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After Pierce finished work on Saturday night, he had a small party at his penthouse. There weren’t any elaborate decorations like there had been at his last party. Tables in the corners of the room provided finger foods, cheap cans of beer, and plastic cups.
As I peered at some people relaxing on the bed and others resting on the furniture, I didn’t think I could stay in this room myself for more than a day. This was certainly a party pad. The room at the hotel in Miami where Beth and I had had our first time was grander, with cantilevered glass balconies, floor-to-ceiling bay windows, and minimalist décor in the room. On the other hand, Pierce’s penthouse had two bedrooms, which were always locked, so they often fucked in the bathroom, got a room here, or did it in a car. The furniture and entire design of this room appeared to be impersonal. I hadn’t asked Pierce why he had gone to Rylan’s house instead of staying in this penthouse, since he worked here. It was probably because he didn’t want a reminder twenty-four-seven that his dad owned the Paloma. Pierce did like his job, but I thought he was uncertain of himself sometimes as an employee of his dad’s.
As Bri and Beth came into the party, a majority of the dudes perused them. Beth killed it in a semi-sheer black and dark purple dress with a button-down placket that that suggested she was demure, even though some of her cleavage showed. The skirt flattered her hips by being fit, but not too tight. And when she hugged Joel and Rylan, they rested their hands on the bare area of her sleeveless racer back and I put one foot in front of the other.
I swung my arms around Joel and Rylan. “Hey, Bri,” I said, and she grinned at me.
I felt like Beth’s cerulean gaze luring me in. Joel stepped to the side with a wide smile. That fucker just wanted to see how long it’d take for me to get to her. Bri went to dance to a rock song Joel liked. They sounded like Tainted Virtue, but their lyrics didn’t hold the same weight.
Beth smoothed her fingers along my cheekbones and her eyes brightened as she felt the stubble on my face. I slid my hands down her back and cupped her ass. “No grab-ass!” Pierce said from behind Beth. A flush started from her breast and darkened to crimson as it traveled up to her nose.
“I don’t know what got into him.” She feigned innocence and Pierce quirked a brow at her poor attempt at playing down our flirting .
Bri hooked her arm with Pierce’s and dragged him away from us. Pierce began dancing with her. The new song was more sensual. It seemed to have affected everyone, and as my gaze returned to Beth’s, her eyelids flickered. She lifted her arms up to my shoulders, her fingers pressing into my muscles. Despite being in a pair of heels, I still hovered over her. I kissed her and she glided her sweet, damp tongue against the tip of mine. I met her challenge. My oral caresses became more ravenous. Kisses truly set every look and every other touch on your skin ablaze with the right person. I was always starving for Beth.
After dancing and taking some breaks on the couch, Beth and I almost split the front of her dress, and I nearly suckled on her nipples.
“Chase,” she said against my mouth, and then whispered in my ear. “I’ll be right back.”
“Babe, don’t take too long. Your dress should be fucking illegal.”
Giggling, she shook her head and strode to the bathroom.
I went to the water machine and filled our cups with wa
ter. A girl on her phone opened the door and Mona came inside looking like a starlet with her classic Chanel sunglasses, painted face, and unmoving waves in her hair and a glittery off-white beaded dress. She headed towards Bri and Pierce. I watched Mona say something and Pierce ignored Bri. The moment that I met Bri halfway, Beth was out of the bathroom, her eyebrows drawn together.
Bri’s eyes were threatening tears and it hit me that she wanted to continue dancing and talking with Pierce. And now he was with Mona. Beth and I accompanied Bri out of the penthouse.
“Didn’t you say that Aunt Deborah came yesterday with fresh mantecados that Nancy made?”
“Gavin hid some from Joel.”
Bri attempted to smile, but her face was red from crying. Sniffling, she wiped her face with her hands. “How can I ever compete with Mona?” she asked through a sob. “For once, just once, I thought that he felt something else for me. It’s been the longest Pierce has gone without Mona after a breakup.”
***
Beth got up from the bed and groaned the next morning. She’d had only two hours of sleep, and she looked miserable. But if we didn’t talk today, I thought I’d lose my mind.
“I don’t think I should’ve had ice cream with the mantecados.”
“Babe, go to the bathroom and I’ll get you something to help you with your stomach.”
She looked at me and complied. As I picked up my shirt and put it on, Beth’s cell vibrated repeatedly like it had when she’d come to my guestroom. There was a message. The name “Hunter” was in the upper left-hand corner of her phone.
Hunter: I promise I’ll keep my hands to myself.
My insides curled in a tight ball. Sucking in a breath, I ran down the stairs to make Beth some fresh lime juice. That always fixed up my stomach when it got funky. Did Beth know another Hunter? There could be another Hunter in Franklin Parks, but she’d never mentioned him, nor had Jake or Mariska.
“Beth’s not looking too hot,” Bri shouted through the noise of the juicer. “A few bites of the mantecados and half a quart of ice cream did her in.”
I blew out a loud breath. “Half a quart of ice cream would mess me up too.”
A laugh escaped her mouth and I tried to smile at Bri, but I couldn’t. She still looked sad about last night, and I didn’t want her to be self-conscious. When I finished making Beth her lime juice, I handed the glass to Bri. “Give this to Beth. Tell her to drink all of it.”
Bri eyebrows furrowed, but she didn’t say anything else. She brought the drink to Beth.
***
