luckiest man alive. I must be. I’ve found a woman who I trust not to hand my arse to the police on a plate.’
His face is the epitome of happiness. I can’t help but match it. I grab his cheeks and smother him in kisses. I want to sleep with him every night, wake up with him every morning, have good-fucking-anything’s every day. Nothing could make me doubt what we have.
His hands cup my bottom and he stands, pushing me up over his shoulder so I have the stunning vision of his naked butt and his tattoo to feast on while he carries me from the Grand Hall.
I wanted all of his secrets.
All of him.
Now, I truly do.
I rest my hand over the map, positioning the emerald of the ring right in the centre of the missing piece. ‘Stop it,’ Becker says over his shoulder. ‘Stop it right now.’
I retract my hand and furiously try to stop my mind getting carried away. But, oh, how beautiful his tattoo is, and I can’t stop myself from wishing it was complete. ‘You could find the missing piece of the map. Doesn’t mean to say you have to find the sculpture.’
‘You know that’s ridiculous.’
‘I know,’ I sigh. ‘What would you do with it if you ever did find it?’
‘Does it matter, because I’m never going to find it?’
‘Just curious,’ I say quietly as he carries my up the stone stairs. Never find it because he won’t look, or never find it because it can’t be found?
‘Don’t be curious, Eleanor. It’s dangerous for both of us.’
I snap my mouth shut and close my eyes, denying myself the sight of the map. It spikes way too much intrigue. And I now appreciate the danger.
So why can’t I stop thinking about it?
Chapter 23
When I wake a few hours later and find him missing from the bed, I jump up and rush to the bathroom, and once I’m showered and have plaited my wet hair over my shoulder, I pull on a cerise pink shirt dress and tan ankle boots before heading to Becker’s office. Light hits my ring as I descend the stone staircase, and I smile down at the whopper of an emerald on my finger. It’s truly breathtakingly beautiful. Like the man who put it there.
My admiring is interrupted by the sound of my best friend’s dramatic howl, and I stutter to a stop on the stairs. Then I hear Becker curse.
Lucy.
I hurry to the kitchen and push through the door, and the first thing I see is Winston, collapsed in his bed looking royally pissed off. Then I find Lucy slumped over the table, still in her daring pink playsuit. Her head is in her hands, and Becker is leaning against the worktop in a pair of grey jersey shorts, arms folded over his bare chest. His hair is a wild sexy mess, his glasses in place. Beyond my awe, I find space to be worried. Because although I can’t see Lucy’s face, it’s obvious that she’s distraught, and Becker looks less than sympathetic.
I glare at him and mouth, what have you said?
He shrugs. ‘I just gave her a recap on last night.’
I jump when Lucy lets out a hysterical wail, flinging her head back. She exposes a face that should be kept from public view until it’s washed. Bits of sticky hair are protruding haphazardly from her head, some stuck to her face, her eye make-up is smudged over most of her cheeks, and her red lipstick is all over her chin. She looks horrific.
‘Oh my God,’ she cries. ‘I’m such a—’
‘Twat?’ I suggest softly. This girl caused more stress in one night than most women can in their entire life.
‘That’s a bit harsh, Miss Cole,’ Becker pipes up, flipping me a wink. He’s got a nerve. I know he mentally called her harsher things last night.
‘Yeah,’ Lucy joins in, clearly thinking she has backup. She hasn’t.
‘He was being sarcastic.’
‘Oh.’
‘Who says?’ Becker does an amazing job of looking insulted. ‘We’ve all done something stupid when we’re in love.’ His sturdy shoulders jump up, his bottom lip juts out, and I give him an epic eyeroll.
‘Who said I’m in love?’ Lucy throws Becker a filthy look. ‘Eleanor’s the one who’s fallen.’
His bark of laughter makes Lucy jump. His reaction is warranted. Stupid girl. ‘Give me a break, woman.’ He turns away from us and pulls the fridge open, exposing his back to the room, and, subsequently, to Lucy. I watch on a smile