Hayden (A Next Generation Carter Brother #4) - Lisa Helen Gray Page 0,55

his chest as he struggles to breathe.

Clayton goes to stand, but I grab his wrist, slightly shaking my head.

“Mum,” I call, not needing to say any more as I grab the salt and pepper from Clayton’s side.

“Come on, babe, we can see if they have those curly fries you love.”

“With the cheese topping?” he asks, sniffing, letting her pull him away.

“Yeah, babe,” she tells him, before glancing over her shoulder at me. “Enjoy your date, baby.”

“I will, Mum.”

Once they’re safely out of earshot and across the room, I turn to an open-mouthed Clayton. I grin, clasping my hands together. “Well, that went really well.”

“He…” he whispers, pointing to where Dad once stood.

“Is the best, I know. And sadly, you won’t be seeing each other again.”

“I’m sure we will at the stag/ hen party,” he tells me distractedly as he pours vinegar over his chips.

I pause mid-chew before quickly swallowing. “Excuse me, could you repeat that?”

He finishes cutting his burger in half before answering. “Sorry, I assumed you were aware I was attending. We need to go check out Mingles, anyway.”

No.

No, no, no.

“We can do that another time. Any time that isn’t my cousin’s hen party.”

“Yeah, we could, but this saves taking more time away from the office.”

“But wouldn’t it be great if we did,” I tell him forcefully.

“Plus, Charlotte kindly sent me an invitation via email,” Clayton continues, ignoring me.

“No.”

He sighs, placing his burger down. “Yes, Hayden. It will give us more time to talk about what transpired last week.”

“You mean when you sabotaged my date, kissed me and then regretted it?” I snap, shoving a few chips into my mouth.

“That’s not—”

“I can’t talk about this with you right now.”

I give him a tight smile when I see Dad looking over, probably trying to read our lips to see what’s going on, but from where his gaze is aimed, he might just be sour over my cheesy bites.

I pick one up, inwardly laughing when his gaze follows, and pop it into my mouth. His expression hardens before he turns to Mum, beginning one of his rants.

From the corner of my eye, I notice Clayton go for one. I slap his hand away, narrowing my eyes. “Don’t touch my cheesy bites. If you wanted some, you should have ordered your own.”

“You didn’t give me a chance,” he argues, pouting.

I roll my eyes, throwing a scrunched-up napkin at him. “You’re grown man. Don’t use that excuse.”

“Five days with you is going to be a nightmare, isn’t it?”

“You’ll never know, because I’m telling Charlotte you aren’t going. I’ll make up an excuse.”

“Why? I’m going to be there regardless. It will only confuse her when she sees us together.”

“Then I quit.”

“You’re under contract remember.”

Fucking wanker.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“I really don’t want to talk about this. I want you to leave. It’s for your own safety,” I stress.

“Careful, I might start to think you actually like me,” Clayton teases.

I don’t understand why he is so set on coming with us. He only really knows me. Okay, I don’t really care that he doesn’t know anyone. I’m more bothered about the fact I have to spend five days with a man who I’m highly attracted to but who only sees me as an employee.

And then there’s the drinking. I tend to get horny when I’ve had a few.

Or I end up doing something ridiculous, with no recollection as to why the next day.

“I’d like to keep your employees in work. With you dead, the company will go bust and all those people will lose their jobs,” I lie.

“Your father seemed nice enough to me, so the rest of your family will be a breeze.” He pulls into a free space before shutting off the car. “Now, about that kiss.”

I throw the rest of my stale muffin that I grabbed from the staff room at the care home at him. Clayton arranged to pick me up there after my shift and even turned up early so he could sit with his dad.

He snatches the muffin mid-air, his reflexes getting quicker, before leaning across the parking brake and getting close. “If there weren’t so many people around, I would bend you over the backseat and spank your arse. I’m getting fed up of you throwing shit at me.”

Suddenly, I’m hyperaware of how close he is. I’m not sure if it’s his proximity or the scent of his spicy cologne that has my pulse quickening and wetness seeping between my legs.

I shift in my seat, badly trying to soothe the deep

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