Page 44 of Butterfly

“I told him if he called me ‘woman’ again, I’d stop talking to him and pretend he didn’t exist. That did it.”

We laugh together.

“But did you agree to go out with him?” I ask.

Phoebe brushes a lock of Zoe’s hair from her chubby face. “He was just back in England from his deployment and had opened his own clinic. This is how I met him. I took my cat to his surgery. I liked how gentle he was with animals and how he understood the pain people felt for their pets. That got me. But I wasn’t sure we were compatible. My mum is a lawyer. Dad works in the City. I grew up far from wild fields and outdoor adventures. My idea of contact with nature was to enjoy the breeze while going to the mall in my car. Instead, he spent the weekends camping in the wild or surfing in the freezing ocean. Not my thing.”

I can’t fight the chuckle building up in my throat.

She grins. “So, I said no.”

“You said no?” I’m shocked.

“I found him a little scary.” She caresses Zoe’s head. “But of course, he asked me again, and again, and the third time’s the charm. I said yes, but still, I wasn’t convinced.”

“What made you change your mind?” I prop my chin on my palm, picturing Tyler getting nervous while asking Phoebe out.

“The way he treated me, took care of me, and listened to me. Small things that meant a lot. He asked me out a few times, but he wasn’t creepy about it. Each time, he asked more kindly until he convinced me.” A naughty spark lights her gaze. “The sex wasn’t bad either.”

“Shush, shush!” I press my hands to my ears. “Don’t need to hear that. It’s like hearing about my brother having sex.” I groan. “Ugh, now I have some disturbing images in my mind.”

“Don’t!” Phoebe balls a hand on her hip.

“It’s your fault.”

We laugh again, and a warm feeling flutters in my chest.

“Your turn.” She gives a light swat to my shoulder. “Do you think this thing between you and Alex is going to last?”

My smile drops. “I have no idea. I’m not deluded. His life is unpredictable, and he’s always travelling somewhere, while I have a regular, simple routine in London. He’s surrounded by beautiful women all day. Heck, having to kiss them and have fake sex with them are parts of his job. How can a man remain monogamous with a life like that?”

She winces. “I’d be jealous as hell.”

“Yeah, and to be honest, if we were a couple, I’m not sure I’d enjoy watching him roll naked in the sheets with another woman, even though it’s not real. And last but not least, I’d keep wondering if I’m enough for him.” Damn. The last words roll out of my mouth without my permission.

Phoebe reaches out and holds my hand. “Maybe you’re being too harsh on yourself and focusing only on the problems in the relationship. If you two care about each other, you’ll find a way to make it work. The fact he’s a celebrity doesn’t mean he’s a womaniser. And who knows, maybe watching his sex scenes won’t bother you for long, like handling blood in the emergency room. Your chemistry might be off the chart and too strong to ignore, like it was and still is between Tyler and me.”

“It’s too early. I’m not even sure he likes me for real. It might be simply a fleeting thing.” I’m not good at examining my emotions, mostly because they’re usually scary. But for Alex, I want to make an exception.

“I understand your doubts though. A serious relationship has its challenges, but a serious relationship with a celebrity is more complicated.” That mischievous spark in her gaze comes back. “That doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun.” She lowers her voice as she glances at the door. “And girl, I saw snippets from the last episode ofPaladins of Shadows. My gosh, that arse. I never get tired of watching it.”

Cheeks flaming, I chuckle. “That’s what I’m talking about. Every person knows how he looks naked.”

“On screen,” she adds, spiking her brow. “Only a few lucky ones know how he looks naked in real life. Might be you.”

A nervous snort escapes from me. “Maybe. We’ll see what happens.”

Zoe is breathing softly. Her little fist closes next to her cheek. Phoebe kisses her and beckons me out of the bedroom.

“Thank you,” I say when we stand on the landing before going downstairs.

“You’re welcome.” She hugs me, and I have to fight a sob threatening to come out. Stupid emotions. When she releases me, she angles towards the stairs. “It’s awfully quiet, innit? That means trouble.”

We burst out laughing before going downstairs.

~ * ~

WHEN ALEX AND I drive home later, he’s quiet. In fact, after Phoebe and I returned to the dining room, the atmosphere was so thick my teeth ached. We exchanged polite conversation on the weather—my gosh—and Tyler shared some stories from his military past, but there was an emotional undercurrent I couldn’t place. Alex’s muscles were tense, and Tyler kept flexing his fingers. Even Liam’s laugh sounded stilted.

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