Page 69 of Marley

“Whoa, whoa, Georgia.” Len jumped in and removed G’s hand from the woman’s.

“Georgia, baby. You are such a bad, bad girl.” Maca said through his grin, while looking at my sister like she was the only other living thing on the planet.

Milo stepped out of nowhere, the way he always seemed to, and escorted the women away from where we all stood.

I grabbed a couple of glasses of Champaign from a passing waitress and passed one each to Jimmie and George. “Little sister Georgia, what are we gonna do with you and that temper of yours?” I tried to sound authorative and not smile as I spoke, but I’d had a few bourbons and a line of class A, so yeah, I failed.

“We’re not gonna do anything with that temper of hers.” Maca said while sliding his arm around my sister’s waist and pulled her in so that he could kiss her neck. “Because she makes me so fucking horny when she gets all green eyed. I love it.” Maca made a snarling noise into G’s ear and I think I threw up a little in my mouth.

“Fucking ‘ell. I’m sure I must have some important paperwork to file, or security screens to monitor.” Bailey said, giving a little shudder at Maca’s words before turning and heading away from the bar.

I looked at Len and shook my head. “You two are a fucking nightmare,” he told the lovebirds. “We had to practically sit on him just now when he saw some bloke trying to touch you up on the dance floor.”

George wrapped her arms around Maca’s neck and it felt so good to see the way that she smiled at him in that moment.

“Aww, did they baby? Did you get all jealous?” She coos at him.

He said something into her ear and she listened intently.

“Fifty quid says they have a barney and leave early.” Len said. I shook my head because knowing those two, he was probably bang on the money.

“Oi, George. You gonna do the honours or what, babe?” A strong Essex accent came from behind my sister.

I turn to look in the direction of where the voice just came from and my heart felt like it plunged down to my balls, back up through my chest, and lodged somewhere in my throat.

Fuck. Me.

She was gorgeous. Not very tall, but she had curves in the exact places a woman should have curves. She was wearing a silver dress and black patent heels. Her hair was blonde, and her eyes were sort of a brownish blue, or bluish brown. I didn’t know, that sounded stupid, but they were either brown with blue flecks or vice versa.

Yep. I got all that from just one look.

I caught George saying that her name was Ashley, and I just stared—not saying a fucking word, just stared.

Maca leaned across and lifted my chin, making me realise that my mouth must’ve been hanging open. What the fuck was wrong with me? I looked at my sister and then at Maca for some help, but they were looking at me like I wasn’t all the ticket.

Speak, that’s what I needed to do ... say something.

“Happy Birthday, Ashley.You. Are. Beautiful.” I told her.

I don’t know where everyone disappears to, but suddenly it was just me and her, standing and staring at each other.

“You’re Marley Layton.” She states.

“I am.”

“You said I was beautiful.”

“I did.”

“I’m not stupid. That sort of talk won’t get you in my knickers.”

I have to laugh at her bluntness.

“Who said anything about you being stupid?” I questioned.

“Well,youobviously assume that I’m stupid enough to believe that you think that I’m beautiful.”

“I don’t assume any such thing, sweetheart. I told you you’re beautiful because you are. You’re fucking gorgeous.” Bloody woman. Most women lapped that shit up, not question it.