Read Online Teamwork by Lily Harlem - Free Book Online Page B

just need to…” I glanced around his shoulder at Raven. “I just need to do ten minutes of acupuncture on Raven before we go.”
    “Ah, the silent acupuncture treatment.” Todd dropped his hand from my hair and turned to face Raven.
    Raven’s fists clenched and his shoulders lifted toward his ears. Somewhere in my subconscious, I took that as a good sign, but I was more worried about the stormy expression flitting across his face—the tight set of his jaw and the way his lips had thinned—none of it boded well.
    He hasn’t calmed down from last night then.
    “I’ve heard all about your arrangement,” Todd said to Raven with a laugh. “How you two can’t bear to speak to one another. You’re a fool. I keep telling you, lighten up.”
    Raven’s nose twitched and he took several ground-eating paces across the kitchen until he was face-to-face with Todd.
    “Fiona and I communicate just fine,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “You’d do well to remember that.”
    Todd raised his eyebrows. Amusement sparkled in the depths of his blue irises. He didn’t seem in the slightest bit bothered by the murderous intent oozing from Raven.
    Hell, I am.
    If they were going to kick off, I had no intention of getting in the middle of all that brawn. And if Todd kept smirking at Raven, then fireworks were really going to explode. Spectacularly.
    I stepped away but a sudden arm around my waist stopped me moving far.
    “Hey,” I gasped, staring up at Raven. “Let me—”
    Suddenly he was kissing me with the same extreme passion he had the night before. I murmured a weak, pitiful complaint and, to my shame, allowed him to take total possession. I was helpless, too far gone. Raven’s particular brand of kissing was addictive and completely irresistible.
    His tongue probed deep and he tipped me backward, dipping me to the floor at the same time as pulling me up against his warm skin and holding me secure in his arms.
    As suddenly as it started the kiss stopped. He pulled me up and looked deep into my eyes. I was breathless, breathless and turned-on and about to become a quivering mass of helpless need on the kitchen tiles.
    Jesus, what girl wouldn’t be?
    My robe had slipped open and I could feel the cool air-conditioning blowing down on my cleavage, my belly and the tops of my thighs. I welcomed it, I was feverish.
    “You see, Todd, no problem,” Raven said, gently pulling me completely upright but doing nothing about my exposed body. “Communication is not an issue at all. We’ve got a great system.”
    A seed of sense returned and hurriedly I covered myself—words, apologies, excuses tripping through my brain. “Todd, I-I’m sorry, he… I…”
    Todd tipped back his head and laughed. A great big guffaw. “Don’t worry about it.” He held his palms up to Raven. “I’m just glad you haven’t completely ducked out of the land of the living, buddy. I was worried about you there.”
    “I’m fine.”
    “Yeah, I can see that.” Todd pulled in a deep breath, looked at me then back to Raven. His face fell serious. “Only thing is, you’ve just kissed my date.” He lifted his eyebrows. “And I’m not sure what to do about that.”
    Raven folded his arms. “ Your date?”
    “Yeah, it’s Phoenix and Brooke’s little one’s christening. You did get an invite. I saw it on your desk.” He paused. “But Fiona is coming with me .”
    Raven grunted.
    Todd reached out and traced the chenille collar of my robe. “If you still want to, that is?”
    “Yes, yes of course.” More than anything, I didn’t want to ruin my chances with Todd, but it was also clear I was as trustworthy as an ice cube in the desert when it came to Raven.
    I glanced at Raven and he pressed his palm to my cheek, as though absorbing the blush burning there. “It’s okay,” he said in as soft a voice as I’d ever heard him use. “Don’t worry about it. Go with Todd.”
    My heart swelled. I didn’t want to leave him out or hurt him.