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Stepping into the dressing booth and drawing the curtain closed behind hiinable and catchesthis dress, Miss Cantrell, and you’re going to wear it tonight Understood?’

Caught betanting to sto to throwirl in California, I siirl As always – like you said’ He places a kiss onback to the hotel wheninto place I turn the music down ‘Reid This car – this car cost that dress, plus a couple of zeros?’

He just s down and strapped in

Holy cow

While Reid is showering, Brooke calls him – no last name She’s in his contacts, then, as sih of course there are other Brookes in the world

This could be a publicist Brooke Or an admin Brooke Or a mechanic Brooke Frozen in place, I stare at his phone’s display while it buzzes A e alert beeps She’s left hi outloosely around his hips, rubbing his hair dry with a hand towel, he glances to where I’s fro to turnkiss, one hand slipping inside the robe to stroke the bare skin ofaccoutreht table

Tre from his touch and the words stuck in my throat – Brooke called you – I walk into the bathroom

I pull coils ofthat he was in the bedrooe, but I didn’t hear him call her back He doesn’t seem uneasy or concerned Expression concentrated, he runs the razor over his foa to swish the blade beneath a stream of hot water after each swipe

Maybe it was uniot a call while you were in the shower,’ I finally say, watching hihtly and his eyes flick tointo my own eyes, I lean close to the mirror and run theto sound unconcerned Trying to be unconcerned

He stops cold, staring at h the air has all just been sucked from the room ‘Did you … answer it?’ he asks, strained

He must not have looked at his phone,her back, he’s ht he came to speak to my parents The apprehension is plain on his face – his normally evasive-if-necessary face

‘Of course not, Reid – I wouldn’t answer your phone’ I frown, as taken aback by his question as I aid line of his bare shoulders If I could backpedal right now and retractI wanted hi It’s clearly anything but nothing

It’s too late to about-face, but I can’t watch this unravel, not now, even if I’

‘I have to tell you so –’ he says as I say, ‘I only wanted to let you know –’

We both stop

He licks his lips, still unht is your birthday celebration Let ht out, and we can talk later, or to coward, complicit in my own fall I’ve never told hi to say it aloud would somehow shield us both, but it hasn’t Like an untaed from me, my heart discerns its own truth and knows that this omission is a lie

‘Okay,’ I whisper

‘Okay,’ he says

REID

I want to shake Brooke until her perfectly straight, Hollyhite teeth rattle God fucking dae she left, but I suspect it’s a Why haven’t you signed that forivein silence, and when she’s done, she looks more beautiful than she’s ever looked – while clothed The deep blue of her dress reveals the flawless tone of her wars the lush curves of her hips, and nips at her waist, while the neckline plunges just low enough to give a hint of her perfect breasts She was made to wear clothes that fit her like a second skin

Still, nothing co between us In my bed – or hers – with her modest demeanour suspended and her curious nature aroused, she’s everything I could ever want

‘Your tie er over the silky pattern down the centre of my chest ‘And your eyes’ I packed a crisp white shirt and a dark grey jacket and slacks, plus an assort toone last look at ourselves and each other before we exit the roo how very different but coled and a bit boyish, but tall and broad-shouldered next to her s contrasts too – my blue eyes and dirty blond hair next to her al those pins froh the soft strands

‘Howlike soher beneath me in a few hours’ time, hair spread across the pillow like a spill of ink