Page 12 of Nothing to the Wedding

Raising her thumbnail to her teeth, she worried it just a little.“Hmm, there’s just one little problem.”

“What’s the problem?”

Pushing the tablet along the couch, out of her way, she kept on going until her knee touched his thigh.

“Maybe I’m not so…” Her thumb trailed down her throat, over her breast, descending from her body until her crooked forefinger could touch his leg.“Innocent myself.”

The flash of his surprise betrayed him being caught on the spot.“You’re saying you…?”

“We’ve never had a chance to get to know each other, properly, you and me.”Her finger slid further across his leg to join the others.“Would you like to get to know me, Mr.Crosby?”

“I… I don’t…”

Widening her smile again, she leaned in a little.“If you think for one second I don’t know you’re behind the Anjelica bullshit, you’re sadly mistaken.You stir the pot, Reeve.You stir and stir.Anything for the story.You’ve sucked that innocent woman into the mud and she won’t thank you for it in the end, I guarantee it.”

“Roxie, I would never—”

“Print whatever the hell you like, but don’t you ever doubt Z to my face again.Don’t do it when I’m in the fucking room.I guarantee you’ll regret it.”

“I—”

Strengthening her legs, she shot to her feet.“Get the hell out of my sight.”

Scrambling up, he was quick to turn on his heels and run the hell out of there.As the suite door closed, Tripp appeared from the internal hallway, still mussed from bed but dressed at least.

“Who was that?”he asked.

Obviously he’d heard the door close.

On an exhale, she sat again and swept up her coffee.“No one important.”

“Rox Out, what are you doing?”

“Nothing,” she said, aware he’d never buy her innocence so ended it with a sly smile.“Just entertaining myself.”

He nodded to the seat beside her.“What’s that?”

Ah, look at that, Reeve had been so desperate to leave, he’d forgotten his tablet.

She swept it up.“This is Dyce tech.”

“And Rourke’s Mosaic software.”

Oh, he read her mind.

“Think I’ll give Roux a call,” she said.“Maybe we’ll take a trip north.”

“They’re not back home until tomorrow.”

She hadn’t even known they were anywhere.

“How do you know that?”she asked.

“Mieux’s holding things together up there.”He dropped onto the couch beside her, taking the tablet at the same time.“Your friend won’t come back for it?”

“He could try, but my guess is we’re safe.I don’t think he’ll be bothering us for a while.”

FOUR