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He spun me so my back was toward the wall, his big body blocking me from view, and gave my butt a swat. “You’re not working anymore, Cupcake. Now, you’re my plus one. As my date, I demand you let me carry you everywhere since I haven’t seen you in two days and missed you.”
“I missed you too, you goon, but I was in the middle of talking to Lily Smythe-Kelly about doing a very big job—”
He pulled back, his brows raised. “Really? That’s awesome. But Saoirse’s mom lives in California.”
“I’m aware. I would fly out there to do it.”
“A plane ticket would eat your profit.” He placed his forehead on mine. “We’ll take my father’s plane. It’s decided.”
“Is flying private magically free?”
He swatted my butt again. “For you it is.”
“Stop hitting my butt in public.”
“Private is okay?”
“Only if you want to be hit back.”
He tilted his head, not denying it. Actually, that could be fun…
I cleared my throat. “Is Saoirse’s mom a big deal? I was getting that vibe.”
“Yeah. Her family has been in the state senate for a couple generations. Lily had been in office for years. It’s funny because Saoirse’s dad is a rancher in Wyoming. I can’t picture Lily ever stepping foot on a ranch. Guess that’s why they’re not married anymore.”
He slowly put me on my feet, looking me up and down. “Goddamn, Daisy.” He hooked a finger under the waistband of my leather harness. “This thing is sexy. It feels like a kink thing, but I don’t think you’re the kind of girl to wear a kink thing in public.”
I snorted a laugh. The room had begun to fill in with guests. Too many people were milling around to talk about kink. Well…not for Miles. He probably had no such limit, but not too many people were like him. None I had ever met anyway.
“It just cinches in my waist and spices up my simple outfits,” I explained. “Andy hated when I wore them.”
“Andy is dumb as a box of rocks,” he snapped, hands settling on my hips, just below the harness. “If he was too insecure to have a hot girlfriend, he didn’t deserve one.”
I pressed my hands to his chest. “By the time you’re done with me, you’ll have repaired all I thought was too broken to get back.” I pecked his chin. “Thank you for being sweet to me, Miles. That wasn’t part of the agreement, but it is a welcome bonus.”
His humor dropped. “Do we have to talk about the agreement?”
I lifted a shoulder. “Not always, but we do when I’m in the midst of playing my role for you. Everyone here thinks we’re a couple. We’re the only ones who know we aren’t. Remembering the agreement while we’re here is important.”
For me. So I didn’t let the feelings I’d begun to catch grow beyond what they were. I really couldn’t afford to get hurt again. There was only so much grief bacon a body could take.
“Message received.” He backed away, taking my hand in his. “From here on out, you and I are a wholesome, loving couple.”
The rest of the night went quickly. Elise loved the grazing table, and for once, I got to be around to watch people go to town on my creation.
There were speeches and lots of love all around. Anticipation for the big day tomorrow sent a buzz through everyone in the room. Weston and Elise were lucky to have so many people excited for them.
At the end of the evening, I went home, wishing it was all really mine. The friend group, the love, the way Miles made sure I was comfortable, having fun, never cold, never alone. He’d held my hand or grazed my back. When he’d laugh, he’d checked in with me so we could laugh together. He’d been especially amused by the slideshow Elliot had prepared with pictures of Elise and Weston through the years. She was always looking at him, and he was smiling at the camera, completely oblivious.
And tomorrow, they were getting married.
It made my stomach warm, and my heart feel like it was wrapped in a cozy scarf. They were going to have a lovely life together, I could tell. I wished I’d be around to see it.
While that wasn’t meant to be, I now knew I wouldn’t settle for anything less than what I’d seen and felt tonight.
Chapter Twenty-six
Daisy
