The Partnership (Callaghan Green Series Book 10)

by Annie Dyer

I turned the water to as hot as I could stand it and felt a little life come back into me. The pressure was high and my skin coloured pink with the heat and the force of the water, but it felt good.

  Seph had surprised me last night. I’d expected more of a bumbling apology, with another that can’t happen again, but I’d gotten something that seemed like an expectation that I wanted to do it again, if he did. That was all well and good for my lady-parts who were more than happy with that idea, but by damn if he was calling this tune. He hadn’t liked that I was talking to Shay, and he didn’t like the idea of me dating, both of which told me he was interested. I might’ve been celibate for the last nearly five years, but I hadn’t forgotten what men were like.

  I leaned back against the shower wall and closed my eyes, my lady parts waking up with the sound of male laughter somehow filtering through the floor, or maybe I was imagining it. Or maybe it was because it was Seph’s laughter, big and huge and contagious. The happy man who had a sensitive side that I’d noticed along with his biceps and those broad, broad shoulders, and those hands. Big hands, with a span big enough to grab my hips and pin me against this shower wall, his mouth on my neck, biting and nibbling, his tongue trailing along my collar bone, then kissing down to my breasts. I imagined his mouth on my nipple, his tongue flicking the nub, while one of the big hands cupped between my legs, his fingers encouraging my legs to part, one of them playing at my entrance.

  It wasn’t Seph’s hand there. It was mine, but I pushed that nugget of reality out of the shower and reverted to my fantasy. I pictured him fingering me, one digit, then two, finding that button inside that almost made me lose control, before slowing down, his tongue licking a path from my breasts, over my belly, to between my legs where he feasted, sucking and strumming my clit, using his clever fingers to bring me closer and closer, until…

  “Mummy! Mummy!”

  The banging on the shower door clit-blocked my impending orgasm, my body automatically shutting down at breakneck speed thanks to the practice only a small child can give you with just one, shouted, word.

  “Two minutes, Rose!” I yelled back, decanting half of Olivia’s favourite body wash in my hand, which she’d probably bill me for later.

  Five minutes later and I exited the bathroom, my hair swept up in a towel to dry off and Olivia’s silky floral robe clinging to still-damp skin.

  I never expected Seph to be standing on the landing having his hair put in a ponytail by my daughter.

  I never expected his eyes to land on me like a starving man’s would on a gourmet buffet.

  I never expected to turn into a walking Freudian slip.

  “Sorry, I’m still getting wet.”

  The words were out of my mouth like someone had greased them.

  “Don’t you mean dry, Mummy? Seph’s going to paint my bedroom. I’m having a foonicorn.”

  I didn’t have the ability to correct her pronunciation because I was too busy watching Seph trying not to kill himself with laughter.

  He bit his lips together, mirth filling his eyes. “Never apologise for that, Georgie.”

  I shook my head and dashed into my bedroom, knowing full well I was now redder than I had been when I’d been in the shower.

  Exactly seven minutes later and I was back outside, my traitorous sister wearing running tights and a tank top, standing with Seph while Rose explained in great, half-unintelligible detail about where the unicorn must go and the castle and the rainbow on her wall.

  “Rose, I don’t think we’re allowed to do all that. I haven’t checked with the landlord yet.” As much as I didn’t want to disappoint my child, she had to learn to have her bubble burst at some point.

  Seph turned to me. “As long as you put it back as it was if you move out, it’ll be okay. I double checked your contract.”

  I vaguely remembered reading something. “How did you get it?”

  “Ava’s company does the letting management for it. I checked with her.” He smiled. “You dry now?”

  I glared. “Fucking hilarious,” I mouthed the words. “I think we should just go with one colour, Rose.” I was not the next Banksy or even the next local graffiti artist. “Next weekend we’ll do it.” When I was feeling a little less delicate.

  “But Mummy, Seph said he’d do it. And he’s bought some muriels.”

  “Murals.” I corrected this one. “Muriel’s a girl’s name. And Seph’s bought what?” I looked at him, unsure whether pushing him down the stairs would psychologically damage my daughter or just teach her an important life lesson about men who tried to do things without your permission.

  Seph sent his kilowatt smile in my direction and I noticed Olivia swoon slightly out of the corner of my eye. I’d murder her later. When my hangover had gone.

  “I remembered how Rose had wanted her room to look and my sister had these in.” He pointed to three very big rolls of something on the carpet. “I picked up paint this morning. Figured I could get started to give you a hand.”

  I stared at him.

  “I need coffee.”

  “Mummy, can I have a foonicorn on my wall?” Rose tugged at my jumper. “Please! Pwetty pwease with sugar on top and sprinkles.”

  The lisp was all pretend because someone had once told her it was cute and would get her anything. Yet another reason to use my sister’s corpse as fish food.

  “I still need coffee.”

  Two cups of a coffee and a fresh croissant with strawberry jam and proper Irish butter later, I’d given in and my daughter was getting a huge fancy wall mural with foonicorns, a rainbow, castle and probably a handsome prince, which judging by the way she was following Seph around everywhere, would look just like him.

  “I think my daughter’s got a crush on you.” I whispered the words to him as he stirred the paint that he was about to emulsion her bedroom with, after shifting all the furniture to the centre of the room. His T-shirt clung quite nicely and given how he’d looked at me when I stepped out of the bathroom, I didn’t bother to avert my stare.

  “Like mother, like daughter then.” His words induced a shiver right to my nipples.

  “In your dreams.”

  His laugh was loud. “Yep. I can describe them to you, if you want.”

  My mind and lady parts were having a serious disagreement right now. “Shall I get Rose out of your way? She’s going to want to ‘help’.” My mind won.

  He shook his head. “Only if you’re bothered about her getting paint on her. I’ve brought a small brush for her to paint with. He pointed to where he’d laid out the brushes he’d brought.

  “You’re prepared.”

  He nodded, suddenly serious. “For stuff like this I am. For some things, I wasn’t prepared at all.”

  Did he mean me? I felt my cheeks flush and my heart rate soared. This time my mind was in agreement with my lady parts.

  “Why are you here? It’s a Saturday. Don’t you have anything better to do?”

  “Nope. And like I said, I remembered what Rose had said about her bedroom and figured you hadn’t gotten round to painting yet. Thought I’d help a colleague out.” His grin was sheer dirt.

  “Fine. I have a date with the couch and Love Island.”

  He frowned. “Seriously? Love Island?”

  I shrugged. “A girl’s got to have some romance in her life.”

  I walked off, wondering if I imagined him muttering, something along the lines of I’d like to give her romance.

  The next day and a half became a game of How-Can-Georgia-Pretend-Seph-Doesn’t-Exist-When-He’s-In-Her-House? It was in equal parts satisfying and frustrating, as well as slightly annoying when my so-called sister spent twenty minutes ogling him while he painted wearing just a sleeveless T-shirt which was at least two sizes too small, and sweats that I was struggling not to stare at. Every ab and detail was highlighted by the cling of the thin material, and I’d never realised until then what a fascination I had with men’s nipples.

  “How on earth you work
with that and stay productive all day is beyond me. Are you sure you’re into men?” she said while we were both sitting on the sofa, the sounds of Rose chatting to Seph drifting down the stairs. We’d turned the TV down to listen to the odd conversation between them which was them basically collaborating to tell a story about two unicorns who lived in a castle. They were currently falling out about whose turn it was to walk the dog. As you do when you’re a unicorn.

  “I think Rose is proof of that.”

  Olivia sighed, looking dreamily enough that I chucked a cushion at her head.

  “Stop lusting after him.”

  “He’s just so pretty. If you’re not going to tap that, then can I?” Her grin was pure evil.

  “No.”

  “So you’re going to go there?”

  “He’s not interested.”

  She picked up the cushion I’d launched at her and buried her face in it, smothering her own laughter. I was pretty sure I heard a wail in there too.

  “Georgia, the man’s been here all weekend painting your daughter’s bedroom. He’s had her following him like he’s a character from a children’s TV programme – no sane person who isn’t related to a four-year-old does that of their own free will. He’s peacocking for you.” She rolled her eyes in exactly the same way that she’d been doing since she was twelve.

  I figured she had a point. Plus, there’d been enough flirty looks and comments to make a teenaged girl’s heart swoon. The question was why.

  “Maybe he is.”

  “Maybe I’m right. But are you?” She curled her legs under her. “Because if you want me to take Rose out for a hot chocolate and give you an hour to yourselves, I can.”

  Trying to stifle my smile was almost painful. “I don’t know, Liv. He’s said he wants to focus on his career and all that bullshit you hear when someone’s trying to fob you off. I don’t know if I can cope with someone blowing hot and cold.”

  “Are you interested? Not just in what would probably be a decent fuck, but seeing him more seriously.”

  “Jesus, Liv, do you have to be so blunt?”

  She shrugged. “No point wasting words.”

  I shook my head. It wasn’t an easy question. I liked what I knew of him, adored what he was like with Rose, but I was past being messed about.

  “He’d need to show me he was serious. It’s not worth taking a risk otherwise.”

  Liv stretched out. “I’m going to get Rose and take her out. If nothing else, Seph must be ready to stuff his ears with toilet paper by now, because I don’t think she’s stopped talking. What you do with him is your business.” Her grin was naughty. “But I know exactly what I’d do…”

  She stopped talking when she realised Seph was standing in the doorway to the hall. The look on his face told us he’d heard a lot of what Liv’d just said.

  “I apologise for my sister. She was brought up by wolves.” I gave him a smile that suggested I was totally chilled and relaxed. “Have you dropped Rose headfirst in a paint pot to make her be quiet for five minutes?” It was a reasonable solution.

  “I made a jigsaw out of some old wallpaper.” His eyes were focused solely on me. “The room’s painted, but I’ll need to stick the mural on one evening this week as it needs to be properly dry. When works for you?”

  “A four-year-old child means I have no life. Any. I can treat you to take-out for decorating.”

  Olivia was almost stealth-like as she crept out of the room, right up to the point where she banged her toe on the chair and cursed loud enough to wake the dead of Southwark, then fell over, clutching her foot.

  Seph and I looked at each other, then at her.

  “Seriously, Olivia?”

  Small feet pattered into the room. “Is Aunty Livvie okay?” Rose went straight to her.

  “Auntie Livvie is fine and she’s going to take you for a hot chocolate. Go get your shoes on.” I pulled out my bossiest mum-voice. “As quick as you can. Aunt Liv is ready to go.”

  “She really isn’t. I think I need my toe amputated.” Liv was managing to sit up, still holding her foot.

  “More than happy to do that for you. Pliers?”

  She scowled. “So much sympathy.”

  “Such a hypochondriac.”

  I knew if Seph wasn’t there, clearly trying not to double over with laughter, she’d have had something more to say. Instead she stood up, still putting on the dramatics, and hobbled out of the room, saying something to Rose.

  Seph stayed standing. I figured he wasn’t planning to stay around. Maybe he was just here to do something nice for a colleague and I’d imagined the flirty comments and the way his gaze had stayed on me for a little too long.

  “My siblings bicker the same. Doesn’t matter who’s watching us, we managed to embarrass our mum in fifty different ways if she ever had guests.” He smiled shyly, as if he was telling me something no one else knew.

  “Liv and I are the same. You wouldn’t think she was a highflier finance person. Especially when she gets all clumsy.” The air in the room suddenly felt a little short of oxygen. “Do you want another coffee?”

  He shook his head. “No, thanks. I’m meant to be meeting my brothers for dinner and I need to wash off about three litres of paint.” He fell silent, pushing his hands into his pockets.

  “Thank you for doing this. It would’ve been weeks before I got around to it.” It was a way to fill the void that was empty of words.

  “You’re welcome. I like doing a bit of DIY. I’ve helped Ava out enough when she’s needed to get something done at short notice.” He bit his lips together, something I realised he did when he was thinking.

  “Georgia…”

  “Seph…”

  We both stopped our sentences and laughed. I hadn’t felt this awkward since I was fifteen and Marc Cutler had asked me out when I liked his best friend. Only I didn’t like Seph’s best friend.

  “You first.” I waved my hand in some stupid gesture.

  “I was a dick for avoiding you. Can I show you I’m not always like that and take you out to dinner?” His eyes reminded me of a St Bernard’s, completely impossible to say no to.

  I wondered if I’d be on his menu.

  Scraping that thought from my mind, I curbed the small child inside me that was now doing cartwheels. “Okay.”

  “Okay?” He looked hopeful. “Is there a condition or anything? Do I need to do your photocopying for the next week?”

  “No, please just stay away from the copier. No conditions. I just need a couple of days’ notice to see if Liv can babysit.” I felt the wrench of guilt at leaving Rose with someone other than me for a few hours. I needed to get over myself – Rose loved short periods of time without me, which made me happy for having a confident, well-adjusted child and a little redundant.

  “Wednesday then?”

  I nodded, hoping that he couldn’t hear the rapid thudding of my heart. “Wednesday.”

  “Good.” His face had lit up. “Are we hiding it from people at work?”

  “Do you want to?” I remembered Rose’s dad and how he’d kept us hidden. I didn’t want a repeat of that. Ever. I deserved to be more than somebody’s secret.

  “Not really. I’m not very good at keeping stuff to myself.”

  I laughed. He really wasn’t. I’d already heard him blurt out to Payton that Eli had eaten her sandwich that she’d been saving, when he’d been sworn to secrecy.

  “How about we don’t tell everyone, we just don’t deny it if anyone asks?” I wanted honesty, not to be the focus of office gossip.

  “Good with me. So Wednesday?”

  “Wednesday.”

  The date really started on Monday when I walked into our office and found a box of freshly baked cookies from Amelie’s and a take-out latte, with just a post it stuck to the box, an ‘S’ scrawled on it with a kiss. We managed to work alongside each other, cogs in some new but efficient machine, but then, every so often, I'd catch him watching me, eyeing my boobs and wal
king his eyes up to my face with a dirty smirk on his face. I’d frown at him, but all I’d get back was another grin.

  And then there were his words. Compliments, about my work and not just how I looked, although there were those too, all mixed in with the odd flirty comment said just loud enough for only me to hear.

  On Tuesday, a vase full of roses was on my desk when I entered, with a bar of my favourite chocolate next to it. Another note, this time with more words, was left on the chocolate.

  Can’t wait for tomorrow night.

  He was sitting at his desk opposite mine when I read it, and as much as I tried not to, I looked straight at him after reading it. His grin this time wasn’t dirty, it was that shy one that I knew he kept hidden as much as possible.

  “Me too.” I wasn’t questioning him anymore. He hadn’t avoided me; he’d told pretty much the whole company about painting Rose’s bedroom and some story about something funny she’d said to him, that was kind of cute.

  “Good.”

  “Where are we going?” I’d already tried to get this out of him, but he’d just shook his head and talked about the Hartford case instead. As a distraction technique, it’d worked.

  “Not telling.”

  “But I need to know what to wear.”

  “Jeans. A jumper. It won’t be cold but you’ll want to be comfortable.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “It’s a first date. I thought it was dress to impress.”

  “I’m already impressed.” He looked back at his computer screen.

  “Which is very nice to hear. Are we staying in the city?”

  “I’m not going to waste travel time. I’ll pick you up and it’ll be a short drive. Don’t stress about it. It’ll be fun.” He looked up and gave me another smile, this one more of a grin that promised ‘fun’ was of the adult sort, or at least that was what was going through his mind.

  “Fun.”

  “Yes, Georgie. Now tell me what you think of that email David sent.”

  Wednesday at work had thankfully seen me in meetings with clients for most of the day, the only contact with Seph being when he’d texted me to check I was okay for a six-thirty pick up. There’d been another coffee and piece of cake left for me on my desk at lunch, with an ‘S’ and another kiss on the usual post-it note. I ate the cake and put the post-it note in the top drawer of my desk along with the other two, because I just couldn’t throw them away.