Seducing the Billionaire's Secretary(15)

“Fuck off.” Blake pushed past him, but Drew grabbed his arm. Only years of discipline prevented Blake from nearly killing him.

“Let’s have a chat.”

Not wanting to make a scene, Blake allowed himself to be led by Drew to a private table situated under a palm tree. Blake crossed his arms and sat down, refusing to say another word. He didn’t trust himself to say anything cordial to Drew.

“I can’t make you listen to reason, but believe me when I say that you are going about this the wrong way,” Drew said, breaking the silence.

Blake sliced his gaze to his friend. “Are you really in a position to lecture me about how to go the right way when it comes to women?”

“My fuckups are to your benefit.”

Not if he fucked up so much that Hannah left him. Ella would love that. She would—well, he didn’t know exactly what she would do.

“Do tell.”

“I tried making Hannah stay instead of asking her to stay.”

Blake worked his jaw. “I’ve not forced any woman. Ever.”

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it.”

“Then tell me what you do mean. Share how you were faithful to the woman you’ve loved since childhood.”

“That’s not fair, Blake.”

“What’s not fair is that you—” Drew clamped his mouth shut. He didn’t want to betray Ella. “It is what it is. I chose to remain alone until the woman I wanted was free. You did not.”

“I hadn’t seen Hannah in a decade. We were kids when I last spoke to her. Again, unfair.”

“So is life.”

Drew stood, his face wreathed in disgust. “Stop making me out to be a villain in a play I had no hand in writing, much less starring in.”

Blake didn’t stop his friend from going. He wanted Drew to leave. “You were never the villain, you git. You’ve always been the bloody hero to her.”

Drew glanced at him. “Quit feeling sorry for yourself and tell her how you really feel, without games, and then come talk to me.”

“I don’t feel much like talking.”

“Good.”

“It’s very good, damn you.”

Drew laughed. “You can’t let me have the last word, can you?”

“Not over this, mate.” Blake stood, and then made his way inside to his hotel room.





Chapter Seven

Once they had rehearsed the ceremony a few times, the wedding planner allowed them to break for dinner. At least, Ella hoped that was what the woman had planned.

Her stomach growled.

If not, then she would stage a protest in the kitchen.

“If everyone would follow me,” a server announced, and Ella wanted to kiss the woman in relief.

As one, the group began to walk, as eager for dinner as she was.

Despite the awkwardness of earlier this afternoon, Ella wanted to talk to Blake. She wasn’t sure why he’d stalked away after they’d had sex... made love. Whatever. But she needed to find out. Something had changed between them, and she wasn’t sure what to make of it.

The only thing she was sure of—she didn’t hate him anymore. There were no feelings of animosity or dislike that made her see red whenever she heard his voice. In fact, it was almost the opposite.

“My, my, Ms. Simpson, don’t you look positively delectable in your dress?” Coming up from behind her, Blake gave her right cheek a crude squeeze. “Damn, I want to bite that ass.”

“Stop it.”

“Afraid your lover might see us?” He squeezed her again.

“He’s not my lover, and you are despicable,” Ella hissed, shoving his hand away from her butt. “What’s wrong with you?”

Blake gave her a wicked smile. “That’s not what you said this afternoon, love.”

The reminder of what had transpired between them made her blush. She hated how easily she turned red around him because her blushes showed how vulnerable she was to his insults. His response was most definitely an insult and not a compliment.

“Obviously, I was out of my mind.” To ever think we could work, she added silently.

“Multiple orgasms tend to do that, I hear,” he said loud enough for his voice to carry.

Her palm itched to slap that wicked and cocky smile off his face, but she couldn’t. Andrew was watching... and so was his wife. A woman that Ella had tried desperately to hate, but ended up practically loving. Only the most hardened of hearts wouldn’t be able to recognize that Hannah and Andrew were perfect for one another.

She wanted that, desperately.

“Damn it, Ella. Stop mooning over Andrew. He’s not yours. He’ll never be yours,” Blake said softly.

Tears sprang to her eyes, but she refused to let Blake see her upset. Once had been more than enough for her.