The Best Friend Bargain(12)

Zane pulled off his shades. “And word has it—”

“Hi guys,” Olivia said from behind Danny. “I thought I heard voices out here.”

Danny watched both his friends’ eyes widen in surprise. He probably would have had the same reaction if Liv hadn’t had cake on her face the first time he saw her as a blonde.

With new curves.

And glowing skin. The shorter, lighter hair did something to her naturally darker complexion.

“Wow, Linc, you look great. It’s good to have you back.” Bryce opened his arms wide and Liv walked straight into them.

“Thanks. It’s good to be here.”

“My turn,” Zane said, nudging Bryce. Liv slid into his embrace with ease.

When she stepped back she looked over her shoulder at him and Danny hated seeing the uncertainty in her eyes. She had no idea what to do with him this morning. The feeling was mutual. She settled on, “Morning, Danny.”

“Morning. How’d you sleep?”

“Like a baby.” Her mouth twisted into a grimace. “I mean really well.” She sucked in a breath and her attention darted between the three of them before landing on Zane. “You guys know.”

“Congratulations,” Zane said, flashing her his new-dad grin.

“I just filled them in,” Danny said.

Liv twisted to face him fully and without his permission his gaze did a sweep down her body. She had on a purple T-shirt that fell mid-thigh with the word Love across the chest, and nothing else. Her legs were long and smooth and shapely and—Jesus Christ, he was checking out her legs. His eyes jumped back to her face.

She tilted her head. Danny could see the wheels turning before she looked away. “I hope you guys tried to talk him out of this mess I’ve dragged him into.”

“Hey,” Bryce said, “what are friends for but messes?”

“I think asking Danny to help me hide a body would be less painful.”

“You want to get rid of that jerk in London, you’ll have all three of us to help with that,” Zane said.

Olivia smiled. “Thanks. But the last thing Will wants is to be anywhere near me.” She looked down at the ground. She did that when she needed a minute to hide, to put her emotions in check.

“Congratulations to you and Sophie,” Liv said, eyes up and on Zane again. “I can’t wait to meet Hannah.”

Zane beamed brighter than a supernova explosion. “Thanks. Sophie is excited to see you again.”

“Honor is, too.” Bryce hung his sunglasses on the collar of his T-shirt.

“What is that?” Olivia plucked the glasses off Bryce. Mortification crossed her face. “How in the world…no one knew except Mrs. Landry.”

Without thought, Danny stepped beside her. “Welcome to small town life, Maybug.”

She gazed up at him with softhearted eyes. The use of her nickname always calmed her. He’d adopted the term of endearment the minute she’d told him her middle name was May. “I asked her to keep our secret.”

“There are no secrets in White Strand,” Bryce said. “And I’ve got to say I’m really happy the pressure will be off me and Honor for a while.”

“Pressure?” Liv asked, sounding confused.

“Marriage. Babies. It’s all on you two now. Thanks for that.” Bryce smiled. “And on that note, I’m going to head home to my beautiful girlfriend.”

“My gorgeous girls are waiting for me as well,” Zane said.

Danny remained next to a shocked Olivia and watched his friends leave. Both guys had given him the look that said, Dude, we’re here, but we’re glad we’re not in your shoes.

When Liv turned to bury her face against his chest, he wrapped his arms around her back and set his chin on top of her head. Her hair smelled like summer blossoms and lavender.

“This is bad,” she said, pressing back. “I’m so sorry.”

“Me, too.”

“Sorry we’re doing this?”

Yes. No. Her damn floral scent made it hard to think straight. He watched her bottom lip tremble. He could kiss her worry away, suck her lip between his own while she melted against him. Run his fingers through her hair, palm her nape and deepen the kiss until she moaned his name and asked him to kiss her in other places.

He took a giant step back. Holy hell, he had to get a grip. His idiot friends had him looking at her differently and he didn’t like it. “It’ll be fine. But we probably want to keep things to ourselves.”

She studied him for a long moment. “Got it.” Looking away first, she glanced at the table he’d been working on. “Wow, Danny. This is gorgeous.” She stepped around him, smoothed her hand across the dark wood. “Bubinga, right?”