Twice Smitten (A Modern Fairy Tale) by Melissa Blue Page A

Abigail’s treat. “Sexually potent. Charming. Considerate. Doing his best to draw out your ire. It’s the grown up way of pulling your pigtails. That’s who he is when you guys are together.”
    “Ok.” Abigail laughed. “He’s all those things, but especially the last part.”
    Sasha faked a gasp. “What? You noticed he wants you?”
    “Of course I did, but the flirtation is to get under my skin. The attraction will pass on Drew’s side. If it’s real. I’m something he wants but can’t have. Once he realizes I’m not going to be had, then all will be well.”
    Both women went silent with her pronouncement, and then turned to each other. “She doesn’t see it, does she?” Sasha began.
    Emma answered, “Nope, not an ounce of it.”
    Abigail looked between them. “See what?”
    “Nothing.” Emma grabbed the now empty box.
    “My boss has given him the final veto power on my team. Let’s put aside the fact I don’t want him in any way. If I did—”
    “OJ said the same thing and no one believed him either,” Emma said quietly.
    Abigail glared at Emma for a moment, but her friend only smiled. “ If I did and someone at my job found out, I’d be screwed. They’d think I was trying to use sex to keep my team.”
    “But you just said it would never happen.” Emma bit her bottom lip. “So the what if game is moot. Right?”
    Abigail turned to Sasha to give it to her straight. “What am I’m missing?”
    “He’s your forbidden fruit.”
    “What?” She scoffed. “If I wanted Drew, I could have him.”
    Sasha said, “But why is it you don’t want him?”
    “The scenario of doom I played out for one. He’s maddening for another. Third, he’s Greg’s cousin.” Abigail put up a fourth finger. “You know my friends and family rule.”
    “But,” Emma said, “I doubt now that Greg is married he’ll be sitting around in the proverbial locker room asking, ’Does she still do that one thing?’ It’s tasteless, and Greg isn’t.”
    Emma was right. Abigail lifted her chin in a stubborn manner. “So why is he forbidden fruit?”
    “Because you do want Drew, and he’s not what he seems,” Sasha said.
    Emma, always the practical but soft-hearted one, winced. “And because you are still pissed at him about Greg.”
    Abigail argued, “This has nothing to do with Greg.”
    “It has everything to do with him.” Emma kept her voice soothing. “I know you think we forgot, but Drew said something to you before you broke the engagement.”
    Abigail flinched. Her friends had been in on the big discussion when she made the decision to end things with Greg. Yet, the memory of Drew rose up in her mind. He hadn’t been his usual sardonic self that night. Relaxed, he sat on Greg’s sofa across from the love seat she’d staked a claim to, but his eyes had turned serious after she asked him why he didn’t seem happy about the engagement.
    The question coming out of her mouth surprised her. Even then she knew Drew would tell her the truth sans bullshit, if she asked. In a way, she could count on the honesty. A million times over Abigail told herself she really didn’t care what he thought, especially in those quiet moments when left alone with him and he’d peel back the loafer persona.
    But when Drew spoke, he chose his words carefully, and fear pumped blood to her ears, drowning them in a roar. He’d told her he’d be happy if she was. So simple a statement. Not spoken to be mean, but it had been the truth, unvarnished.
    Abigail closed her eyes to the memory. “That’s not why I have trouble getting along with him. Outside of work, he’s still the same self-indulgent, irresponsible man. I’ve got to hitch my wagon to him for the next couple of weeks and make it work for me and for my team. Hell, for the success of my job.”
    She went on though both Emma and Sasha had started to speak. “I can’t be sure he won’t bring his real self to work. I can’t complain about him, because I’m