Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 157032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
“Call me Tash.” She smiles. “And this is all a façade.”
I frown as I watch her. I don’t think I have ever seen such perfect dimples and white teeth.
“Façade?” I frown.
She rolls her eyes. “I’m a hot mess. I’m lucky enough that Joshua earns enough so that we can have a cleaner, a gardener and all that.”
I smile gratefully. She obviously doesn’t come from money and she knows how lucky she is.
“The house would be pure chaos without them.”
I smile into my glass and nod.
“What about you, Ashley. Tell us about yourself.” Adrian smiles.
My heart drops and I hesitate. “I’m in my final year of medicine.” My eyes flicker to Cameron. “I’m one of Cameron’s interns, so I’m really not supposed to be seeing him at all.”
Joshua winks at Cameron who grins in return.
“Vous serez le stagiaire le plus chanceux au monde pour me rendre visite”
Translation: You will be the luckiest intern in the world to date me.
I laugh and fire back, “Ou le plus stupide, je ne suis pas encore terminé avec vous. Voyons ce que vous avez chanceux ce soir.”
Translation: Or the stupidest. I’m not finished with you yet. Let’s see how lucky you get tonight.
Adrian’s and Natasha’s eyes meet across the table. “German?” Adrian asks.
“French.” Joshua smirks. Oh shit. He speaks French, too. I drop my head embarrassed that Joshua has understood what I just said.
“So, you two met years ago?” Natasha smiles as she puts her hands under chin dreamily.
“Yeah.” I smile, embarrassed.
“She fucked my brains out,” Cameron adds as he shovels a mouthful of food into his mouth.
Natasha and Joshua choke on their drinks, and the table bursts into laughter.
My mouth drops open in horror. “I did not. I’m a virgin!” I chuckle. “C-Cameron,” I splutter. “Please use your table manners.” I shake my head. “You are uncouth.”
Cameron smirks. “You love it, Bloss.”
Our eyes lock. He’s right, I do love it. I love everything about him. Even his family are beautiful.
“But then...” I hesitate and sip my champagne and narrow my eyes. “Cameron.” I bring my hands up to accentuate the word. “Lost…” I smile broadly. “His phone.”
“I did lose my fucking phone that night.” He fires back. “Back me up here Stan. Did I lose my phone that night?” he asks.
Joshua smiles and nods. “Affirmative. He did.”
He points at me across the table. “And I was pissed that I lost your number.”
“I was kind of glad to be honest. I think I dodged a bullet.” I smile cheekily. The table erupts into laughter again.
This is a fun night. I can be myself and I feel comfortable.
“You won’t be dodging anything when we get home,” Cameron fires back.
“Ash, I have a charity ball on the weekend. You must come.” Natasha smiles.
My face falls. “Oh. Um…” I glance at Cameron.
His face lights up. “Yes! We can go away again.”
“You went away at the weekend?” Adrian asks, clearly surprised.
“I took Ash to New York.”
Natasha and Adrian’s eyes meet across the table in some kind of unspoken acknowledgement.
“Why didn’t you take the plane?” Joshua asks.
Cameron frowns. “Because then it would have been a thing and I would have had to explain who Ashley was.”
Joshua looks at Cameron, deadpan. “Then you bring her to my house three days later?” He raises his eyebrows. “That makes perfect sense.”
I burst out laughing. I like this guy. He’s dry as all hell. I clink my glass with Joshua’s and he smirks.
“He didn’t tell me we were coming here tonight,” I add.
Cameron sips his drink and smiles across the table.
“Why didn’t you tell her you were coming here?” Natasha asks.
“Because she probably wouldn’t have come.”
The table’s attention turns back to me. “Why wouldn’t you have come?” Adrian asks, surprised again.
“Honestly?” I smile bashfully.
“Yes, honestly?” Joshua replies, and I get the feeling that they are all really interested in my answer.
“Because Cameron hardly knows me and I didn’t want to be in the position of letting anyone down. Especially him. I think it was a bit too soon for me to be meeting the family.”
Joshua frowns, intrigued by my answer.
Cameron smiles softly across the table. “You’re refreshingly honest, Bloss.”
Our eyes lock and I feel a pull to him that can only be explained as magnetic.
“So will you come?” Natasha smiles. “At the weekend?”
My eyes flicker between her and Adrian. “What’s the dress code?” I ask.
“Black tie—”
“But you don’t need to worry about that. I’ll buy you a dress,” Cameron interrupts.
“No, that’s fine.” I smile softly. “Maybe I’ll give it a miss and come to the next one, if that’s okay. Thank you so much for the invitation, though.”
Cameron’s face falls. “Why don’t you want to come?”
God. Why is he so pushy? “You go with your family and I’ll just see you when you get back.” I smile.
“No. I want you to come. I’ll buy you a dress,” he asserts.