Page 20 of On Cloud Nine

“I’m just saying, the gentlemanly, brooding type usually has a lot morefunthan it seems.” Lily emphasizes the wordfunthe same way she does when she references a particularly erotic scene in one of her books. Being best friends with a romance author has opened my eyes to things I hadn’t quite known I wanted to try.

Role-play, sex outdoors, and even spanking. My cheeks heat.

I shouldn’t think of Matthew and those fantasies at the same time.

My eyes widen. “No way. There won’t be any kind offun. Matthew’s just being nice. Besides, he has twenty-five million dollars at stake in this deal.”

Lily stuffs another highly inappropriate bra into my suitcase. “Nico was quiteniceto me this morning.”

Avery scrunches her nose, not wanting to hear about the things her brother-in-law has done to her best friend. “You better be careful, or one of thosenicemornings are going to turn into a twenty-two-pound baby.” Ave is a new mom to a beautiful girl, Kaia.

Now it’s Lily’s turn to flash an exaggerated frown. “Fuck off.”

They both explode in laughter. I can’t help but join in.

My heart beams at the little sanctuary our friendship has created for me. I’ll never be able to repay them.

Their giggles turn into stories about all the different ways a twenty-two-pound baby can come about.

I haven’t had anicemorning in a long, long time.

Maybe the resort will change that.

I smother the thought. Matthew and I are a business arrangement. There’s nothingniceabout that.

* * *

I’m notashamed to admit that I’ve cyberstalked Matthew on more than one occasion. When we first started working together, I may have let my crush on him dictate many of those late-night internet searches. However, I wasn’t remotely prepared to review fifteen pages of facts about my new fake boyfriend.

I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t memorized every word he sent me.

He got Bear five years ago when his brother, Myles, discovered that his new baby, Willow, was allergic to cats.

The organizations he volunteers for and donates to took up a whole page.Terribly attractive.

He hates the wordbulbousbecause he had an English teacher who used it one too many times.

His first car was a Chevrolet Cavalier, which Matthew bought with the money he made tutoring during high school.

He’s been in one long-term relationship before, quite a while ago. The entire flight, I haven’t mustered up the courage to ask him about it. Maybe that’s only a question forrealgirlfriend territory.

“Favorite ice cream is strawberry with a scoop of chocolate?” He shoots off another personal tidbit from my fact sheet.

“That’s correct.” I nod, unable to resist sinking deeper into the soft leather seat on my parents’ private jet. Matthew looks too chiseled and firm in this lighting.

Business only, Molly.

He’s made it clear that he wants a divorce as soon as possible.

Sure, we’re becoming fluent in each other, and this game of back-and-forth quizzing is making me melt where I sit. And, yes, there’s the fact that when I look at him, I replay our rushed kiss at my wedding shower over and over.

The kiss felt like passion, fire, something I thought…I don’t know what I thought.

Everything that unfolded was merely a gentlemanly rescue, not a genuine interest in me.

“Explains why we only have two flavors for office birthday parties.” He cocks his head at me.

“Hey!” I feign offense. “If I’m planning the party, then I might as well get something I like.”

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