Law #2: Don't Play with a Player: A Sweet Office Romance Story (Laws of Love) by Agnes Canestri (web ebook reader .txt) 📕

together. Under this light, I’m lucky Morgan cheated on me. And even more fortunate I found out about her affair before we could tie the knot.

This realization makes me give Morgan a warm smile. I have no reason to hold a grudge with her.

“It’s probably just a busy period for your husband. You have that in any business. But concerning us, no worries. It’s all in the past. We can start with a clean slate. I’m not mad at you for what happened with Theo.”

And I’m not.

All trace of past resentment is gone. My love for Laia burned it all.

Morgan beams at me. “A fresh start? Go, figure. It’s just what I have been thinking about ever since I read that article about you in True Facts. And this hotel could be just the right setting for that.”

“For what exactly?” I ask.

Morgan rolls her eyes. “For our new beginning, silly. Don’t tell me our coincidental meeting wasn’t the reason you dialed back on clubbing? The timing is eerily perfect. Did seeing me make you realize that flings weren’t what you wanted?”

She fiddles with her earlobe, but it doesn’t come across as if she were genuinely flustered.

I’m not surprised Morgan is aware of my latest tabloid article. She already slipped that she follows gossip about me when she admitted back in the teahouse that she knew I was attending CCF.

What I didn’t expect, however, is for Morgan to jump to such an erroneous conclusion about my feelings.

I rub my neck, trying to find a polite way to tell her that her happiness isn’t my concern anymore.

I level her gaze. “Morgan you’re a married woman and I—”

Morgan dismisses my words with a wave of her manicured hands.

“Marriages can be undone. I haven’t been happy with Theo for years now. Perhaps never as happy as I was with you.” She gives me a coy smile. “Dev, don’t think I didn’t see through your lie in the teahouse. That girl you were with? Her laptop bag and clothes told me the story. She isn’t your girlfriend. A colleague or an assistant, maybe? You wanted me to believe you two were dating so I’d get jealous.”

“That wasn’t my intention. I’m not after a second chance with you.”

Morgan’s eyes widen, and for the first time, she looks uneasy. Then she shakes her head. “Of course. I didn’t expect that we’d hit it off here in the reception. Too many years have passed. We need more time to reconnect. Don’t worry, we’ll have the occasion to do that. This morning when I arrived, I switched the suite Theo booked for me for the room beside yours.”

A lightbulb goes up in my head.

“Are you the lady with the fear of heights? Doesn’t Theo own a penthouse?”

“Okay, I might not suffer from anxiety attacks on the top floor, but the room beside yours was already assigned to someone, so I needed a good excuse to convince the receptionist. She was a woman,” she adds with a one-shoulder shrug as if to show that, had it been a man, no fibs would have been necessary.

Which is probably true. Morgan can always get what she wants with men. But not with me, not anymore.

“Did you even bother to ask whose room you were taking?”

“What does it matter? It’ll be far easier to spend time together if we sleep in adjacent rooms. You’re here alone, and I’m here alone, so we—” She stops, and her eyes zero in on something behind my back.

I whirl around, and Laia’s perplexed expression greets me. She holds her laptop bag clutched to her chest, and her eyes bounce between my face and Morgan’s.

“Devon, I’m sorry it took so long,” she mumbles. “Hi, Morgan, nice to see you again.”

From her tone, I can decipher that she isn’t particularly thrilled about seeing my ex. I pray that her annoyance is fueled by her growing feelings for me.

Morgan narrows her eyes at Laia. “Hi.” Then she turns to me. “You didn’t say that your colleague is here too.”

“Laia and I came to the event together, yes.” I try to pronounce my phrase casually so I don’t startle Laia with its deeper meaning, but with enough emphasis for Morgan to understand that whatever plans she had for us won’t happen.

I’m not sure if Morgan understands my point, but she swallows and nods. “I need to go now. Let’s continue this later, Devon.” With this enigmatic promise, she prances off.

“So, uhm…” Laia clears her throat. “Your ex decided to show up for the event, after all? And I see she knows that we work together.”

There’s a cool timbre to her voice as if the appearance of Morgan has washed away all intimacy that had sprouted between us. Panic seizes my belly as I realize Morgan’s presence could undermine my efforts.

I capture Laia’s gaze. “I didn’t know Morgan would be here. She came here without her husband because…I don’t know. Maybe she needed a five-star spa treatment. Frankly, I don’t care why she’s here.”

“Right,” Laia murmurs, but her mouth presses into a line of disbelief.

“No, seriously, I don’t. I’ve gone through some soul-searching, and I realized my relationship with Morgan went down exactly as it should have. No correction.” I lift my finger as Laia’s mouth opens. “I shouldn’t have asked her to marry me in the first place, but since I did, it was just as well that our engagement went up in flames.”

Laia’s eyes widen. “Are you serious?”

“Very.” I nod. “Now, please, let’s ignore that this conversation ever happened. The gala is in a few hours, and I’d like to show you the property before we need to get ready. I suggest we find our rooms, drop off our luggage, and go for a walk.”

Laia eyes me with a questioning look as if she can’t decide whether she should insist on the subject of Morgan or not. Then her lips curl up. “Okay, let’s go for a tour. I spotted some giant Saguaro cactuses while waiting for the valet outside,