Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye - Jacquelyn Middleton Page 0,69

would help crank the words out. “I’m sorry I made you feel unwelcome. I just…didn’t want you to meet Sarah. I knew if she set eyes on you, she’d”—Leia pressed her lips together—“she’d push me even harder to date you.”

A slow grin roused his dimples. “So, you’ve been talking about me, Ginger?”

“Don’t let it go to your head!” Leia giggled. “You should know if I had gotten to your text before Saz, I would’ve replied.” She offered him an alluring smile. “I really wanted to see you tonight.”

“Yeah? Me too.” Tarquin inched his chair closer and lost control of his grin, sprinting through his stubble. “I had to redo a development proposal with my assistant three times because of your flirty text—the ‘naked’ bit. Jesus, Leia, thank god I was sat behind my desk.”

A blush began to brighten her cheeks. “Well, I’m pleased it had the right effect, but…” Her smile dimmed. “I’m…worried.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to hurt you—”

“You won’t!” he blurted back on auto-pilot. “No strings, right? I get it. It’s cool. That’s what I signed up for.”

“You say that”—Leia picked up the flowers—“but did you…really?” She studied the petals, then met his eyes again. “I think you might want more.”

I do, but I’ll go along with whatever this is. Maybe, if I’m lucky, there will be a chance to change her mind. He smiled. “I’m not dropping on bended knee any time soon, for anyone, okay? You don’t want serious—I don’t either.”

“You sure?”

“I just like being with you.”

Leia returned the primroses to the table. “I just like being with you, too.”

Tarquin’s heart tingled, giddy with hope and anticipation. “Well, good!” He tilted in, sweeping a piece of hair from her eyes. “Glad that’s all sorted, then!”

“So…” Leia whispered teasingly, her gaze tangling with his. “What shall we do now…?”

Christ, she’s killing me. “Don’t know. What do you want to do?”

Close enough to kiss, Leia smiled and brushed a lascivious finger across his lips. “I’m GAGGING for it, big boy.”

Tarquin burst into laughter, and Leia gave him a playful shove.

“But seriously, what’s that saying?” She giggled. “The one you British blokes use?”

“Grab your coat, sweetheart.” He smiled. “You’ve pulled!”

Pressing Leia against the wall, the cellophane-covered bouquet crinkling between them, Tarquin lingered over her mouth, her fingers lost to the warmth beneath his half-buttoned dress shirt. “Let’s get comfortable,” he whispered. “Come.” He clutched the flowers and captured her hand, leading the way down his main floor’s hallway, but something caught Leia’s eye.

“Oh! Hang on…” She tugged him back and ducked around the doorjamb, her easy smile lighting up the dark room. “A snooker table!” She dropped his hand. “Why didn’t you say?”

She knows the difference? Tarquin flipped the switch, and several pendant lights cast a soft glow, revealing the large room’s fully stocked bar, massive wall-mounted flatscreen television, and another expansive window overlooking the River Thames. “I knew you liked pool, but—”

“My dad watched snooker on TV when I was growing up. He found it relaxing.” Leia swerved around a long black leather couch and plunked her oversized tote on the floor, the almost empty macaron box tumbling out. She bounced to the far end of the table where fifteen red balls arranged in a triangular formation sat on its green felt surface. “It’s been ages since I had a game!”

Tarquin chuckled and picked up the macaron box, setting it on the table’s top rail. “Don’t get too excited.” He rested the flowers on the arm of the couch and whipped off his suit jacket, laying it neatly beside the blooms. “The only balls you’ll be playing with are mine.”

“That is soooo cheesy.” She snickered, picking up the white cue ball.

“I aim to please.” I swear, next to you coming, your laughter is my favorite sound.

He closed their distance, passing framed photos on the walls of his younger self, pink-cheeked and smiling with friends atop a snowy mountain and relaxing in an après-ski hot tub.

Leia squeezed the cue ball and returned it to the playing surface. “You’re just worried I’ll kick your ass.”

“You promise?”

She cocked an eyebrow and bent over, pretending to take aim with an invisible snooker cue. “I’m quite the expert with a slippery shaft.” She bit back a giggle, letting her dirty joke hang in the air while she completed her fake shot.

Now there’s a picture. A groan strangled in Tarquin’s throat, his heated gaze skimming the soft curves of her jeans-clad ass. “I know you are.” I can’t wait for you to sink down and ride