Indigo Nights (Nights #3)(30)

“Wow. True love, huh?”

“Is there any such thing?” Alicia had cured me of the idea.

Beth looked at me, her eyes sad. “You don’t believe in love?”

I shrugged. “I believe in world-shifting sex with beautiful bakers from London.”

She smiled and the sad look lifted—I was grateful. “Did she come crawling back when you made your money?”

I stretched my legs. I’d fantasized about Alicia trying to get me back since I made my first million. In my fantasy, I’d act as if I barely remembered her as I got head from a supermodel under my desk while Alicia begged me to take her back.

But she hadn’t come back—I’d never seen her again, never heard from her until today. “She married the guy.”

The wedding had taken place four months after we’d split. I’d gotten very drunk that day, and Raf had had to physically restrain me to stop me from crashing the ceremony. But not because I loved her by that point, but because I wanted to warn the groom.

I’d realized when she left me that she’d never been the woman I’d thought she was. I’d felt manipulated and lied to and I vowed it would never happen again.

Beth dropped a kiss on my stomach. “She’s an idiot.”

I cupped her face, stroking my thumb over the beauty spot on her cheekbone. When she said it, I could almost believe it.

“When do you go back to London?” Would we have some time together?

“Tomorrow.”

My gut twisted. “Tomorrow?” I’d hoped we’d have longer. She was like a breath of fresh air sweeping through my tired routines. She was low maintenance, funny, beautiful—the sex was, well, the best I’d ever had. But more than that, she was real.

“When are you back?” I knew tonight wouldn’t be enough. I wanted more of her.

“You wanna make this a three-night stand?”

I scanned her face as I tried to read her. Did she want to do this again? “Yeah I wanna make this a three-night stand. Do I have to convince you?” I flipped her to her back and held myself over her. I ran my teeth along her shoulder.

Her cheeks flushed. “I might consider it.”

“Consider?” I reached for her * and ran my knuckle over her clit.

She pushed against my hand. “Well if you’re going to play dirty, I guess I concede.”

“My sweet, I’ll play as dirty as you’ll let me.”

It was the easiest and most satisfying negotiation I’d ever had.





Beth

I rang Jake and Haven’s doorbell. The lemon meringue pie wasn’t the best I’d ever made, not even close. But I’d promised I’d take one to our family dinner, so despite my jetlag and the memories of world-shifting sex, I’d put the ingredients together and come up with something that could vaguely pass for the pudding I’d promised.

“It’s like a zoo in here,” Haven said as she answered the door. “Enter at your own risk.” She bent and kissed me on the cheek.

I stepped through the threshold to the sound of children screaming. “Jake’s probably beating Sophia again.”

I wasn’t sure child abuse was something you should joke about, but as I was the only one without a kid, it wasn’t up to me to set the standard.

Their huge Victorian villa was beautiful from the waist up. Below that, it had been hit by a baby hurricane. Underneath the buggies and blankets, the toys and bottles, I was sure the place was lovely. All I could see was chaos.

“Right, guys. You’re in charge. We’re going out to the garden.” Haven pulled me through the kitchen as I managed to wave at my brother and Luke.

“The garden?” I asked. It was February—what the hell?

“We have patio heaters and blankets. It’s the only place in the whole house that I can’t hear the screaming,” Haven said.

Ash followed, bringing a tray of drinks. “We can’t be interrupted. We want to know everything.”

My stomach clenched. It’d been years since I’d had anything to talk about.

“There’s nothing to tell; I’m waiting to hear from the studio.” Thoughts of my screen test had faded, replaced by an ache between my legs that Dylan had created and only he could cure. He and I hadn’t had much sleep on Thursday, and he’d left for work early on Friday morning.

“Yes, yes. We’ll get to the baking thing, but I want to hear about the sex first.” Haven poured me a tall glass of something that had cucumber and strawberries in it while Ash opened a bottle of wine and filled two glasses.

I wrapped a blanket around my shoulders. “It was a nice coincidence running into him again.” My cheeks heated. It wasn’t that I was embarrassed about having sex, more that I didn’t want to share it. Even though it was casual, it was beginning to feel like more than that.

“Was it as good as you remembered?”

I nodded and my heart began to thump. Good didn’t come close. I’d collapsed on the plane and slept most of the way, waking to memories of Dylan’s breath skirting over my skin, his fingertips over my hips.

“Are you going to see him again?” Ash asked.

I sighed. “He suggested next time I’m in town I should give him a call. Honestly, I’m not so sure it’s such a good idea.” I wasn’t convinced I’d say no either. How could I pass up another night with Dylan? Still, that didn’t mean it was the right thing to do.