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Lottie pouts and gives me these puppy dog eyes that I bet get her whatever she wants with her husband. Ha, who am I kidding, he’d give her whatever the fuck she wanted without her even having to ask.
“Please, Amelia. I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t desperate.”
I know she doesn’t mean that as an insult, even if it does prick my confidence a little. I’m not a classic beauty, my hair is too untamed, my body just a touch too curvy, and my skin burns like I’m a fucking vampire if I go out in the sun without sunscreen on. Yet I’m a solid seven when I make an effort, but I doubt anyone would pay for a date with me.
“Can’t you ask Norrie or Audrey?”
“Norrie can’t because Harrison said no, and Audrey is hosting the auction. Please. I’ll owe you big time.”
I sigh and she jumps to hug me before I even get a chance to verbalize my defeat. “Thank you, thank you.”
I hug her back and catch Norrie’s smile over her shoulder. “Whatever, but if I end up as rich old fart’s plaything for the night, then it’s your fault.”
“Don’t worry. If things look a little ropey I’ll make Linc bid on you.”
I’m not sure that isn’t worse, the idea of nobody wanting me except some old perv or Linc bidding for me.
“Please, our Tinkerbell will have the biggest price of the night.” Norrie winks and I appreciate the way she tries to bolster my confidence.
“Hubba hubba, come to Mommy.”
I watch as Audrey’s eyes go wide and glance behind me to see what she’s looking at.
Norrie pulls a face. “Eww, that’s my brother you’re objectifying.”
This man is famous beyond words, he’s the star of every action movie currently on the screens and he’s also the brother to one of my closest friends. Although that’s fairly new information. Norrie wasn’t very forthcoming about who her brother was for her own reasons, but it’s all out in the open now.
Audrey waves a hand at Xander Reynolds, who is six feet four inches of pure sin. Even the strangled sounds Norrie is making in response to our blatant drooling isn’t enough to pull my gaze away from him.
“He really is the whole package, isn’t he?”
I feel a pang of something in my belly at Audrey’s words, but it can’t be jealousy. I barely know the man. Plus, Audrey is my friend. Between her, Lottie, and Norrie, I have a girl squad for the first time ever, and with things strained between me and Beck, they’ve been a godsend.
Xander is dressed as the sexiest Peter Pan I’ve ever seen and it makes me blush. My body suddenly feels hot and tingly as he makes his way to us with a devastating grin on his handsome face.
“Ladies, you all look absolutely ravishing. Except you, Norrie, because that would be gross.” He leans in to kiss his sister’s cheek and the easy camaraderie between them is genuine.
“Brother, you can turn the charm off. These are my friends.”
He looks at me, his gaze running over me from head to toe and I feel goosebumps break out on every part is eyes touch. “I would if I could, Nora.”
Norrie rolls her eyes, but I hardly notice, I’m trapped in a spell woven by this man. We’ve met once before when I went to Audrey’s to console Norrie after her fight with Harrison, but I was still too messed up over what happened with Beck to notice him. Now, though, it’s difficult to look away.
“Oh, shit. Don’t look now but Hudson is walking toward us and, oh my God, is he dressed as the beast?”
Norrie’s statement finally pulls my eyes away from Xander and she’s right. Audrey’s nemesis is indeed dressed as the beast to her beauty. It couldn’t be more perfect, but one look at the furious look on Audrey’s face tells me that this won’t go the way of the fairy-tale.
“Excuse me, I have to go call pest control.” Audrey marches off like some kind of Amazonian warrior going into battle. Norrie shrugs and rushes after her.
“I feel like I missed something.”
My head tilts back and I see Xander with a furrow on his sexy brow as he watches Audrey and Hudson.
“Yeah, they have some history. Nobody knows what it is, just that they don’t like each other.”
His gaze comes back to me and I feel the heat of it as it caresses my skin. What is this man doing to me? I feel like I might pass out from lust any second and embarrass myself to the degree I’ll need to leave the country.
“Hmm. That’s the thing with hate, there’s a fine line between that and lust. Maybe they need to fuck it out of their systems.”
