Page 160 of Never Tell Lies

“Now?” I asked and he chuckled.

“No, baby. Not now.” He kissed me gently. “You aren’t ready for the kinds of games I want to play.” I shivered at his words and some old ones echoed through my mind.Everyone likes to play, I just play harder than everyone else.

Why did I feel like I was discovering yet another layer of Alfie Tell? I felt as though I’d barely scratched the surface and apparently, as far as sex went, there was still a whole lot more I needed to learn.

“So, am I forgiven?” I asked and he sighed, the tension seeming to evaporate as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close.

“Yes. You’re forgiven.” My stomach chose that moment to rumble again, insisting on being heard. Alfie chuckled. “Come, let me feed you.”

Our fight forgotten and our bridge rebuilt, Alfie led me over to the delicious-smelling food. I was so hungry I was practically salivating. He sat on the couch but I opted for the floor instead, which made it much easier to reach the food. Alfie eyed me with amusement.

“What?” I asked.

“I’ve never in my life seen a woman eat on the floor unless it was a cultural requirement.”

“Try it.”

“I don’t think so, Lola. I do have an image to keep.” I rolled my eyes at the ridiculous man and reached for him, grabbing him by the arms and tugging him onto the floor. He landed on top of me in a heap and my aloof, arrogant man burst out laughing, a far cry from the man he’d been moments ago. He was actuallylaughing.

“That’s what I think of your image, Alfie Tell.” I licked his cheek playfully and he freed another burst of laughter. He reared up, resting on his forearms, and looked down at me. He looked so different when he laughed. The faint lines around his eyes added a touch of humanity to his otherwise otherworldly beauty.

I tilted my chin and was just about to melt into his kiss when the door to his office swung open, startling us both. I turned my head, spying red stilettos, a pair of bony knees, and then looked up to where a set of small eyes were narrowed at me. My mood blackened instantly.

“Oh, excuse me!” Angie’s voice was rich with false surprise.

“Fuck sake, Angie. Knock will you?” Alfie snapped as he disentangled himself from me. I stifled a grin. I knew it was petty to be pleased he was admonishing her but I really hated that woman. Alfie surprised me further by pulling me directly into his lap. Angie stared between the two of us, seemingly in shock. I didn’t bother to hide my glee this time and openly smiled at her.

“Well?” Alfie demanded. Angie winced and I almost felt sorry for her.Almost.

“I just wanted to run through this list of suppliers with you.” She held out an iPad, clearly expecting him to take it. He’d better not take it. He’d better not fucking take it.

“I’ll be five minutes,” he murmured to me, kissing me on the cheek. “Eat.” He gestured at the food and stood, taking theiPad and disappearing out the room. Angie gave me a smug grin before shutting the door on me. Shutting me out.

I heard them mumbling through the door but no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t make out what they were saying. I opened up a box of noodles and searched for utensils, but all I found were chopsticks. Heathen that I was, I’d never learned to use them. I attempted them but after failing miserably I resorted to spearing a piece of pork with one of them and eating that way. Yep. Total heathen.

Angie’s too-sweet laugh came tinkling through the door and my anger bubbled up. I grabbed the nearest thing–a carton of spring rolls–and threw them at the door, which happened to open just as I released the food catapult. Luckily, my aim was terrible and only a single spring roll hit Alfie square in the chest before landing on the floor with a pathetic thump. Alfie looked at the spring roll and then at me with a‘really?’look in his eyes. He sighed and shut the door, and the sound of Angie’s retreating steps echoed down the hall. I guess their business was done.

“I have to work with her, Lola.” His tone warned me not to start yet another argument.

“That’s fine, Tell. As I’ve said to you before, you’re setting a precedent for how I deal with people that are trying to come between us.” He narrowed his eyes at me, all traces of our earlier levity gone. He shrugged out of his suit jacket and lay it over the arm of the couch.

He took a seat on the couch and began undoing his shirt cuffs, rolling them over, revealing smooth, muscular forearms. Somehow, just that little bit of flesh seemed more tantalising than seeing him completely naked.

“I just don’t get why you can manipulate everything else in your life but not her.”

“Because I don’t want to.” After a moment more of my sulking he took my chin and forced me to look up at him.Kneeling as I was, with him looming over me, I felt like this was our true dynamic and I just kidded myself that we were ever equals.

“Let. It. Go,” he said firmly. I opened my mouth to argue further, but tiredness kicked in. We had fought so much today. I was hungry. I just didn’t want to do this anymore. This was where Alfie won. He would always be more persistent, always have more stamina. So, in the end, I gave a defeated nod. I could let it go. For now. He kissed me softly, his thumb rubbing my cheek, and then released me.

He picked up a pair of chopsticks and began to eat as if he’d used them a thousand times. “Shall I teach you?” He held them out to me. I was still a little pissed, but I was hungry more than I was angry so I nodded.

He tried to teach me, he really did, but my fingers just wouldn’t cooperate and in the end he gave up and fed me himself.

“Can I ask you something?” I asked as I swallowed another mouthful of rice.

“Can I stop you?”

“No.” He picked up a piece of chicken with ease and popped it into his mouth before waving the chopsticks at me in a ‘go on’ motion. “You said that you had your personal shopper buy that whole wardrobe for me. I was just wondering why.”

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