Page 77 of Filthy Rich Temptation

Actual.Freaking. Theo.

And it was… it was mind-blowing.

Serve-my-wildest-fantasy-on-a-platterkind of mind-blowing.

But it wasn’t perfect.

Because in the cold light of day, one quiet truth remains:

He didn’t kiss me.

Not once.

He made me come so hard, I didn’t just see stars, I saw the whole galaxy.Twice.But he didn’t kiss me.

And I don’t know what to make of that.

But one thing’s for sure, next time I take my pleasure, he’s coming with me…

Because therewillbe a next time. Now that he’s leapt over the moral line he drew in the sand forever ago, there’s no going back.

I want as many ‘take your pleasure’ lessons from Theo as he’s willing to give.

Don’t get me wrong though, I’m not about to get all lovey-dovey. Because falling for Theo all over again, only to be rejected all over again, would be a sorry end to an even sorrier tale. And I’m sick of being sorry.

I’m taking all the good I can squeeze out of this new lease of life – and my temporary one with Theo – and moving forward.

Danny’s still out there, I know. But I’ve quit letting him control me from afar, and it feels damn good.

I roll over in bed, a slow smile spreading… then do a double take. There’s a fresh glass of water on the nightstand, a bottle of electrolytes, and a strip of painkillers. All accompanied by a note. I reach out, fingers unsteady as I pick it up:

Just in case, T x

My smile grows even as my head protests the sudden surge of warmth.

Theo, Theo, Theo…

I pop two pills and take a sip of water. Tap my phone awake and almost back up.9a.m.!

Lottie never sleeps past six.Ever.

I throw off the duvet and launch upright.Ow,big mistake. I grip my throbbing temple and the mattress edge. Take a shallow breath and try not to die. Then I…

Sta-nd…

Put one foot in front of the o-other…

And open the door, ears straining for signs of life.

But there’s no thundering of feet, no clatter of toys, no raised voices. Just the distant hum of the TV and the soft burr of Theo’s voice. I pad towards it and find him cosied up with Lottie on the sofa, Kids TV on the box, though neither of them are watching. They’re both absorbed in her favourite dino book.

Okay, okay, okay.

Heart, give over.

Ovaries, too.

Itisone of the sweetest sights I’ve ever seen – but not one to get all goo-goo-eyed over.