#Forfeit: The Ultimate Game of Dares (Rewrite)

Chapter Four

In the kitchen, she hovered by the doorway as he filled the kettle. Mercifully, he’d put on a t-shirt, because that boy’s body could undermine any girls’ desire to flee the scene of a crime. After he’d switched on the kettle, he glanced at her, shaking his head again. At least his scowl had eased.

‘I’m not sure which I’m more offended by, playboy or sweet.’

‘Sorry, sorry, sorry.’

He dropped two teabags into an ancient yellow teapot, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. ‘So, in the cold light of sober, you’re legging it because…’

‘I shouldn’t have done this. I’m... married, Xander.’

‘I’d worked that out.’

‘To Finn Rousseau.’

Xander’s eyebrows shot up and for a moment, he simply stared at her. ‘The actor?’

Wearily, she nodded.

‘Didn’t see that coming.’ Xander let out an astonished laugh. ‘He went to St. Nick’s too. Before my time though.’

‘I may have name-dropped to get an interview.’ She took a deep breath. ‘Xander, you won’t...’

‘Kiss and tell?’ He shook his head. ‘Promise. Why aren’t you wearing any rings?’

‘We split up.’

‘Getting divorced kind of split up? That’s why you ran away to Clara’s?’

She nodded. But until Finn signed the papers, they were still married. Hell, until a judge declared the decree absolute, they were still married. ‘I feel like I’ve committed adultery. I suppose, technically I have.’

‘You shouldn’t beat yourself up.’ He leant against the worktop, his hands in his pockets. ‘Would you like a cup of tea before you run away as fast as you can in those shoes?’

She glanced back towards the door.

‘We can discuss when you want to move in.’

‘But I’m not going to. Not now.’

He stared at her as if she were perfectly bonkers. ‘Why?’

‘Because…’ I gave you vodka head. ‘It’d be complicated.’

‘You should’ve thought of that before you started flirting yesterday.’

‘Me? I didn’t start anything, mister oh-let-me-tuck-a-flower-in-your-hair. This is your fault for wandering around without a t-shirt on.’

He pressed his lips together, obviously fighting a smile.

‘Oh my God, you so did that on purpose, didn’t you?’

He let loose the Colgate grin. ‘Only because you’re a shameless flirt.’

‘I am not,’ she argued, swatting his arm.

‘See,’ he said. ‘Flirting.’

‘I just hit you, that’s not flirting.’

‘Yes, it is,’ he tugged her hair. ‘Like pigtail pulling in the school playground.’

Trying not to laugh, Daisy mouthed, whatever. And hit him again.

‘We can be friends, you know,’ he said.

They’d had sex. ‘No, we can’t.’

‘Why? Are you scared you won’t be able to keep your hands off me?’