Page 64 of A Lethal Game of Trust

“I think you mean forbidden lover,” I laughed and then shoved him in the direction of the door.

Thankfully, he’d put on some shorts while in there. “Ooh, I like that,” he crooned. “You do realise we’re going to have to fuck in a wardrobe now?”

“No!” I said, laughing and trying to push this man’s ridiculously broad body out of my room when I clocked his shoes at the side of my bed. “Oh, wait, shoes!”

“Shoes?”

“You’ve been outside on the phone,” I reminded him, throwing one at him that he caught to his chest.

“Oh yes,” he said, coming back to me, “you’ve been running that mouth of yours.” He gave me a peck. “A mouth I’m obsessed with.”

And, as if he didn’t just say that, he took the other shoe from my frozen hands and left me.

20

It’s Just Sex

Leonie

He meant a mouth he was starting to enjoy. He meant a mouth that had made him come. He meant a mouth that he kissed. Not that he was obsessed with. He was only obsessed with himself.

I couldn’t stop thinking about it as I showered. I thought about it as I overheard Dom berate Issy while I dressed on the bath mat. I even thought about it while, as a result of said berating, she apologised to me in the living room.

As soon as she was done, it was my turn to feel guilty. I pushed myself back onto the sofa as far as I could go.

When Mia had told Issy that she’d been with Dom, all hell had broken loose. Issy had refused to speak to her for two months. Issy’s manager had to step in and liaise between the two of them. She’d threatened to set Dom’s car alight.

I got it. When Dom had everything and then took her friend, I got it.

And I knew my exile would be far, far worse. My exile wouldcost me my second family.

“I’ve got some emails to reply to,” she said quickly and stood. She, like her brother, was not very good at giving apologies. Forgiveness was also up there in her struggles.

Dom whisked his bowl of batter, watching her go to her room then he leaned over the sofa and said, “You want a smoothie, babe? Waffles?”

“Just a smoothie, please. Maybe one waffle,” I said, turning to see his face right beside mine. I repeated in my mind that this was just sex. It was just sex. He might actually be a kisser, butthis is just sex.

And, with Issy so close, he couldn’t be a kisser right now. Even if his lips were a mere inch from my own. My heart was very quickly racing, hoping he would bridge the gap, he would take control but—

“Babe?” Issy shrieked, running out of her room.

I sensed Dom standing behind me, whisking again.

“I—” I started.

“Last night, after you left us,” Dom said quickly, “we were talking abouticks.Leo hates nicknames.”

“Babebeing the worst of them,” I agreed with an eager nod.

Her scowl darted between us. “I don’t know if I like you two being friends again.”

I laughed, looking behind me to Dom. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

He smiled back, then emptied the mixture into the waffle maker.

The three of us ate our waffles, the hangovers leading us to silence. Despite the utter exhaustion that encapsulated me, there was a current of electricity on my skin as Dom sat beside me, the hairs of his leg brushing against my bare ones.

With each touch, I felt my body tense.