Page 20 of Replay
I roll my eyes. “We can speaketh his name. I need to speaketh his name. I have to figure out how I’m going to handle this because he’s going to look over the Harrods contracts, and well…as much as I hate to say it, we need him.”
Freya rubs her lips together with a sheepish look. “I knew Santino was who Allie wanted to help us out, but I told her it was all up to you.”
“A warning would have been nice!” I run my hand through my hair in exasperation. “I can’t believe I didn’t assume he was going to be there last night. God, I’m dense.”
“You’re not dense. You looked so lovely last night, and you were so excited to go and have a proper evening out. You’ve been cooped up in this house with boring old pregnant me for far too long.”
“You’re anything but boring,” I reply with a laugh as I think about the conversation she had with her food the other night. Something about grapes being millennials and raisins being baby boomers, and they’re a family and deserve to live together in harmony. God, she’s wonderful. I fix her with a withering stare. “But now you have to help me figure out things with Santino.”
“I’ve been waiting for this moment my entire life.” Freya reaches out to grab an imaginary bowl of popcorn, tossing some pieces into her mouth. “Tell me everything before your brother wakes up. What all happened between you two?”
I exhale heavily. “I’m not going to get into the past. But I will say…that attraction we had before.It’s still very much alive.” My body shivers as I think of how stifling that lift ride was. The two of us, both angry, both misunderstood, both glowing red and breathing the same hot air.
“Of course the attraction is still there.” She shrugs like it’s the most obvious statement. “I dated him once, so I know how hot he is.”
My nose wrinkles. “God, I clean forgot that fun fact.”
Freya waves me off. “Only for forty minutes before your brother stormed in and practically carried me out of there like a caveman.” She grins like she wasn’t at all displeased by that scene. “I will say that Santino gets a bad rap. Allie actually told me the footballers at the club have been calling him the two-month chump. He exclusively dates women for a couple of months, and sadly, it just never seems to work out. But it’s not for lack of trying.”
“Two months?” I ask curiously. “Exclusive? That doesn’t at all sound like the guy I used to know. Sounds a bit clinical and contrived.”
Freya shrugs. “I think he’s changed a lot. Even when we were on our date, he seemed very genuine and asked lots of thoughtful questions. I didn’t at all get the impression he was looking for an easy shag.”
“Interesting.” My brows furrow as I try to consider that idea. “When we met, he was this sleazy suit-wearing, dark, dangerous and…extremely naughty in bed type of lad. God, the first night we met, we nearly shagged in the women’s loo at some nightclub.”
“Oh my God, that’s hot.” Freya squeals, bouncing slightly in her seated position.
“Not really,” I reply with my lip curled. “It was stupid. I’m pretty sure we stopped because a security guard threatened to throw us out. And I was so stupid because I actually liked all that excitement. I was so out of control that I looked for anything to push my limits.”
“Crikey,” Freya responds flatly, her eyes fixated off into the distance. “A shag in a car wash is the most exciting thing I’ve ever done.”
“Oh my God.” I bark out a laugh and then lower my voice so we don’t wake Mac. “Please tell me that wasn’t with my brother.”
Freya gets a sheepish look on her face. “I’m afraid it couldn’t have been with anyone else since he’s been my only shag.”
“What does that—no way! You were a virgin when you met my brother?”
“Don’t say it like that!”
“I’m not saying it like anything! I’m just…I’m shocked.”
“Well, it shouldn’t surprise you that a plump, Cornish, cat-loving seamstress doesn’t exactly score big with the blokes.”
“Did you guys wait until marriage? Do I want to know? God, I don’t think I do. Tell me quickly,” I rush out, desperate for this juicy nugget and trying my hardest to forget it’s my brother we’re talking about.
“We didn’t wait.” She rolls her eyes. “I’m not a prude. I’m just inexperienced. And your brother was my best mate, so it felt right.”
My heart sighs at that sweet, innocent comment. Freya and Mac’s love story is such a joy to watch…even if their life path is far different from mine.
“So, are you considering a replay with Santino?” Freya waggles her eyebrows.
“No,” I reply quickly and then repeat for good measure, “No! I can’t get swept up in him again. The last time we were together, I lost all my good sense. I can’t allow myself to go down that path again. That’s why I need to talk to you. How do I stop this ridiculous pull I feel to him? Like seriously, when I saw him at the bar, I was like a moth to a flame even though I knew I didn’t want anything to do with him.”
“Bleddy hell, that is a predicament.” Freya rubs her lips together thoughtfully. “Maybe if you look rubbish when you see him? Like sweats and a messy bun. No mascara. If you don’t feel sexy, then you won’t be thinking about sex.”
I nod slowly, my nose wiggling at that idea. “Actually, that’s not a bad thought.”
“Oh! And punch him in the shoulder like he’s one of the bros. I always see Mac and the other footballers do that.” Her face falls. “But don’t swat him on his rear. They do that too, and I fear that could send him mixed messages.”
