Page 93 of Love Contract

“Jessica…” I take her hand and remove it from my chest. “Maybe you don’t hear this a lot or maybe you just don’twantto hear it, but I’m not interested.”

Her nose wrinkles up in rage, as much as it’s able to wrinkle. I use the opportunity to push all the way past her out of the cramped space.

When I return to the table, Theo is waiting, purse already slung over her shoulder. Where she’s standing, she has a clear view over to the bathrooms, which means she almost certainly saw Jessica touching my chest. Angus, still seated in the booth, is blissfully unaware.

“I better order another drink,” he jokes. “Women take forever to pee.”

“Thanks again for dinner,” I say, shaking his hand. Angus made a big production out of paying the check.

“I’m excited to see what you’ve got for me next week.” To Theo, he says, like he’s bestowing some big favor, “You can take the weekend off; I’m going to Bali.”

“Have fun,” Theo says in a restrained way that doesn’t give me any hint as to her current mood.

It’s only once we’re alone, walking out to my car, that I can bring up the awkward moment with Jessica.

“I don’t know what you saw, but?—“

“I saw everything,” Theo interrupts.

She pushes me against the brick wall of the restaurant, kissing me ferociously.

I kiss her back, hands thrust in her hair, tasting the sweetness of the wine on her lips.

When we break apart, Theo says, “You were perfect.”

I laugh. “I don’t think Jessica likes having competition in the ‘fleecing Angus’ department.”

“No, she does not.” Theo frowns. “She likes it best when she’s the only one with an iron grip on his Amex. She’s sneaky and underhanded, and she’s never liked me, Sully—we need to be careful.”

Every time Theo uses my nickname, it feels like a warm hand pressed against my chest.

I’m not surprised Jessica doesn’t like Theo—-people who avoid real work are always threatened by those who don’t.

“So, I take it you don’t want to go to her listening party…”

Theo laughs. “Only to hear how bad it is.”

“Oh, that’s my entire motivation—Ihaveto know what sort of lyrics pour forth from a gilded soullike Jessica’s. What do you think a solid gold soul is worth on the open market?”

Mystified, Theo says, “I’ve never even seen herlistento music.”

“Do you think she dances? Will there be a video?”

Theo laughs. “God, I hope so.”

On the drive home,I can’t stop glancing over at Theo’s legs.

Ever since the vibrator incident, I’ve been incredibly well behaved. I haven’t knocked on her door once, despite fighting the urge about a hundred different times.

I’m not sure how I’m going to restrain myself tonight. Theo looks drop-dead, knockout stunning in that dress. The kiss outside the restaurant is still burning on my lips. I’ll hire Jessica to lurk around the bathroom every single time, if that’s what I get afterward.

I try to keep my eyes on the road, but they keep drifting back in Theo’s direction. Around the seventh or eighth time, she smiles and says, “What is it?”

“Nothing…just admiring the scenery.”

“The scenery?”

“Uh huh. It’s very smooth and…shapely.”

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