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Parker leans back, resting an ankle on his knee. “Autumn is also our best friend’s little sister,” he reminds me. “And it didn’t stop me.”

I say nothing, because what is there to say?

He sighs. “Look, if Eden’s lonely, it’s because she’s used to being surrounded by people. Or goats. Just maybe try spending time with her. Talk to her. Take her out for dinner or something. She’s your guest, not your prisoner.”

“She’s definitely not a prisoner,” I say, a little too vehemently.

Parker smirks. “Really? Because right now you sound exactly like the Beast during that part of the movie where Belle’s moping around and he’s destroying the castle because he doesn’t know how to deal with feelings.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “You know the plot toBeauty and the Beast?”

He shrugs. “We babysit Ayda whenever Hudson and Skyler need a night off. I’ve seen it twenty-three times and cried during the ballroom scene at least twelve.”

I shake my head. “What happened to the guy who used to break hearts and play football for a living?”

He grins. “He grew up, married a woman way out of his league, and learned all the words to ‘Be Our Guest’.” His expression softens, settling into something more sincere. “Look, I don’t know everything about women, but I do know they don’t like to be ignored. You don’t have to be Prince Charming. But you also don’t have to be an asshole. Spend some time with her. Make her feel welcome. Or at the very least, like she’s not a burden.”

Parker claps my shoulder as he stands. “You’ve got this. You’re doing a good thing helping her, man.”

My stomach twists with something that isn’t nerves. “Aren’t you going to look at the plans either?” I ask, because that was the point of this whole damn meeting.

He shrugs. “Autumn wants me home early. We’ve hit the second trimester, you know?” There’s a smirk on his face which leads me to believe it has something to do with sex, but I don’t ask because really, I don’t want to know.

He heads for the door and I pick up my phone, taking a deep breath.

What would the Beast do? Maybe that should become my new motto.

Buy her a new talking wardrobe, give the staff the night off, and bend Beauty over the gilded banisters and show her exactly how un-alone she is.

I let out a breath. No. We need the PG version. The one where he’s nice.

I pull out my phone and call the kitchen at the Grand Liberty Hotel.

“Hey, it’s West Abbott. Can you ask Martin to cook some pad thai for me to pick up on my way home?” I ask, then pause. “And make one portion meat free.”

EDEN

I spend the rest of the afternoon catching up onBelow Deck, splayed out on West’s sofa, feeling miserable. And when the last episode is over, I walk back up to my bedroom. And when I walk in, there’s that stupid vibrator, in its special velvet pouch, lying on my bed like it belongs there.

I pull it out again, running my fingers along it, thinking about a scene in the reality show where the couple hook up, behind closed doors, all breathy and steamy.

Combined with the almost-kiss with West earlier, it makes me feel overheated. I turn the toy on, feeling it vibrate in my hands. My breath catches as I imagine sliding it between my thighs. I run it over my chest, my nipples pebbling at the rolling pressure, my eyelids fluttering because it has been way, way too long since anybody made me feel good.

And the bedroom door flings open.

“Eden, I?—”

I open my eyes, my mouth gaping. West is standing in the doorway, an insulated bag embossed with ‘Grand Liberty Hotel’ dangling from one hand, his gaze frozen on me.

Oh. My. God.

I yelp and scramble to shut the vibrator off, dropping it before I can, and the thing starts writhing on the floor like an oversexed snake. Just kill me now.

West looks at it, then me. He calmly walks over and picks it up, shutting it off, then hands it back to me.

“I brought dinner home,” he says tightly, like his whole body is coiled. “I’m going to plate it up. It’ll be ready in five minutes.”

I’m absolutely mortified. “I wasn’t using it. I was just…”