24. April
Chapter 24
April
I fling open my front door, slip off my heels, and head straight for the sofa. I collapse onto it with a sigh. Gemma follows me in, barefoot, and flops onto the floor, stretching out her legs. Her beck leans against the arm of the sofa as she calls for Basil, who struts in, tail high. She extends her hand, and he nuzzles against it, purring contentedly.
Anna went home to Mason, so I told Gemma to stay with me.
“Tonight was so much fun,” she says.
“It was, but my feet are killing me.” I say, wincing.
“You had such a good time,” she replies with a smile. “It was lovely to see you let loose.”
I nod. “But I’m paying for it now.” I reach down to rub the ball of my foot, which has gone totally numb. I press my thumbs into the pad of my foot and groan, relieving some of the tension as I coax the circulation back.
My eyes narrow when I notice something stuck to her dress. “Gemma, what’s clipped to your chest?” I squint to read the text.
She looks down, bringing her hand up to inspect the badge pinned above her left boob.
“Does that say Daniel ?”
“Huh,” she says, surprised. “I think it’s a Tesco employee badge.”
“Where did you get that?”
“Probably from the twenty-one-year-old I made out with on the dance floor. Fuck if I know.” The shit this woman gets up to when I’m not looking. She shrugs. “Where did you disappear to, anyway? One minute you were at the bar, and the next, you were gone. You didn’t get the shits, did you? I told you not to eat those samosas before we left. I’m telling you, bubbles and curry don’t mix.”
I laugh. “Actually, if you must know, I bumped into James as I was coming out of the bathroom. He asked if I wanted to keep him company while he packed up his gear.”
Gemma twists around, planting her hand firmly on the rug. “He took you out back?” she asks.
I nod, switching feet.
“So, you got a chance to speak to him? That’s great! Did he have fun?”
“Yeah, he did. I can’t believe how much stuff they have to pack and unpack for every gig. It’s seriously impressive. I got to play his guitar,” I gloat, pumping my eyebrows. “You’re looking at the next Paul McCartney.”
“Ugh, there’s something so sexy about musicians.”
“Amen.”
Ping .
I reach over to grab my phone from the coffee table, and my pulse kicks up as James’s name flashes on the screen.
“Who is it?” Gemma narrows her eyes as she watches me intently.
“It’s James.”
“Oooh, what did he say?” she asks, leaning forward.
“I haven’t opened it yet …” I trail off, staring at the message, my thumb hovering over the screen. “But I feel like I should tell you what happened tonight.”
Her brows shoot up, and she air quotes, “What do you mean, ‘What happened tonight’?”
I pull my knees to my chest and spill the whole story, starting with me walking out of the ladies’ room, then James sucking my finger, and ending with Tom walking in just as we were about to kiss.
Her eyes bulge. “Read the bloody message, will you!”
I bite my lip, tapping the screen as his message illuminates.
James: I can’t stop thinking about how badly I want that kiss .
I tilt the screen towards Gemma, letting her read the message. She lets out a low whistle. “Oh, he definitely wants you.”
“You think?” I ask, my voice betraying the flicker of hope I’m attempting to hide.
“I know. If it were me, I’d go over there.”
“What? I can’t go over now. It’s almost 1:30 a.m.”
“Which is precisely why you should go over there.”
I close my eyes, battling the truth that’s itching to escape, but I lose the fight. “Gemma, we both know what’s going to happen if I go over there.”
“Exactly. That’s the whole point.”
Nibbling the inside of my cheek, I try to untangle the mess in my mind.
Do I want to sleep with James? Of course, I do—I’m only human. James is gorgeous, charming, and the chemistry between us is undeniable. But he’s Lucas’s brother . We were engaged not even a year ago. What Lucas did to me was unforgivable, but would sleeping with his brother make me just as bad?
Am I giving in to a fleeting desire that will only lead to more heartbreak? That night in the Uber changed things. Or, if I’m being honest, maybe this started earlier. But a few stolen glances here and there didn’t mean anything—it was innocent, nothing serious. But my situation has changed.
I’m single now.
If I go down this road, it won’t just be harmless or playful flirting.
It’ll be real. Tangible.
And deep down, I know James and I could never have a meaningless fling.
With him, it’s different. He’s different.
If I let this happen, there’s no turning back.
Oh, for fuck’s sake, who am I kidding?
“I’m going over there,” I state with as much confidence as I can muster.
Gemma hollers and hoots. “Yeah, you are, you dirty slag!” She pauses, then waves her hand in front of me. “But first, you need to sort out this situation. Go shower, freshen up, clean the minge and—oh!—don’t forget to wear sexy underwear.” She winks.
“Right.” I nod. Before I know it, I’m on my feet, heading to the bathroom. I remove my make-up and jump in the shower for a quick rinse and shave before slipping into something casual and comfortable—a cute, grey lounge set made of soft fabric that drapes over my figure. I pull on a pair of trainers, and sweep my hair into a high ponytail, keeping it neatly out of my face. Underneath, I wear my most seductive black lace bra and thong set.
Before heading out, I spritz some perfume. The rich, sultry scent wraps around me with hints of vanilla and amber. I head downstairs to check on Gemma, ensuring she’s settled before I leave.
As I expected, she’s already fast asleep on the couch.
I gently drape a soft blanket over her, then lean down to plant a tender kiss on Basil’s head.
With a final glance, I pull up the Uber app.
This is happening.
I’m going to sleep with the other brother.