through my hair in frustration, then looked at John still sitting quietly beside me. “Would you believe this woman is actually my friend?”
He grinned at me. “She has a strange way of showing it,” he agreed.
I couldn’t help it, I grinned back at him. “How on earth did she talk you into this?”
“Bribery.”
“Well, obviously, but it must have been pretty good to – ”
“He’s agreed to pose nude for me,” Scarlett said cheerily from the front seat.
I opened my mouth and closed it again, then turned to John. He reddened.
“What can I say? I’m cheap,” he said with a shrug.
And desperately in love with Scarlett, I thought. The poor guy was going to be used and abused. I just hoped for his sake he enjoyed it along the way.
“Anyway, as I was saying,” Scarlett said interrupting my thoughts, “this is good. Paul wants you and now he wants you more because he’s seen you with John.”
“I mean this with no disrespect to your parents, but what sort of sick, twisted upbringing did you endure to make you conclude that me being with another man is good for my relationship with Paul?”
“Jealousy is a powerful motivator.”
“Except Paul can’t even tell me how he feels when I’m available! What makes you think he’ll be able to do it now?” I looked out the window, grateful we were taking the turn off to Milsons Point. We were only a couple of minutes from my apartment and I couldn’t have been more relieved.
“My bet is he’s going to surprise you, Maddy. The quiet ones are always the most dangerous.”
I hated that my skin tingled in response to her statement. Or that the image of Paul doing things best left unsaid crept into my mind. “I’m not a betting woman,” I said between clenched teeth.
“But you’re a beautiful, intelligent woman, my dear friend,” Scarlett said lightly. “And I’m guessing that’s enough for Paul. You’re keeping him up at night, mark my words.”
I muttered an oath under my breath as we pulled up in front of my apartment building. I reached down and grabbed my bag, then opened the door. “Well, thank you for the ride. The small issue of ruining my love life requires no thanks, however.”
Scarlett gave me a satisfied look and raised her shoulder in a small shrug. “You’ll thank me later.”
Maddening. She was so goddamn maddening. I leaned down and looked at John. “Bye, John. Thanks for the kiss.”
He grinned and blushed at the same time. “No worries.”
“Enjoy your nude session,” I replied coyly, then laughed as I walked up the front steps to my apartment.
Chapter 13
“I may never speak to her again.”
Cate looked at me sympathetically. “Was it really that bad?”
“Worse.”
It was Saturday morning and I was having coffee with Christa and Cate. I’d insisted on Ripples Café under the Harbour Bridge for breakfast, my shout. I was still recovering from the events of the night before. I figured a little indulgence might go a long way to making me feel better. It wasn’t quite ten in the morning and the harbor was doing a very good job of distracting me. The water was a breathtaking azure blue and the Harbour Bridge towered above us, the steady rhythm of the trains and traffic an oddly comforting background noise.
“She was just trying to help,” Christa offered.
I pointed a finger at her. “Do not try to defend her actions. She is a dangerous, scheming woman.”
“Who just wants to see you happy,” added Cate.
I threw my hands in the air. “This is supposed to be a designated bitch session about Scarlett. Instead, you defend her.”
“I’m not defending her,” Christa said. “She’s gone too far this time, I agree. I understand why you’re pissed. I was just trying to remind you that her motivations were good, even if her actions weren’t.”
“As are ours,” Cate said. She reached over and placed her hand lightly on mine. “What do you think you’ll do?”
“After I de-friend Scarlett, you
He grinned at me. “She has a strange way of showing it,” he agreed.
I couldn’t help it, I grinned back at him. “How on earth did she talk you into this?”
“Bribery.”
“Well, obviously, but it must have been pretty good to – ”
“He’s agreed to pose nude for me,” Scarlett said cheerily from the front seat.
I opened my mouth and closed it again, then turned to John. He reddened.
“What can I say? I’m cheap,” he said with a shrug.
And desperately in love with Scarlett, I thought. The poor guy was going to be used and abused. I just hoped for his sake he enjoyed it along the way.
“Anyway, as I was saying,” Scarlett said interrupting my thoughts, “this is good. Paul wants you and now he wants you more because he’s seen you with John.”
“I mean this with no disrespect to your parents, but what sort of sick, twisted upbringing did you endure to make you conclude that me being with another man is good for my relationship with Paul?”
“Jealousy is a powerful motivator.”
“Except Paul can’t even tell me how he feels when I’m available! What makes you think he’ll be able to do it now?” I looked out the window, grateful we were taking the turn off to Milsons Point. We were only a couple of minutes from my apartment and I couldn’t have been more relieved.
“My bet is he’s going to surprise you, Maddy. The quiet ones are always the most dangerous.”
I hated that my skin tingled in response to her statement. Or that the image of Paul doing things best left unsaid crept into my mind. “I’m not a betting woman,” I said between clenched teeth.
“But you’re a beautiful, intelligent woman, my dear friend,” Scarlett said lightly. “And I’m guessing that’s enough for Paul. You’re keeping him up at night, mark my words.”
I muttered an oath under my breath as we pulled up in front of my apartment building. I reached down and grabbed my bag, then opened the door. “Well, thank you for the ride. The small issue of ruining my love life requires no thanks, however.”
Scarlett gave me a satisfied look and raised her shoulder in a small shrug. “You’ll thank me later.”
Maddening. She was so goddamn maddening. I leaned down and looked at John. “Bye, John. Thanks for the kiss.”
He grinned and blushed at the same time. “No worries.”
“Enjoy your nude session,” I replied coyly, then laughed as I walked up the front steps to my apartment.
Chapter 13
“I may never speak to her again.”
Cate looked at me sympathetically. “Was it really that bad?”
“Worse.”
It was Saturday morning and I was having coffee with Christa and Cate. I’d insisted on Ripples Café under the Harbour Bridge for breakfast, my shout. I was still recovering from the events of the night before. I figured a little indulgence might go a long way to making me feel better. It wasn’t quite ten in the morning and the harbor was doing a very good job of distracting me. The water was a breathtaking azure blue and the Harbour Bridge towered above us, the steady rhythm of the trains and traffic an oddly comforting background noise.
“She was just trying to help,” Christa offered.
I pointed a finger at her. “Do not try to defend her actions. She is a dangerous, scheming woman.”
“Who just wants to see you happy,” added Cate.
I threw my hands in the air. “This is supposed to be a designated bitch session about Scarlett. Instead, you defend her.”
“I’m not defending her,” Christa said. “She’s gone too far this time, I agree. I understand why you’re pissed. I was just trying to remind you that her motivations were good, even if her actions weren’t.”
“As are ours,” Cate said. She reached over and placed her hand lightly on mine. “What do you think you’ll do?”
“After I de-friend Scarlett, you
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