The Partner Plot (The Greene Sisters, #2)

by Kristina Forest

his skillful tongue sent her over the edge.

The smile he gave her made her dizzy with happiness.

told him that she struggled to eat breakfast while working because she had a hard time pausing to eat on the go when she was in the zone. Xavier had suggested smoothies because they were quick and easy. Then he’d gone into a longer explanation about the benefits of using oat milk in smoothies, and she’d smiled, nodding along to the soothing sound of his voice, even though she hadn’t understood a word he’d said about enzymes or bone-strengthening minerals.

“This is the type of nutty behavior that people get into when they’re dickmatized,” Karina calmly explained. “He’s got you all up in the kitchen in your heels, even though you know you’re the type to burn butter.”

The sight of him warmed her heart and made her briefly forget about her culinary failures.

her. Violet loved the feeling of his mouth against hers. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close.

She loved his sudden screw-the-world attitude. It was kind of a turn-on.

His hands went to her waist, and she linked her arms around his neck, pulling him against her. They groped at each other hungrily, releasing their pent-up desire. She was practically climbing onto his lap when the server appeared at their table and cleared her throat.

“I know, I’m sorry,” she said. “We have to go to the show, but then it will be you-and-me time.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, and he laughed, still feeling aroused.

Violet and Xavier didn’t speak for the rest of the show, although their hands remained intertwined.

she was so relieved to see Xavier sleeping peacefully, she almost wanted to cry. He was her safe harbor, so far removed from her professional life.

“Do you know what I wanted to do this weekend? Lie in bed with you. That’s it. And, like, maybe watch television and eat salt-and-vinegar chips.” He smirked. When he looped his fingers through hers once again, the tension finally lifted from her shoulders.

loving the feel of him in her hands.

Violet, however, remained wide awake. She was too giddy to close her eyes, overwhelmed with her happiness and her sudden deep satisfaction with the state of her life. Being with Xavier was so easy.

Her dedication to her job was one of the many things he admired about her. He just wished they had more time for each other.

His hope was that there’d be less distance between them.

Relationships were such fragile things. She knew that better than anyone. And she was worried she was failing at being a good girlfriend.

She pictured the sycamore tree outside her childhood bedroom window. Her heart ached as she remembered how Xavier’s face used to brighten when she opened her window and let him climb through. They’d felt so unstoppable then. So carefree and devoted. If only everything could feel as simple as two teenagers falling in love.

She was the worst. She knew that. But she was driven by fear. If she could postpone a conversation that could lead to Xavier realizing that she wasn’t the one for him, she would put it off for as long as she could.

The selfish and unfair yet simple truth was that she loved him too much to let him go.

His feelings of inadequacy had driven him to put pressure on his relationship with Violet,

“She hates almost everything that I do,” Violet said.

wrapping his arms around her, although his heart began to race as the weight of their predicament set in.

They’d been too enamored with each other before to see the reality of their situation. Xavier deserved better than this. Her parents deserved better than this too.

The room fell silent. Xavier gently placed his hand on Violet’s shoulder and she was grateful for his comforting presence beside her.

“A for effort,” she said. “And I grade very fairly.”

“And I love you like your basketball team loves winning.”

His smirked and his gaze lowered to her mouth. “You’ll have to prove it,” he said.