I shouldn’t have left Talia’s place the way I had. It was a dick move and worse, it was cowardly. It was nothing but a hard fuck, physical release was the only goal of what had gone down between us five days ago, but it felt different. It was intense. Dark and heavy. We came together so hungrily, so feverishly that it shocked me. Floored me, really. A deep unfurling had taken root in my chest and I panicked and got the fuck out of there before I did something stupid.

Only, judging by her radio silence, I did indeed do something stupid. She couldn’t avoid me forever, or even for the rest of the night, because we had more plans. Wedding plans to be exact. At least it was just the final, final round of menu changes, and not something worse, like tablecloths or place settings. If I’m ever crazy enough to get married, we’re eloping on the beach instead of spending tens of thousands of dollars to see my bride lose her mind.

When I spotted Blake and Poppy at the entrance, disappointment settled over my shoulders. Talia was really pissed if she’d sent in reinforcements. Maybe she decided not to show up at all. “Hey lovebirds.” I greeted them with my best CFO smile, keeping my physical distance in case Blake read the tension between me and Poppy. “I thought you were on bed rest.”

“I’m just taking it easy,” she said breezily.

That was the end of my ability to engage on pregnancies, so I sat and waited for the food. Quietly.

“How is this supposed to work?” Blake asked.

I shrugged and so did Poppy. “Talia knows.”

“And Talia is…?” Blake was already annoyed, clearly realizing he’d made the right choice in pawning off his wedding responsibilities to me. His blue eyes were on me, looking for an answer like I had one to give.

“Running behind,” she said as she walked in and took her seat, removing a tablet and binder from her bag before she even looked around the table. “I’ll let them know we’re ready to start,” she said, popping right back and up and disappearing.

Something was definitely wrong, but I couldn’t think about anything other than the way her ass and legs looked in ripped grey jeans. She wore a black leather jacket that kicked up the whole sexpot thing another ten thousand notches. Shit, this wasn’t good. I should have already been done with her, and now I was quantifying her sexy.

“Does Talia seem weird to anyone else,” Poppy wondered aloud, almost worried about her friend.

“Quieter,” Blake said with a shrug. “Not surprising, you did dump a lot on her.”

I wanted to jump in and defend myself because I had done a lot too, but the truth was, without Talia everything wouldn’t be as efficiently done.

“She’s busy. Exhausted.”

Poppy’s gaze narrowed on me. “Are you sure that’s all it is?”

“Are you sure it isn’t?” I wouldn’t take her shit just because she was sleeping with my brother. Poppy was entitled to her opinion, but she was mistaken if she thought I would answer to her.

“Five minutes,” Talia said when she returned. “We’ll have flat and sparkling water, and wine for whoever wants to pair it with the food options.” She looked at each of us for confirmation, and then back down at her screen, unaware, or not caring she hadn’t even offered up a greeting.

“Good to see you too, Talia.”

She looked at me with a blank look that shocked the hell out of me. “Hello, Luke. Poppy. Blake.” She gave each of us a long look, devoid of all emotion as she spoke our names. “Now we’ll get three choices for everything, rank your favorites and Luke and I will be the tie-breaker if that becomes necessary.” All business she was, eyes hardly ever leaving her tablet.

“Does that say mashed potato bar and…a slider station?” Poppy’s excitement had her near vibrating.

Talia unleashed her first genuine smile all night. “And they have vegan and vegetarian options too.”

“That,” Poppy said. “I want both of those, babe. You can decide on the proteins since I’m being a potato dictator.” She batted her lashes and my brother crumped like a cheap suit.

“Okay. You can choose the starters, you have good taste in starters.” His words were pointed and she smiled wide as a blush stained her cheeks. Again, Talia was completely unaware.

The first plates came out, three tiny salad plates for each of us. Blake chose Caesar’s and garden salad.

“That was easy enough. Next is the main course, and remember there are a dozen vegetarians on your invite list.” And so it went, for more than an hour, dishes coming out while Talia ran us through it all like a drill sergeant. Like a wedding planner, instead of the best friend of the bride. She didn’t look happy, not unhappy for her friend, just not happy in the general sense of the word. She looked overworked and tired. Still, hot as hell.

“Do we need dessert if we’re having wedding cake?”

Talia shrugged. “You don’t need any of it. This is your wedding Blake, what do you want to do for dessert?”

Blake blinked like it was a novel idea to him. “Lava cakes. They’re delicious, decadent and go great with scotch.”

Talia jotted it down, and disappeared again without a word. “Okay, tell me I’m imagining things,” Poppy said as she watched her friend rush off.

A few minutes later she returned. “They can do it, but we’ll have to wait so I told them to bring it out last.”

“Perfect. Thank you so much Talia. This is all fantastic,” Poppy enthused.

“My pleasure.” Her words were right, but her face said pleasure was the last thing she was feeling. “These are the forms for the slider station and mashed potato bar, just check off what you want for each.”

“What do you want,” Poppy shot back, trying to pull her friend back from wherever she’d retreated to.

“This place is great, so I’m sure whatever you choose will be okay.” Poppy wasn’t appeased, and I finally got to see Talia in action, full assistant and best friend mode. “This is your wedding day, Poppy, to the man you love. The father of your child, who you will be breastfeeding and burning like a million calories a day, pick what you want.”

“Fine, I just thought we would do this together.”

Talia held in her sigh, but I saw the way her chest expanded subtly. “We are doing this together, Poppy. In case you’ve forgotten, I’ve already narrowed it down to what I knew you’d like.” Then tension was back as Talia’s spine straightened like a rod, her hand slowly reached for the water and she took one small sip. “You know your guests better than I do, both of you. Excuse me.” Talia dashed off again.

“Babe, why don’t you relax a bit?” Blake spoke softly to Poppy, but she wasn’t in the mood to be consoled.

“No! She’s my best friend, and we’re supposed to do this together! She’s barely looked at any of us, or said anything that wasn’t wedding related!” She turned to me again. “What did you do?”

“Me? Maybe you should aim that accusation right in a mirror, Poppy.”

“Lukas,” Blake said, his tone a warning.

“Really Blake?” I stared at my older brother, my father figure, boss and protector for most of my life, right now looking at me with hell in his eyes. All because of a woman. “Tell you what, handle the wedding your damn self.” I didn’t need to stick around for this nonsense. Talia was ignoring everyone, and all of a sudden I’m the asshole? No thanks, I’d rather be anywhere but here.

“This is a surprise.” It was more than a surprise, given the cold shoulder Talia had reserved for me lately, I figured I wouldn’t see her around the office again.

“You’re the only one who can stop by for a quickie?” She stood there, leaning against the door with her hands behind her back, turning the lock inside the knob.

“I never said that.” If she wanted to show up for a quick fuck, that was fine by me.

“Good.” Talia kicked off red stilettos that were at least three inches tall as her hand snaked behind her back, tugging on the zipper of her dress. “Because I’ve got twenty minutes before my next appointment.”

Something was going on here, something I should be concerned about, but when she revealed a sheer black bra that showed off hard pink nipples all I could think about was getting another taste of her. The dress pulled down more, revealing matching panties that showed off the red strip of hair covering her sex. “Fuck.”

“Exactly.” She was so sexy, and she had no idea, standing there tempting me. Teasing me. Torturing me. “Should I start without you,” she purred as her hand disappeared into her panties, fingers moving through slick heat. My cock hardened and I was on her, kissing her ferociously until she sank into me. The weight of her body was perfect, just the pressure I needed to know I wasn’t alone in this insanity.

She speared her hands through my hair and I lifted her, smiling against her mouth when she wrapped her legs around me. The desk was where I wanted to take her last time she was here, but, as usual, we were too eager for each other to make it all the way over there. “Luke,” she hissed when I laid her down.

“I can’t hear you.” She huffed out a laugh and said my name again as I dropped to my knees, tearing the tiny panties at her hip and licking at her until she nearly choked me with strength of her orgasm.

“Oh, Luke! Yes!”

I chuckled against her and pulled more aftershocks from her as I kissed my way up her body. “That’s much better, but I think we can do better still.”

“This is your office,” she whispered.

“I’m aware. Let’s test out the soundproofing,” I told her and slid deep until we were completely intertwined, bodies fused too closely to ever separate. But she felt too good. Too hot and too tight. Too fucking good. I couldn’t control myself, and the truth was, I wouldn’t even if I could have. Being inside Talia felt too damn good. I was addicted to her, to her sex and the sounds she made while I gave her pleasure.

“Luke,” she warned, but it was unnecessary, I felt every shiver and tremor that shot through her. Pulsing flutters squeezed my cock, faster and faster until her pounding orgasm shot through her and triggered my own. “Luke,” she said again on a loud huff, panting to get much needed oxygen to her brain and lungs.

“Good quickie?”

She chuckled. “Amazing quickie. Thank you.” She pulled me close and kissed me long and hard, giving me so much tongue I was starting to grow hard again. Sucking my tongue and teasing me. I thought I might die as her pussy grew wet again, just from kissing me. When I pulled back, Talia lay there for a few moments with a lazy, sleepy smile on her face.

“I think that’s my line.”

“Nope, it’s definitely mine.” She smiled, only wincing slightly as I pulled out of her core. “And now I have a meeting to get to so, thanks again. I’ll talk to you soon.”

I blinked at her retreating form, disappearing into my executive bathroom to clean up. When she returned a few minutes later, she was all put together again minus the panties in my pocket.

“Payback. I didn’t realize it until just now. That’s what this is.”

She blinked innocently. “That was not my intention, which is why I told you I had someplace to be. Soon.”

“Right.” She was lying right to my face, but calling her out on it wouldn’t make the situation better. Hell, I didn’t know what the situation was, never mind how to make it better.

“I don’t have time for this. I’ll see you around, Luke.” She left without another word, which serves me right for doing the same thing to her.

Now, we’re even I suppose.