Page 17 of One Hot Deal

"Can we just go?"I wave toward the door."The river isn't in this building."

Hugh and Avery hold hands as they exit the flat, and Diana trails after them.But I maintain a slight distance behind her, the way a bodyguard should.Hugh drapes his arm around Avery's shoulders in the elevator and keeps nuzzling her neck while whispering things I can't hear and I'm pretty sure I don't want to hear even if I could.

Perfect.I get to spend the day watching those two nuzzle each other and exchange syrupy glances.

My gaze flicks to Diana.I'm standing right beside her, since the elevator isn't large.We had sex not that long ago.She screamed when she came.I loved the look on her face while we "shagged," as the Brits like to say, and I'd wanted to take her into the bedroom for another round.But she wouldn't have let me do that.For now, I'm allowing her to call the shots, but that won't last forever.

Diana glances at me, then swerves her attention to the wall.

Yeah, I've got a lot of work to do with her.

The second the elevator doors open, Hugh takes hold of Avery's hand again, and I go back to walking slightly behind Diana.We jog across the street and head down the sidewalk, which I think the Brits call the pavement, on our way to the river path.It's a beautiful day, sunny and warm, but not too warm.Just right for a romantic walk.

Only Hugh and Avery will experience that.Me, I'll be keeping an eye on Diana while trying not to stare at her ass.I also need to stop my brain from showing me replays of our encounter in the entryway of her flat.

What if she's pregnant already?Not sure what the odds are for hitting the jackpot the first time.She probably wouldn't know for a while yet even if we did succeed today.

Once we step onto the path, my sister decides to meddle again.She abandons her fiancé and sidles up to me, hooking her arm around mine."We haven't had a good chat in quite a while."

"We talked this morning."

"But that wasn't a brother-sister chat."

I notice Hugh has slowed down to stroll along the path beside Diana.He starts talking to her, but I can't hear what they're saying.My sister has forced me to walk slower, so I'm further away from Diana than I would like—in terms of guarding her.

My sister nudges me in the side with her elbow."Come on, you can tell me the truth."

"About what?"

"You and Diana."

"No idea what you're getting at."Okay, I do have my suspicions, but I'm hoping to hell she won't actually say it.

Avery bumps her shoulder into my upper arm."You two are attracted to each other.Why don't you just ask her out?"

But of course, she did say it.

"I'm her bodyguard, that's all."I groan."I knew you were trying to meddle.Did you catch that disease from Hugh?I hear all his buddies love to do that.Their wives must have brainwashed them."

"Being grumpy won't change anything.You have feelings for Diana.I can see it every time you look at her, and it's obvious every time she looks at you too."

"For pity's sake, Avery, butt out of my personal life."

"I don't remember you butting out when I first started dating Hugh."

Damn, I hate it when my sister is right.It's annoying."That was different.Hugh called himself Lord Steamy and dragged you off to his family estate in the middle of nowhere."

"You came with us to Sommerleigh.And you liked him even then, so don't deny it."

"I tolerated him.We didn't really get to know each other until after the engagement party."

Avery gazes up at me with another one of those damn knowing smiles."Hugh thinks you and Diana have already slept together."

"No, we haven't."Because she outlawed bedroom sex.My sister doesn't need to know that."Why is Hugh contemplating my sex life, anyway?I hope your fiancé isn't turning into a perv."

"Nice deflection, but I'm not buying it."

"Enough, Avery."I grasp her hand, drag her up to Hugh, and curl her arm around his."Take your fiancée back, Lord Sticky.She misses you.I mean, it's been at least thirty seconds since you two nuzzled each other."

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