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She turns, ar her patented I-know-better-than-you expression, stopping when her eyes flick over my bare chest I haven’t yet buttoned the shirt I threw on afterher eyes to anything in the roo for her Now he’s not The only way he’ll give her up is if she falls into bed with you And since you were a big fail on that last fall--before she even knehat a oing to happen easily"

I take a slow breath No way ae she just thren, just because she tossed it atto cave easily "Shit, Brooke, if you think it’s so ilares at ht for hi to take shrewd planning and careful execution, and I don’t want you screwing it up"

The coe-flaunting way her archest and deceptively flawless face and pour a shot of whatever the hell is sitting on my dresser

"Howyour own orders, Brooke? Emma has definitely noticed the fact that you can’t keep your hands off of hiets off the ground, that will do it If she feels threatened and talks to him about his relationship with you, this whole little plot could be toast"

I watch her face in the mirror over the dresser A crease appears between her brows, her self-confidence slipping faintly "How do you know? That she’s noticed anything, I mean"

What I wonder is how Brooke hasn’t noticed I thought girls were better tuned to each other than that "I was standing right next to her, and I’nore "She’s noticing So cool it yourself, or you et laid" If the objects of our affections weren’t showing up in five ive that proposition a more enthusiastic effort

"Another offer to sleep with you? Hoeet I’otten what I told you last time?" It’s alirl she hen I met her Almost

"I ree She’s always been tall and thin--y, George would say When I was fourteen and she was fifteen, ere alot several inches on her now With her are point is greatly iether, even if ere just inexperienced kids" I shrug "Well, one of us was inexperienced"

She’s silent, but her eyes are furious Every tiet into it, I want her to feel what I felt when I saw the photos and read the story that ended us But that’s not possible She has no heart, and she ames with a viper and I damn well know it I should feel sorry for Grahairl I want, and I’ot time before the premiere She and I have an interview schedule from hell, but that means we’ll be around each other, a lot, without Grahale He can’t hang around LA--he’s got school Isn’t he graduating or so around after"

She nods, her poker face fir that"

"Good Let’s do it, then Divide and conquer"

She’s so outwardly cool, but her breaths are too shallow "I still say don’t push her until I get to Graham She’ll turn you down on principle"

"Gotcha" We’re six inches apart, and still she isn’t backing away

"I’m serious, Reid" She puts one hand up, to stop me, I suppose, but her hand is on bare skin and her eyes widen and I knoe both feel the surge

"So am I"

She stares up at me like I’m some sort of twisted riddle, and then a knock sounds on the door and she ju, "Jesus," under her breath

I button the shirt as I walk to the door There’s so an ex want you, even for a second

Chapter 13

GRAHAM

I didn’t sleep in Eet-haames in Reid’s room since we have the final photo shoot today, but Brooke had no trouble convincing Tadd to ht-up shots were out, everyone had enough tequila to taues And Eh to be hazardous

I took one look at her half- her in bed with nothing but boxers and t-shirts between us Worse? I wanted to fail it, and we’d spent the whole evening not touching

My sexual history began with Zoe, followed by a self-i for Cara to be born, and Zoe to co of indiscri, and while I was capable of feeling turned on and wanting a physical connection, I never felt anythingemotionally linked Not until E in that airport last October, I wanted so much with her that it scared the hell out of me I hoped it would fade with time, and after the VF photo shoot in March, I felt confident I was getting over it

And then there she was, ain that dahter had de her cold little fingers under my sweater to prove her need for it If we’d not stopped exactly there, exactly then, Emma and I would have never crossed paths when I didn’t have uard up I’m not sure if I believe in fate, but this could be evidence of it