Page 83 of Lost & Found

“You seem to have a lot of those, at least lately,” he drawled, his eyes once more dancing down my body. My nipples tightened to hard points under his attention. Damned traitorous things.

“Well, at least I didn’t flash Marcus. Victoria did once, not meaning to, but if she can survive that and you seeing her naked, so can I.”

There was a brief pause, followed by the sound of his rich laughter. “Glad you’ll survive. Maybe next time you’ll let me assist you,” he teased, his words infused with that playfulness I loved.

“I’ve got it covered, literally,” I retorted, working hard to keep my tone light and brush off the humiliation.

“I want to know what you sent the girls that needed deleting. Kinsley sent me a slew of messages ranging from advice, as if I needed it, to simultaneously telling me to take it slow.”

I groaned, making a mental note to give her a piece of my mind later. Straightening my shoulders, I said, “You’ll never know.”

“Oh, I think you misunderstand me. I was giving you the opportunity to tell me yourself. You do know how close Kinsley and I are? That brother/sister bond similar to you and Bash. We don’t keep secrets. Although I’d suggest we keep this one between ourselves.”

My throat grew dry. “What are you saying?”

“My phone is on the side table. Check out my new background screen.”

I gasped, and my eyes drifted beyond the bathroom. As I moved toward it, he reached out a long finger and trailed it down my arm.

“Don’t think about changing it. If you delete it, I’ll put it back up, this time cropped lower. And just so you know, I put it in a secret folder on my phone. You’ll never find it.”

“Is this how you want to start the trip?” I glared.

“I’m not the one who posed in her fake boyfriend’s arms with a nipple lying against his chest. I’m upset I wasn’t conscious enough to remember the way it felt. But feel free to take advantage of me anytime, princess. Wear comfortable shoes today.”

He winked, dismissing me, and shut the bathroom door. His laughter continued on the other side. Grumbling under my breath, I tried to ignore the warmth blooming low and steady at the thought of being his screensaver. It was ridiculous to care. But a part of me did.

It’s all for show.

Taking advantage of the empty room, I rushed to get dressed. I moved about, selecting my outfit. Despite my initial embarrassment, I focused on the performance we were going to put on today.

Knowing that Hannah and her new boyfriend were going to be coming in this morning had me on edge. I could only hope that what he’d said about her moving on was right. The last thing I wanted was to end up in an American jail on assault and battery charges.

I quickly donned black high-waisted biker shorts and slid a pair of distressed jean cutoffs over them. They were on the short side, but the biker shorts peeking out gave me a bit more coverage. I paired it with a vintage short-sleeved crop top with a skull on the front.

Lacing up my low top Converse trainers, I grabbed his phone from the bedside table. He wanted a picture of me? I’d give him one worth looking at.

I angled the camera carefully and snapped a new picture.

I didn’t waste any time getting ready, though my mind wasn’t entirely cooperating. The image of her from ten minutes ago refused to fade. Black satin. Lace. Soft skin against my chest. The unmistakable brush of her nipple where it had no business being—except it had been there.

Real and warm, until she scrambled off the bed.

I’d seen a lot of skin in the last few months. None of it had ever hit like that. Maybe it was the way her breath rushed from her lips and the flush of her cheeks as the mortification set in. Maybe it was the fact that she hadn’t meant for me to see.

Accidental intimacy was a hell of a lot more dangerous than deliberate seduction any day. I dragged a hand down my face and tried to refocus. Morning wood wasn’t making any of this shit easier.

Fuck, what the hell was I going to do now?

“You start by fucking mastering yourself. You’re not a damned teenager,” I grumbled under my breath and started the shower.

Cold water for the win. After the initial shock, my brain left Crazy Town, and I forced my brain to stop replaying the sight of her draped across me. I had slept well. Too well. Her small, warm body curled into my side had quieted something I didn’t know was restless.

That could become a problem. Because this trip was supposed to be controlled. Playful at best and temporary in every way. Not whatever this was becoming. Who knew what today’s agenda would have in store for us?

I finished up and emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel. Isabella was murmuring to herself as she paced the length of one side of the room.

“Remember, at the end of the day, you’re an adult and can be charged as one. Orange really isn’t your color.”