Gentleman Sinner(75)

‘He’s not very patient.’

‘I need to ring Jess.’ I leave Theo at the sink to go in search of my phone.

‘Hold up, panicky pants.’ Theo catches my wrist and pulls me back. ‘He won’t hurt her.’

‘ “Panicky pants”?’ I’ve never heard such a hard nut use such a wussy phrase.

He heaves his exasperation and returns to the mirror. ‘It’s you. I turn into a pansy-talking pussycat when you’re around.’

His admission stirs an unreasonable amount of satisfaction in my tummy, and I jump up on to the counter of the sink to watch him shave. I sit up straight, my hands in my lap. ‘Is he involved with someone?’

‘Callum is involved with many someones.’ He squirts some shaving gel in his palm before smoothing it over the roughness of his stubble.

‘Oh,’ I breathe. ‘Like dancers?’

‘Like dancers,’ he confirms. ‘He’s my friend, but he’s not exactly chivalrous.’

I snort on an unattractive laugh. ‘Sounds like someone I know.’

Theo’s hands slow over his stretched neck, his eyes lazily turning on to me. ‘Do I not treat you like a queen?’

‘Yes, but you fuck me like a whore.’ I’m not complaining. However, Theo’s reference to Callum’s bed habits has me all curious, not only for my friend and the man who has caught her eye, but for me and the man who has my heart. Did Theo sleep with the dancers? Did he see them as easy access? His bed companions. I definitely can’t imagine any of them turned down the pile of leanness before me.

‘No,’ he says out of the blue.

‘No what?’

‘No, I haven’t slept with any of the girls who work for me.’

‘Did you read my mind?’

‘Yes.’ He turns back to the mirror and leans in, checking the coverage of shaving cream on his face. ‘Keep those racing thoughts of yours under control, sweetheart.’

I bite at the inside of my cheek, watching as he collects his razor and swishes it in the water. Has he ever treated another woman like a queen?

‘Only my mother,’ Theo says, and I look at him, startled.

‘You’re freaking me out.’

‘Good. You freak me out every second of the day.’

I have a satisfied smile on my face again, but it falls a little when my encounter with his mother in the hall earlier pops up in my mind. ‘Penny . . .’

‘Definitely not Penny.’

‘But you’re looking after her.’

‘I’m helping her get back on her feet.’

I could laugh, but I hold back. She’s definitely back on her feet. In six-inch heels. With her legs wrapped around a pole. ‘Who is she?’

‘I told you, the daughter of an old friend.’ His answer is full and final, and I sigh, but move on before I annoy him with more questions.

‘You know, you say Callum isn’t exactly chivalrous, but he carried Jess over a huge puddle last night.’

‘He did?’

‘Yes.’

‘Probably planned on drowning her in it.’

I roll my eyes dramatically, and he laughs, bringing the razor to his cheek. ‘Wait!’ I shout, making him pause with the blade an inch from his skin. I show him my hand and reach forward, taking the razor. ‘Don’t shave.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I like this.’ I smooth a palm over the roughness beneath the cream.

‘You want me to keep it?’

‘Yes.’ I drop the razor and pull the plug from the sink, draining the water and rinsing my hand.

‘Then I’ll keep it.’ He picks me up and places me on my feet, walking me back to the shower.

‘You need to get all the cream off,’ I point out, letting him manipulate my steps.

He grins and claims my arms, holding them still before he dips his head and starts rubbing his cheeks against mine, coating me in the masculine scent.

‘Hey!’ I yell, laughing as I use my face to try to wrestle him away. ‘Theo, that tickles!’

He growls, not relenting until he has me in the shower and the water washes the cream away from both of us. His clear face comes into view, his smile bright, and a palm comes down on to my arse. ‘Turn around, hands on the wall.’

I’m looking at the tiles faster than my self-respect should allow.





Chapter 20

‘Well, would you look at that,’ Theo muses as we pull up outside my apartment. I stare ahead, to the Mercedes that belongs to Callum.

‘He’s here?’ I look at Theo, and Theo looks at me.

‘Looks like it. Unless he couldn’t get her body in the boot, so he carried it down to the common to dump it.’ He gets out and slams the door, grinning as he rounds the car to my side.

‘That’s not funny,’ I say as he opens the door and helps me out. I dash to the front door, fumbling to find my key as I go. I don’t get to insert it into the lock. I don’t even get the chance to locate it in my bag. The door swings open, and I’m knocked back a few steps by the sight of a bare-chested Callum.

‘Fucking hell,’ I breathe, part shocked, part . . . well, shocked. I’m really shocked. My jaw is lax as my eyes, level with his ripped chest, drift in and out of focus. In reality, he’s no more cut than my big man, but I’m getting used to seeing Theo’s chest. I didn’t think anything remotely similar could exist. I was wrong. I blink as I shake some life back into me, looking up into Callum’s sleepy eyes.