Page 66 of Best Man
He huffs a sigh. “I didn’t want you to do them anymore,” he mutters.
“Why?”
“Because I didn’t want to book you for something and see you end up with the bloke.”
For a long second I stare at him, a hot feeling of intense happiness and something stronger in my chest. I eye his awkward expression and opt to hide my jubilation.
“And do you feel better for that confession?” I ask. “Knowing that you could have deprived me of meeting my one true Prince Charming?”
“At someone’s Christmas office party? You’d have just met vomit and damaging career decisions,” he scoffs.
“You never know where you’ll meet your prince,” I say solemnly. “Zeb, I don’t know what to say. This is such a new facet to your character.”
“You’re a massive pisstaker, aren’t you?” he says in a resigned tone and I laugh.
“It’s one of my many,manycharming traits.” I reach up and kiss him. “Thank you for telling me,” I say softly.
“You’re not bothered?” He sounds astonished.
“Nope. Why would I be?” He stares at me, so I elaborate. “You’re telling me you didn’t want me with anyone. Why would I be pissed off? It runs both ways.”
“But I stopped you meeting someone.”
“Atwork.” I grin. “Relax, Zeb. You didn’t swallow the key to my chastity belt.”
“That would have been like shutting the stable door after the horse had bolted years ago.”
I start to laugh. “Anyway, you were right.”
“I was?”
“I did meet someone on a pretend-boyfriend gig.”
He looks worried. “Who?”
I shake my head. “You, of course, you idiot.”
He looks pleased, so I kiss his nose and settle back in my place on his chest. He resumes stroking my hair and a peaceful silence falls as I hug my happiness to myself.
“So?” he finally says after a while.
I sigh. “I know what you’re going to say, and the answer is no.”
“So, you don’t want to shag Jude Law?”
“Well, no. Hang on, you were not going to say that.”
Zeb laughs, the merry sound ringing in the air, and I stare at his smiling face with his eyes creased in amusement. “No, I was going to say do you think we should get out of bed today?”
“I knew it.” I lay my head back down and pat his hand to start the scalp massage again. “No. I want to stay here forever.”
“When we die from malnutrition, the next people might object to sharing the bed.”
“Will we die locked in each other’s arms? That’ssoromantic.”
“Oh my God, you probably likedRomeo and Juliet.”
“The ultimate story of true love.”
