Page 70 of The Money Shot
My hand trembled as I held the phone. “Where... where did you find this?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Nova shrugged, watching me carefully. “Like I said, online. It’s rare, but true love can be found there, too, you know.”
I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of memory. “It’s not the same. This—” I gestured to the screen. “This is different.”
She smiled softly, her usual bravado replaced by something gentler. “Exactly, Dimi. That’s my point.”
I handed the phone back to her, my fingers reluctant to let go. She slid it into her clutch and placed her hand over mine. “You still believe in love, don’t you?”
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. Instead, I stared at the empty shot glass in front of me, my reflection distorted in the curved glass.
“Maybe,” I said finally, my voice rough. “Maybe love still exists.”
Nova squeezed my hand. “It does, Dimi. You just have to be open to seeing it.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Jack
The smoggy haze of the city clung to the air as I pushed through the revolving doors of my office building. I nodded at the security guard, whose face barely registered a flicker of recognition before he returned to his newspaper.
I punched the elevator button and joined the other corporate drones piling into the tiny metal box, trying not to think about Liam. But of course, that was impossible.
This morning, when I woke up spooning him, I was in heaven. His warmth, the way his body fit so perfectly against mine, made me feel something I couldn’t quite put into words. It was so difficult to sneak out of the room this morning to let him sleep in, when all I wanted was a repeat of last night. And speaking of last night... damn. The sex had been off-the-charts hot, as it always was.
It wasn’t like Liam and I were doing anything groundbreaking, either. Nothing super kinky. Just... sex. But with him, it was different. Better. A thousand times better. Like some unspoken connection between us, turned every touch, every kiss, into something electric.
The elevator dinged for my floor, and I stepped out, shaking off the thought of crawling back into bed with him. I needed to focus. Work. Numbers. Proposals. Budgets.
I hurried to my cubicle, switched on my computer, and tried to summon the motivation to be a productive corporate slave. But as I waited for the system to boot up, my mind betrayed me. Again. A vision of Liam—naked and flushed—filled my brain, and I had to physically shake my head to snap out of it.
“Morning, Jack!” Maria’s cheery voice rang out as she popped her head over the divider between our cubicles.
“Morning, Maria,” I replied, forcing a smile.
“You’ve got a skip in your step today,” she said, grinning. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this. What’s got you in such a good mood?”
Liam.
“Just had a good morning, I guess,” I mumbled.
“Well, good for you! I’m heading to the breakroom for coffee. Want me to grab you some?”
“Thanks, yeah. Here,” I said, handing her my mug.
The moment she disappeared, I turned to my screen and groaned. An email from her sat at the top of my inbox. Evelyn Van Alen. Of course.
I clicked it open, and her crisp, biting words filled the screen:
Subject:St. Kitts Project Approval
Dear Jack,
You’ve managed to find a contractor on St. Kitts after all. A commendable effort, though I wonder if the local talent will truly measure up to the standards we’ve set. Nonetheless, I’m approving your trip to the island to meet with him—though I expect a full report detailing every aspect of the contractor’s qualifications and the potential risks associated with employing someone so off the beaten path.
Your supervisor, Andrea, will accompany you to ensure the trip remains productive and cost-effective. Please coordinate the travel arrangements with her directly.
I trust that you’ll make the most of this opportunity to prove yourself invaluable. After all, we wouldn’t want this project to fail because of inattention or poor judgment, would we?