“Isn’t Heaven a wonderful instructor?” Dave asks me. “She really helps me connect on another level. Ellie and I are so much stronger in our relationship because of Heaven.”
“Yeah.” I scoot in closer to Lottie, my hand on the back of her chair as we share an ice cream cone. And when I say share, I mean she’s eating the entire thing by herself. “Heaven was great. She made me think of things I’ve never considered before.” Truth. Heaven definitely brought me to a new level.
“Do you think you’ll continue with the class?” Ellie asks, so hopeful.
“Depends on Lottie’s schedule,” I answer. “She has a start-up business with her sister, so her time is limited.”
“Really?” Dave asks, looking interested. “What’s the—” He looks down at his phone, which buzzes on the table. “Crap.” With a sorrowful look, he says, “That’s Gregory. He’s been wanting to do a walk-through of one of our properties, and I told him to text me when he’s ready. Unfortunately, I have to cut this ice cream date short.”
“Totally understand,” I say, offering him a wave. “We should probably get going soon as well. After we finish this ice cream, of course.”
Dave stands and helps Ellie out of her chair. “Yes, enjoy the sunny day. Hopefully we’ll run into you again soon.”
“I’d love that,” Ellie coos. “Just love you two.”
Together, hand in hand, they say their goodbyes, and then they take off toward their parked car.
Instead of releasing myself from Lottie right away, I keep my arm firmly planted where it is and ask, “Are you going to share that?”
“Nope,” she says before taking a huge lick of the Rocky Road ice cream we decided to get together. “This is all mine. It’s the least you can do.”
“You know, you weren’t the only one who suffered through that black hole back there,” I hiss into her ear while keeping my posture and face neutral. Dave and Ellie could still see us.
“Are you talking about your blue balls?” Lottie asks, a devious smile on her lips.
Yeah, maybe a little.
Blue balls are in full force right now.
Doesn’t help that I keep picturing her above me, grinding down on my cock while she grabs her breast . . .
“Lottie . . . Lottie Bug, is that you?”
Instantly, Lottie goes stiff next to me as a leggy blonde approaches us. Decked out in a bubble-gum pink skirt and white top, the woman looks as if she was plucked from Legally Blonde.
Lottie sits up and casually places her hand on my thigh. That move right there, her hand claiming me, tells me one important thing: whoever this person is, she needs me to be in character.
“Angela,” Lottie says after swallowing her ice cream. “What, uh, what are you doing here?”
Angela? As in . . . the ex-friend who fired Lottie?
Angela glances my way and I know the minute she recognizes me, because she tilts her sunglasses down on the edge of her nose and her mouth falls open.
Ignoring Lottie entirely, she asks, “Huxley Cane, is that you?”
Am I supposed to know her? Because she’s making it seem as if we know each other.
I shift in my seat, moving closer to Lottie as my arm slips up to her shoulder rather than resting on her chair. “I’m sorry, have we met?” I ask.
Lottie leans in toward me. Her body language is screaming for help. I reassure her with a stroke of my hand over her shoulder.
Angela waves her hand and says, “You’re too funny. We met at the Stardom Gala last year. I was the gorgeous goddess in the purple floor-length dress.” She tosses her hair over her shoulder.
“Huh,” I say, tilting my head. “Can’t quite place you.”
The softest of snorts escapes Lottie’s nose, and I’m sure I’m the only one who heard it.
“Well, there were a lot of people there that night.” Angela sets her hand on her hip. “How crazy that we run into each other now.” She then looks at Lottie. I watch as her eyes fall on my arm around Lottie, the closeness of our bodies, and then . . . it clicks. “Oh my, Lottie, are you two . . . together?”
Lottie glances in my direction, so I take that moment to lift her hand that’s holding the ice cream, bring it to my mouth, and take a bite from it before winking at her. “Hiding me from your friends again, babe? What did I tell you? Stop keeping me a secret.”
“Wait,” Angela says, her mind whirling. “Are you serious? You two are dating?” She motions her manicured finger between us.