She’s a spitfire. For a little package, she packs a powerful punch.
It was hard to keep a straight face in the car when she kept getting irritated with me. But I assumed finding humor in her annoyance wasn’t going to win me any points.
“She’s great,” Dave says. “I can see why your grandma introduced you. And Ellie seems to like her a lot.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty lucky,” I say, meaning that. I am a lucky motherfucker, that in such a short amount of time—four days, to be exact—I was able to find someone who had no problem stepping into the role of pregnant fiancée and helping me out.
Such a lucky motherfucker.
Lottie walks back into the room with a glass of water in her hand and a smile on her face as she sashays toward me. That dress, yeah, it’s fucking perfect on her. I knew she had great tits from the first time I met her, but seeing them in this dress? They’re really fucking nice. Not big at all, but the perfect size, less than a handful. And with her hair floating around her shoulders in loose waves, a beautiful chestnut color, she really is gorgeous. Like I said, a lucky motherfucker.
She hands me the glass and then takes a seat. I lean into her ear and ask, “Did you spit in this?”
She leans in close and whispers back, “If Ellie wasn’t helping me, I would’ve licked the rim, spit in the water, and then added vinegar as a delicious touch.”
I pull away and say a little louder so Dave can hear me, “You’re perfect.”
Her hand reaches up to my cheek and she rubs my thick scruff. “I know.”
Dave laughs loudly, while Ellie giggles. “Perfect response for such a powerful man,” Dave says. “I’ve known Huxley for a few years now and he thinks highly of himself, as he should because of the empire he’s put together, but to not reply with he’s perfect . . . that makes my day.”
I’m sure it does, Dave.
Lottie smiles at me, and I can see a wicked gleam in her eye as she turns toward Dave and Ellie. “I know he’d kill me if I said this . . .”
So don’t fucking say it.
“But, he’s far from perfect.” Leaning forward, she says, “The man doesn’t know how to pick up his socks and put them in the hamper.”
Ellie gasps and then points at Dave. “Dave too.”
Dave raises his hand with a coy look. “Guilty. But I’ve gotten better. The nagging has worked.”
“Hmm, maybe I should nag more,” Lottie says. Her hand falls to my thigh, her fingernails applying more pressure than I care for, especially as she drags her hand farther north. Hey, there, watch it. “What do you think, Hux? Care to deal with a nagging fiancée?”
“I thought I already was,” I answer with a wink, letting Dave and Ellie know I’m only teasing her.
“Isn’t he charming?” Lottie asks. “It’s what won me over, his inherent charm that just keeps coming. That, and my grandma said he was a sad and lonely man who needed some fun in his life.”
Don’t care for that. I can see we’re letting loose. Getting comfortable.
That slightly terrifies me, because Lottie is no doubt a loose cannon.
“Aren’t we all sad and lonely?” Dave asks, shaking his head. “This business can be incredibly cutthroat. Brutal, at times. Having someone to come home to at night, someone loving, someone who doesn’t want to talk business but wants to talk about us, about our relationship . . .” He lifts Ellie’s hand and kisses the back of it. “That’s what I want. It’s what I needed. I’m sure you’re the same way,” Dave says to me.
Uh-huh, yup, totally.
I nod. “Long nights at the office have broken me down. I didn’t know how much I needed Lottie until she magically appeared in my life.”
Ellie sighs. “Aren’t they the best?” she asks Lottie.
“Totally,” Lottie answers with a nauseating smile.
“So, when are you two tying the knot?” Ellie asks. “Finding a venue recently has been tough. Have you had a hard time?”
I set down my glass of untouched water and place my hand on Lottie’s leg. “We were thinking about having something small, maybe in my backyard.”
“Ugh, that would be the dream,” Ellie says. “But Dave, over here, has a mother who demands the fanfare of a ceremony and reception. She wants the bells and whistles for her son. From the live band, to the sparklers at the end of the night, to the dessert bar that offers more cookies than anyone has ever seen.” She leans in and says, “Granted, I’m thrilled about the cookies, but the other stuff, all the people, it makes me nervous.”