Chapter 32
Nic wanted more than anything to take advantage of the situation.
One quick flash told him she had tits that defied physics.
And the pale skin of her thighs made him want to kneel on the floor, rip the towel away and devour her.
He should have taken more serious measures to avoid her after the swim a fortnight ago, but instead he’d invited her to share his home.
Good job, Nico! He stayed pressed against the wall for a few seconds, hearing a man he didn’t care for continue a conversation he didn’t care about.
It wasn’t only her magnificent body and lack of clothes messing with his head, his other senses were being overstimulated too.
What was that perfume? It felt both familiar and comforting, like coming home.
Opening the door of the bathroom, it took him moments to scan the cabinet and realise his deodorant had been moved.
He sniffed to confirm the scent. As he glanced down, he noticed Tiger had followed him in.
‘Hey Tiger, what just happened there? I went outside to look for the salami in my car, answered a call on the way in, and ran headlong into Aria, cheeks aflame, trying to cover up her nakedness with two small towels. She must have felt very exposed. Would knocking on her door and talking about it make her feel even worse?’ Something told him it would, while the dog offered no help at all.
‘What can I do, then?’ He knew Aria by now.
The girl would be mortified. He needed to share the embarrassment ahead of tonight, so it didn’t remain an issue.
Thinking hard, he strode down the corridor and picked up the cheap wine.
Had Aria been drinking already? Earlier, he’d considered binning it and opening some more from his rack.
But, while he wanted to woo the councillor, he knew from her reputation she was an odious woman.
And he’d already wasted a ton of money on wining and dining the guys from planning.
‘Wouldn’t it be fun to fill the councillor with fake fine wine while introducing my fake fiancée?
’ he said out loud. ‘And at the same time rectifying the streaker situation.’ The apron Aria had discarded earlier was hooked on a chair.
He picked it up and unfolded it. At some post-conference drinks a while back, the waiters served champagne in the buff apart from aprons.
It was all a bit tasteless, but the excitement when they came out with their trays was palpable and everyone instantly relaxed.
He raised an eyebrow at Tiger and the dog woofed.
‘Right, then. If she asks, it was all your idea.’ He chuckled to himself as he stripped off, put the buttercreamsmeared garment on, grabbed the empty wine bottles and balanced them on a chopping board that would have to double as a tray.