by Mercer Scott
“If you don’t say so yourself!” Cassie chimes in, before laughing.
Lara shrugs. “Trust me, I know hot sex. And sex with Deacon Park is most definitely hot sex.” Then she turns to me. “And luckily for our little Nit-Nat Bar, it sounds like sex with Cooper Hamilton is definitely hot sex.”
As much as I’m shaking my head at Lara’s ridiculousness, I can’t wipe the satisfied smile off of my face. “So much yes! It was amazing.”
“I’m so happy for you, Nat!” Veronica says, giving me a huge smile.
“And for the record, I was right. The best way to get over someone is to get under someone else.” Bridget smiles smugly at each of us.
Cassie grins. “And for the record, we’re all still waiting for you to take your own advice, Bridge.”
“I need more wine,” Bridget announces and stands up to get some from the gold ice bucket on the coffee table. “What no more salty comments about my lack of love life?”
“We’re talking about Nat’s love life now. But we can definitely add yours to the schedule later. I’ll have a refill.” Veronica holds her glass high in the air, but doesn’t move a muscle to get up off the sofa. I don’t blame her. Lara has never been one to sacrifice comfort for style. And even though the house looks like something out of Architectural Digest, everything is still actually usable and comfortable. No poured concrete sofas in this billionaire’s mansion.
After taking the bottle dutifully around the room and refilling glasses, Bridget takes a seat back in her armchair. “Are you sure it’s okay that we’re all staying here? I don’t want to impose or anything…”
“Of course, it’s fine. What’s Deacon Park’s is now mine. And what’s mine is always yours, friends! Enjoy!” Lara announces with a laugh. Lara didn’t grow up with money, and she’s been the most frugal woman imaginable for the ten years that I’ve known her. But she definitely knows how to enjoy money now that she has it.
“This place is seriously amazing, Lara! I can’t believe that you get to live here!” Cassie glances around the massive living room to the pool outside and the ocean beyond it.
“Yeah, it’s okay. It’s just a view, even if it’s a pretty nice view. And you can’t even see it half the time.” Lara shrugs, like she’s not sure that the view is worth whatever extravagant price Deacon paid for this place.
“What do you mean you can’t see it half the time? Like you can’t see it at night?” Cassie asks thoughtfully.
“Exactly. People pay all this money for something they can’t even use half the time. Seems crazy to me! But I’m happy to enjoy it as long as I don’t have to pay for it.”
“Good to know that you haven’t changed, Lara. Marrying a billionaire and still cheap A-F!” Bridget laughs and then takes a long sip of her wine.
“Be careful, Bridge. You should be sucking up to me if you want to benefit from my good fortune. I mean all of this is a lot of work. I mean, I don’t actually maintain any of it. But I have to put up with Deacon. And I mean, he’s a lot. Who in their right mind would actually want to be with a man who looks like that? You have no idea the things I have to do to him to keep him satisfied. I guess it’s just my burden to carry.” Lara shakes her head slowly, and then shrugs. “I’m a damn saint.”
Deacon must have heard her little speech and decided to join us, because he’s now standing directly behind her. I’m pretty sure that a sexy billionaire is a burden that most women on the planet would be happy to carry.
“I had no idea that being with me was such a burden for you.” Deacon smirks at her, as Lara turns in surprise to look up at him. “I’m sorry it’s such a struggle for you to be with me. How can make it up to you?”
Lara bites her lip. “Hmmm… I can think of a few things you could do to start making it up to me. But unfortunately, my friends are too vanilla to want to watch. So, that will have to wait until later.”
Deacon smirks at her again and then leans down over her from where he’s standing behind the sofa and kisses her. Lara’s hands run through his hair, thoroughly messing it up. For a second, I think they’re going to forget about the fact that we’re all sitting here staring and just go right ahead and have sex in front of us. Thankfully, Deacon finally pulls away and smiles down at her.
“Have fun with your friends, baby. I’m going to the Montclair for a meeting. I’ll start making it up to you when I get home. Have fun, ladies.”
Lara lets out a satisfied sigh as Deacon walks away.
Chapter Fifteen
Cooper
I haven’t been able to get Natalia off my mind since she left here a few hours ago. Hell, I haven’t been able to get her off my mind since she ran me down almost two months ago. Not that I’ve minded thinking about her. Thinking about how her long brown hair smells like sunshine and flowers. Thinking about how her brown eyes show me exactly what she’s thinking before she even knows that she’s thinking it.
It’s been six hours. Six long hours since I’ve had Natalia in my bed. Six longer hours since I’ve had her in my arms. And it’s been an hour since I went to bed and tried to fall asleep without her. Now that I’ve tried it, I know I’m not interested in being without her. My brother, Archer, would tell me to play it cool and keep her guessing. Marcus would tell me not to come on too strong so she doesn’t think I’m a stalker. But I’m not going to do any of that. Why start playing it cool now? If my options are sitting at home thinking about having Natalia in my arms or actually having her in my arms, that’s not a choice at all.
Reaching for my phone on the bedside table, my thumbs are moving over the screen before my eyes have even adjusted to the bright light it casts in my dark bedroom.
Cooper: u up?
Natalia: Are you seriously sending me a booty call u up text right now?
Cooper: Do people say booty call anymore?
