Page 17 of Filthy Rich Temptation
‘Wait.’
I cover her hands – partly to stop the accidental caress from lighting me up any further, and partly because I need a second to process what she just said.
She and Taylor were inseparable. From the moment Sadie’s mum left her on their dad’s doorstep and disappeared, they came as a unit.
Yes, Sadie left with Danny. Yes, the distance must’ve been brutal.
But a fight?
Bad enough to crack that bond?
And why the hell hasn’t Taylor told me about it?
‘Sadie?’
* * *
Sadie
Theo reaches out when I don’t look at him, his finger light upon my chin. No touch should be this dizzying. No gaze, no scent, no man!
He eases my chin up until I have no choice but to meet his eye. Theo semi-naked is drop-dead gorgeous, Theo broody and commanding –dynamite.
‘Wewilltalk about this later, okay?’
No. Not okay. I swallow. It’s hard enough acknowledging how I feel about it, to put words to it and have him judge me too. No, thanks. But I can’t force the words past my lips.
And then his eyes areonmy lips and I’m about two seconds away from spontaneously combusting.
‘Okay,’ I hear myself agree. But honestly, there’s nothing I wouldn’t give him when he looks at me like that – those green eyes hotter than the sun blazing outside.
‘Good.’
It comes out raw, breathless, just like I feel. His gaze drifts back up, his mouth parting as he wets the inner edge of his lip. Oh. My.God. The space between us shrinks, and I can’t breathe. I can’t move. I can’t?—
‘Eeeee!’ Lottie screeches, straining at her harness like a caged gremlin, her tablet thudding into my lap as I jerk back – moment shattered. Thank God.
‘Mummy! Out!’
‘Okay, honey, okay.’
I throw myself into freeing her, wrestling with the harness like I’ve never used one before, while Theo steps out, smooth and composed – like his world hasn’t just tilted the way mine has.
And let’s face it, it hasn’t. This is all on me.Inme. The woman who should know better…
Once burned, twice shy? I wish.
The door opens beside Lottie and Theo reaches in. ‘The park awaits you, princess.’
She lets out an excited squeal and thrusts her headphones at me before launching herself into his arms – easy as – and I feel the smallest pinch of envy.
Oh, to be that trusting again…
Oh, to be able to do that with Theo again…
‘Can I help you with your bag?’ Shaun says, glancing over his shoulder at a very frozen me.
‘Nope— nope, I’ve got it,’ I say, cheeks burning as I shove Lottie’s things into her bag and scramble out of the backseat, careful not to get taken out by passing cars as I step onto the road and close the door behind me.
