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“But this is West. The man who doesn’t do deep. He doesn’t do relationships. We’ve both seen his revolving door of beautiful women.”

My chest tightens. I think about that photo. Of the woman who wasn’t in a beautiful dress, whose hair wasn’t perfect.

A woman like me.

Autumn watches me for a beat, then lets out a sigh so dramatic I almost laugh. “Okay. Fine. I won’t tell Hudson or Asher.”

“Thank you.” Relief washes over me like the tide.

She clears her throat. “But Iamtelling Parker.”

My eyes widen. “Autumn!” Oh my God. For a second it feels like my heart is going to fly out of my chest.

“He’s my husband,” she says with a shrug. “We don’t have secrets.”

I groan and bury my face in my hands.

“You need a distraction,” she says, already tapping on her phone. “I’ll plan a girls’ night. I’m messaging Skyler and Francie. Sadie from the bookstore, too. I’ll make mocktails and you,” she says, giving me a look, “are going to put on something cute and pretend you’re not hopelessly falling for our brother’s best friend.”

She stands, brushing the crumbs from her leggings with a graceful grunt. “Meanwhile, Parker’s going to invite West to our place.”

My mouth opens. “Eden. No?—”

“They can have a guys' night,” she says sweetly. “Just the two of them. Nothing you need to worry about at all.” Then she gives me the killer line. “Don’t you think that West deserves to spend time with a friend too?” A smile pulls at her lips, like she’s enjoying this way too much. “Come on, it’s going to be fun. And you need this.”

Sure I do. Like I need to catch the plague. Because girls’ night, I can cope with.

But West spending time with Parker? He really isn’t going to be happy about that. And I have a feeling I’m going to be the one he blames for this.

twenty-five

EDEN

West grips the steering wheel like it’s personally offended him. He’s freshly showered – clean-shaven, hair still damp, wearing jeans and a soft black T-shirt that makes his biceps look like sin wrapped in cotton.

“Tell me again why I have to go to Parker’s place for drinks when I could be spending my night making you scream my name,” he asks me, like this whole arrangement is my fault.

I blush. Mostly because I haven’t told him about Autumn knowing yet. I’m a coward and I want to get through tonight first before he decides to bury my body somewhere deep in the Atlantic.

“Because my sister decided girls’ night is mandatory, and Parker misses you so it’s a chance for you two to catch up,” I say instead.

West shoots me a look. “Mandatory? What is this, a seventh-grade sleepover?”

I shrug, trying to ignore the butterflies somersaulting in my stomach. “You’ll survive. You’ll have beer. Snacks. Male bonding. It’ll be fun.”

He makes a low noise in his throat. “I’d rather be bonding with you.” He slides his hand along my thigh, squeezing it tight. And I immediately feel dizzy at his closeness. The man doesn’t just look good, he smells good. “Fuck it, let’s go home.”

“We can’t.” I smile at him, because he’s really doing that grumpy thing again. Nobody would ever believe West could act like this. Maybe I should video it and post it on social media. “Let’s just get it over with and then you can pick me up and show me exactly how you like to bond with me.”

“Hard. Fast. Multiple times. Until your skin is flushed and you’re unable to catch your breath and you’re begging me not to make you come again because you’re not sure you’ll survive it.”

“Wow, you’ve really thought about this.”

His hand slides higher, his thumb brushing the soft skin of my inner thigh. “All damn day.”

Heat rushes through me, pulling low at my belly. “Me too,” I murmur.

He pulls into the gravel lot of The Salty Dog, the tires crunching as he brakes hard, like the car itself is protesting this whole evening.