Watching Justin fume with barely restrained anger, Connor couldn’t help but feel secretly delighted.
Still, as satisfying as it was, Connor wasn’t about to push his luck by provoking Justin any further.
He forced a smile and said, “Come on, Mr. Hawksley, I was only joking. Surely you’re not that thin–skinned, are you? You can take a little teasing, can’t you?”
Justin shot Connor a look that was sharp enough to cut glass.
Connor pretended not to notice and straightened his suit jacket. “I just got back into the country, and the firm’s got a mountain of meetings lined up for me. I’ll leave you
two to it.”
Edith rose to see him out, but Justin stopped her, tightening his grip on her hand.
With an easy, almost careless tone, Justin said, “Attorney Grant can put on a charming face when he wants to, but you really don’t need to go out of your way for someone like him, do you?”
He finished and turned his gaze to Connor, who was already halfway to the door.
Connor flashed a polite smile. “No worries, Edith, I’ll see myself out. I know this place pretty well by now.”
Edith couldn’t help but sense the silent tension simmering between Justin and Connor–a battlefield without the smoke and gunpowder. It was clear Justin didn’t
care much for Connor.
No sooner had Connor left than he sent Edith his WhatsApp contact card.
Her phone chimed with a soft notification, and Justin’s eyes narrowed, glancing–almost involuntarily–toward her screen.
Her slender fingers tapped the display as she accepted the friend request, even adding a courteous note to go with it.
Watching Edith type so intently, Justin suddenly asked, “Did you and Connor exchange contact details yesterday?”
Edith had just sent the request. She put her phone away and nodded. “Yeah, we ran into each other at the airport. I didn’t recognize him at first, but we ended up swapping numbers,”
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She figured Justin didn’t know much about her history with Connor, so she offered an explanation. “Connor told me he lived next door until I was six, then his family moved overseas. I had no idea you two knew each other, too. I can’t tell if Northcrest is just a small town, or if this is some crazy coincidence.”
Justin’s gaze drifted, as if he wasn’t really listening.
Seeing his lack of interest, Edith fell silent.
Then, after a few moments, Justin spoke. “Edith, Connor isn’t exactly a stand–up guy. Try to keep your distance from him.”
“Huh?” Edith frowned slightly. Connor as described by Lauren seemed nothing like the version Justin was painting.
Still, she had no intention of getting close to Connor for no reason.
She nodded. “Alright.”
Justin leaned in suddenly, pulling her close by the waist. The unexpected intimacy sent Edith’s heart racing.
Her back pressed against the sofa, and her wide, startled eyes shimmered.
Justin’s lips curled into a faint smile. He reached up to brush a stray lock of hair from her forehead. “Mrs. Hawksley, you’re such a good girl.”
Edith frowned–Mrs. Hawksley was something other people called her. Coming from Justin, it sounded strangely intimate, almost special.
He pressed a quick, rewarding kiss to her lips, soft and fleeting.
Flustered, Edith glanced around, paranoid that one of the Hawksley family staff might have seen them.
Justin couldn’t help but laugh at her nervousness. He tapped her nose affectionately. “Don’t worry. We’re a married couple–there’s nothing wrong with kissing in broad daylight.”
Edith clenched her hand on the sofa cushion. “It’s not that I’m scared… I just feel a little embarrassed.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.