I need to thank for that
lingerie?”
Zoe winked. “And don’t forget the Kink Kit.”
Allegra groaned while Jett slid an arm around her waist from behind and chuckled in
her ear. “I like her.”
“Most men do,” Allegra said, her dry response garnering a blown kiss from Zoe.
“My friend here’s jealous because she’s such a control freak wrapped up in her work
she rarely has time for fun. Whereas, me?” Zoe crooked her finger and leaned forward,
like she was about to impart some grand secret. “Fun is my middle name.”
While Allegra couldn’t see Jett’s expression, she could imagine his puzzlement as
he glanced between the two of them, assessing how different they were.
Allegra had always felt like the staid, boring counterpart to Zoe’s outgoing vivaciousness
when they’d socialized in college. She’d watch the guys dote on Zoe while she faded
into the background, maintaining the cool, aloof exterior she’d honed to a fine art
since childhood.
Not that she was deliberately rude or cold; she just never put herself out there like
Zoe did. The few guys who approached would trade small talk and flirt a little, but
she’d been so useless at flirting back they soon left her alone.
Which was how she’d been for most of her life. Alone. Independent. In control. Just
the way she liked it.
The only time she’d remotely felt like losing control was the few times she’d dropped
her guard around the guy currently snuggling into her from behind.
“How do you two know each other?” Jett asked, and Allegra tried not to stiffen.
Before Zoe could blab the sorry truth, Allegra rushed in. “Zoe’s my best friend and
work colleague. She came out here to see if I was doing okay after the wedding fiasco.”
Jett whistled. “Wish I had a mate watching my back. Good for you, Zoe.”
Confusion creased Zoe’s brow and Allegra gave a slight shake of her head, trying to
convey a lot with one direct stare.
Thankfully, Zoe seemed to cotton on to the need for secrecy and nodded in return.
“Yep, that’s me, the numero uno BFF.”
Zoe downed the rest of her cocktail. “Who at this very minute has a date at the day
spa.” She slipped off the barstool. “See you later, kiddos. Behave.”
With a wink and wave, Zoe sauntered away, drawing the appreciative stares of every
guy in the place.
Allegra elbowed Jett in the gut, grinning at his oomph.
He released her to rub at his stomach. “What was that for?”
“For staring at Zoe’s ass.”
He was too smart to refute it. “You already know I’m a red-blooded male. No harm in
looking.”
She stood, turned, and laid a hand on his shoulder. “If you want to look at something,
I’ve got something to show you.”
“Have you now?” His arm slid around her waist and tugged her close. “Because you know
I’m up for checking out whatever you have to show me, but it’ll have to be later.”
It was then that she noticed his chinos and long-sleeved button-down white shirt.
Casual work attire, not island play attire.
“You’ve got a meeting?
“Uh-huh. Kai Kahuna rang me, and wants to get together for a quick chat.”
Allegra’s heart stopped. At least, that’s what it felt like, before it kick-started
with a ka-thump and started racing at a million beats a minute.
Surely Kai wouldn’t divulge the competition to Jett. Not possible, considering that’s
not how business worked in the advertising world, but for the agonizing moment she’d
contemplated it, Allegra couldn’t breathe.
This would be so much easier if she could tell him the truth. All of it. How she’d
changed her pitch to not compete directly with his. How she wished they could both
get what they wanted. How for the first time in her life she was enjoying relinquishing
control a little—albeit in the bedroom—and relishing an intimacy she’d never had.
But she couldn’t say any of it so she patted his chest. “No worries. You
lingerie?”
Zoe winked. “And don’t forget the Kink Kit.”
Allegra groaned while Jett slid an arm around her waist from behind and chuckled in
her ear. “I like her.”
“Most men do,” Allegra said, her dry response garnering a blown kiss from Zoe.
“My friend here’s jealous because she’s such a control freak wrapped up in her work
she rarely has time for fun. Whereas, me?” Zoe crooked her finger and leaned forward,
like she was about to impart some grand secret. “Fun is my middle name.”
While Allegra couldn’t see Jett’s expression, she could imagine his puzzlement as
he glanced between the two of them, assessing how different they were.
Allegra had always felt like the staid, boring counterpart to Zoe’s outgoing vivaciousness
when they’d socialized in college. She’d watch the guys dote on Zoe while she faded
into the background, maintaining the cool, aloof exterior she’d honed to a fine art
since childhood.
Not that she was deliberately rude or cold; she just never put herself out there like
Zoe did. The few guys who approached would trade small talk and flirt a little, but
she’d been so useless at flirting back they soon left her alone.
Which was how she’d been for most of her life. Alone. Independent. In control. Just
the way she liked it.
The only time she’d remotely felt like losing control was the few times she’d dropped
her guard around the guy currently snuggling into her from behind.
“How do you two know each other?” Jett asked, and Allegra tried not to stiffen.
Before Zoe could blab the sorry truth, Allegra rushed in. “Zoe’s my best friend and
work colleague. She came out here to see if I was doing okay after the wedding fiasco.”
Jett whistled. “Wish I had a mate watching my back. Good for you, Zoe.”
Confusion creased Zoe’s brow and Allegra gave a slight shake of her head, trying to
convey a lot with one direct stare.
Thankfully, Zoe seemed to cotton on to the need for secrecy and nodded in return.
“Yep, that’s me, the numero uno BFF.”
Zoe downed the rest of her cocktail. “Who at this very minute has a date at the day
spa.” She slipped off the barstool. “See you later, kiddos. Behave.”
With a wink and wave, Zoe sauntered away, drawing the appreciative stares of every
guy in the place.
Allegra elbowed Jett in the gut, grinning at his oomph.
He released her to rub at his stomach. “What was that for?”
“For staring at Zoe’s ass.”
He was too smart to refute it. “You already know I’m a red-blooded male. No harm in
looking.”
She stood, turned, and laid a hand on his shoulder. “If you want to look at something,
I’ve got something to show you.”
“Have you now?” His arm slid around her waist and tugged her close. “Because you know
I’m up for checking out whatever you have to show me, but it’ll have to be later.”
It was then that she noticed his chinos and long-sleeved button-down white shirt.
Casual work attire, not island play attire.
“You’ve got a meeting?
“Uh-huh. Kai Kahuna rang me, and wants to get together for a quick chat.”
Allegra’s heart stopped. At least, that’s what it felt like, before it kick-started
with a ka-thump and started racing at a million beats a minute.
Surely Kai wouldn’t divulge the competition to Jett. Not possible, considering that’s
not how business worked in the advertising world, but for the agonizing moment she’d
contemplated it, Allegra couldn’t breathe.
This would be so much easier if she could tell him the truth. All of it. How she’d
changed her pitch to not compete directly with his. How she wished they could both
get what they wanted. How for the first time in her life she was enjoying relinquishing
control a little—albeit in the bedroom—and relishing an intimacy she’d never had.
But she couldn’t say any of it so she patted his chest. “No worries. You
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