Page 69 of Perfect Liar

“The pub is one of Ethan’s investments. His friend runs the place.”

As we stepped out of the car, a pretty blonde got out of another car nearby.

She was fashion-model thin and six feet tall.

Thomas took hold of her hand.

“Ellie, this is my friend Kirsty.”

Kirsty smiled sweetly.

“It’s quite nice to meet you. Thanks for including me today.”

I smiled back and nodded, saving my heavily American-accented words for later.

Then, as a group, we walked through the middle of a narrow street lined by a mix of Victorian and Tudor era buildings until we hit the fishermen’s beach, or the Stade as locals called it. There, a historic pier reached out into the English Channel and ancient castle remains perched on top of the west ridge.

I looked at the tiny pebbles covering the beach.

“There’s no sand?” I asked.

“No sand. It’s a shingle beach,” Will said.

“Oh. Well, how do you walk along the shoreline then?”

One corner of his mouth curved in amusement.

“You take off your shoes, baby.”

Will pulled me by the hand, taking me to the edge of the water, and we kicked off our shoes.

He swooped me into his arms and stepped into the water. When he put me down, the surface was softer, not like sand, but more like sand than pebbles—limestone from the cliffs.

I hooked my arms around his neck.

“Take off your sunglasses, Will.”

When he wore them, it frustrated me because I liked reading his expressive eyes.

He hooked the sunglasses on his t-shirt, and I locked my eyes on his.

His hands slid from my waist onto my backside.

“Your plump little arse fills my hands perfectly,” he teased.

“Plump?”

He grinned.

“It’s quite perfect.”

I pulled his face to mine, and he kissed me, long and hard. Then he put his forehead on mine while we caught our breath.

“Christ, I can’t get enough of you, Elle.”

“So maybe you can stay tonight?”

An eye-crinkling smile lit up his face.