Page 40 of Scheme
“I disagree.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Are you even, you know, photo-ready? I’m not an expert on these things, but based on Jimmy’s sample, the flag is meant to be at full mast.”
“If you stop talking about Jimmy’sflag, then maybe I could hoist my own,” Kit muttered grumpily, his cheeks now a vivid enough shade of red to rival mine without makeup.
“Or I could just take a picture of the actual dick that takes care of me,” I pointed out, already unfolding myself from the corner of the couch I’d been tucked into. Kit glanced around alarmed, like I’d been stashing an alpha in the linen cupboard for just such an occasion.
“It’s a sex toy,” I clarified, taking pity on him.
Kit’s brow furrowed. “You have a dildo?”
We had veered into very inappropriate territory, and neither of us were making much headway at getting out of it.
“I have a hoard of dildos. An abundance of dildos. Atroveof dildos. I’m a single omega, what did you expect?” I asked, laughing as I walked toward my nest, leaving Kit standing slack-jawed in the living room.
Now, which dildo would annoy Jimmy the most before I block him?
Chapter 10
Thewordswereblurringtogether on the screen in front of me by the time I finished the section of the agreement I’d been drafting and closed my laptop.
I checked the time on my silent phone, chewing my lower lip.Six pm.
I wasn’t going to do it.
We’d reached a truce last night, bonding over tea and a mutual dislike for grey floors. But that was all it was.
Just a truce.
And if my door was freshly scentmarked this morning, smelling like coffee and whiskey and supportive friendship? Well, that was Kit’s decision. I hadn’t asked him to do that.
I drummed my nails on the desk, locking my phone and unlocking it again.
I didn’towehim anything.
Maybe I’d just see if he’d left yet. Except instead of pulling up his name, I found myself opening my message thread with Violet instead.
Me: Has Kit left for dinner with his mum?
Three little dots popped up immediately, before suddenly disappearing. Had she forgotten to hit send?
Before I could message again to ask, Nico’s name started flashing across my screen.
“Hello?”
“Hello, Margot. Need a ride to Greenwich?”
I really hope I don’t live to regret this,I thought to myself, smoothing down my mum-friendly navy dress and stepping into the pub Nico had just dropped me in front of.
It was a historic building that had been stripped of all its charm on the inside, leaving it grey, white, and soulless, but I’d searched it on my phone on the way over, and I knew the beer garden was the crown jewel of this place.
The moment I got outside, I paused for a moment to take in the lush green space before following the white pavers that led past wooden bench tables shaded by umbrellas.
My heeled sandals clicked along the path as I scanned the after-work crowd, looking for Kit’s wavy black hair.
If he took one look at me and sent me on my way, I was going to die of embarrassment right here on the pavers.
“Margot!”
