, hoping to hold back the smile. ‘You don’t want to just leave it here?’

‘Nope.’

She swallowed.

‘You?’ he asked, and she shook her head, quicker than he had. People had always wanted her poise and grace. Chase seemed determined to make her messy and chaotic.

‘But,’ she said, thinking about the next few weeks, ‘I’d rather not tell the staff. At least, not until the gallery is open,’ she said, cutting off her thoughts. Not wanting to think about what would happen after the gallery was opened.

‘Agreed,’ Chase said, finally releasing himself from where he stood, putting the coffee down on the table and stalking towards her with a wicked glint in his eye.

‘Do you want to know what else I did this morning, while you were sleeping?’ he asked, slowly unbuttoning his shirt.

She bit her lip and nodded her head.

‘I bought some more condoms,’ and she squealed as he came down on her and covered her with kisses that started out as teasing and silly, but quickly grew hot and needy andperfect.

* * *

Astrid

I don’t need to know the details, love, but I do need to know that you’re okay. That’s all. Promise. Xx

Bella

I’m okay. Promise. Xx

The dinner had, despite her concerns, indeed been a success, Nayak New York getting good mentions in the press from the Harrisons and attendees of the dinner who had seen Chase and Bella.

Maurice was happy with the newfound confidence for the gallery and now that pieces were coming in thick and fast, Ye-Joon was spending more time here, making Ali happier too.

The website had gone live and the sign-up rate for the newsletter was higher than had been predicted, and the guest list for the pre-opening night was already nearly full, which would hopefully push some over into the actual opening, scheduled for two days after.

Tej had opened his little black book for Bella and she had rifled through it, making a careful selection of who she could invite. She’d thought about asking Astrid about Blake and Aiden, for a hot second. The ‘Twin Tornados’, America’s ice-hockey giants, would attract an entirely new audience to the gallery. But then realised she couldn’t. Because if Chase ever knew about her friendship with Astrid, or the revenge plan, he’d never forgive her. So for however long this thing ran between them, it had to be a secret.

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