Page 107 of Tears of Glass

“That’s better.” He breezes into the kitchen like everyone doesn’t know what we’ve just been doing. Roger, who looks like the only sex he experiences is from behind a screen and involves some lube and a sock, doesn’t know where to put his eyes.

Jess sniggers with Sienna, and I breathe, trying to make myself relax. She’s not a threat to me. I know that. He loves me, he shows me every night.

“No one’s driving, are they?” I turn to meet their eyes. “I’ll open some wine.”

“Here, I’ll help.” Sienna steps forward and goes straight for the glasses cupboard and I try my hardest not to let it get under my skin.

“Sienna, why don’t you ask Patrick over?” Eli calls. He’s opening one of the boxes that has been stacked against the wall of the lounge for the last few days after they were delivered by a runner—in a giant fuck off white van.

“Mm.” She grimaces, and he frowns.

“You can’t have broken up already? Seriously?”

“What can I say, I’m not a long-term commitment kind of girl.” She slides the glasses over to me and I pour the newly opened wine into them.

“I think two dates doesn’t constitute commitment.” Eli rolls his eyes.

“I miss those days.” I stare in horror around me. What the fuck did I just say? “Uh. No.” My brain. There is nothing. Just nothing there.

Eli’s gaze is hard as it settles on my burning face.

“I mean.” I gesture wildly at Sienna. Come on, help a girl out. She steps up.

“You mean, how much consideration goes into a real relationship. Like having to explain where you are. Then there’s the awkward bit where one of you wants something but the other doesn’t. Two dates is easier, by far.” She laughs and drinks. I have no idea if she’s helping. All I can feel is Eli’s gaze on me. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, if they are good in bed, I’ll keep them around for a bit longer.”

I shrug. “I wouldn’t know about that.”

I stare at Eli. He knows this. He’s the one I broke all my rules for. Every single damn one of them.

“Shall we serve dinner and then we can get on?” His tone is cool, and his eyes slip right past me.

“Sure.”

Jess clears her throat. “So Faith, how was your day? Eli’s told us what’s happening with the Tate. It’s amazing.”

He’s been talking about me? My chest tightens. I don’t think I’ve ever expected anyone to talk about me before. And definitely not in a good way. I’m totally used to being the subject of gossip.

My throat tightens. He’s been talking about me at work... to his colleagues... like he’s proud of me. Believes in me...

Clearing my throat, I try to engage my brain. “My day was interesting. I had coffee with a baroness.”

This gets his attention, and he watches me carefully.

“Looks like we are going to dinner at Bowsley next Saturday.” I shrug.

The file he’s holding slaps onto the table loud and clear. “Well, that’s just fucking great.” He explodes which really wasn’t the response I was expecting at all.

I stare at the others in shock. “Yeah, I don’t really want to go, either.” Like that ain’t bloody obvious. There are martian’s living in outer space who know I don’t want to go to Bowsley for dinner, next Saturday or ever.

Sienna clears her throat. “It’s Eli’s birthday next Saturday.”

Shit.

“Well, shit.”

How the hell am I supposed to know that?

Chapter Twenty-Eight