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“Uh, yeah. Missed you tons.” The lie curdles in my stomach like sour milk.
“Hey, can you hold these for me? I’m gonna go to the bathroom.” Gwen shoves her two stems into my hands and I immediately set them down on the cocktail table we’re standing around. I don’t know why she couldn’t do that herself.
“Again?” I ask. We’ve been here for all of forty-five minutes and she’s already gone to the bathroom three times. Each time she returns, her lips are painted a different shade of pink as if that’s the one that’ll get me to kiss her.
“Gotta stay pretty.” She taps my nose and runs off.
“Dear fucking God, I could not have picked a worse date,” I breathe out, dropping my head back, mortified.
Sophie laughs and licks her thumb, wiping my cheek. “Can’t have lipstick on you when your girl comes in. That’s one step too far.”
“Thanks, Soph.”
I like Sophie. Her and Wyatt have some sort of agreement where she comes to events as his date and they fuck like rabbits after, but both of them are good with not dating. They say they’re just really good friends. I can see it. I mean, Sophie is fun and easy to talk to, and she couldn’t give two shits about how much money Wyatt makes, which is always a bonus. She gets a fun night out of it, and that’s more than enough for her. I think they’re probably the only two people in the world who make friends-with-benefits work.
Wyatt lets out a low whistle. “There she is, Beck. Shit, she’s dressed to kill tonight.”
“That’s Claire?” Sophie’s hand lands on my forearm, gripping it. “Holy hell, Avery. She’s stunning.”
“What? Where?” I crane my head around the crowd, trying to get a look at my girl.
And when I do…Christ, somebody help me.
Claire looks…dazzling. She’s a tall glass of champagne, and all I want to do is toss her back and get drunk on her. The shimmering material draped over her milky skin dips low down the center of her chest and clings to the curve of her hips, thin straps showing off her delicate, freckled shoulders. With every step she takes into the room, her smooth legs peek through the high slit running up the front of her dress, showing off the matching, strappy golden heels on her feet.
I can’t help it. When Dex wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her into him, bending to whisper something in her ear and making her laugh, jealousy flares in my chest, making my fists clench.
Claire steps away from Dex, surveying the room, looking for…me? Yes, me. Her lush forest eyes light up when our gazes lock from across the room and a brilliant smile spreads across her face. I’m real fucking confused right now, and especially when she starts making her way over to me, peeking up at me every few steps from beneath her thick, fluttery lashes, a coy smile curving the corner of her mouth while she tries so hard to stop those teeth from gnawing on her crimson lips.
“Uh, that doesn’t look like a woman who doesn’t know whether or not she wants to be with you, Avery,” Sophie mumbles beside me. “She looks pretty sure of herself about who her man is. You might wanna reconsider your plan.”
“Don’t reconsider,” Wyatt insists with a pointed eyeroll directed at his date.
I’m fucking considering reconsidering. I am reconsidering. I don’t want to do this. This feels wrong. Fuck. Shit.
“I’m telling you to fucking abort, Beck,” Sophie grinds out, gripping my arm, long nails gouging through my suit jacket. “Abort this mission,” she hisses. “Ditch your date! Fast!”
Shit, shit, shit.
I don’t have time to make a decision.
Claire stops in front of me, Charlee and Dex flanking her sides. She opens her mouth to say something, but Wyatt wraps her up in his arms.
“Claire, you are absolutely stunning, as always.” He kisses her cheek.
“Nobody compliments me as much as you do,” she says with a giggle. Her gaze bounces between me and Sophie, a silent question.
Wyatt puts his hand on Sophie’s back. “This is my date and good friend, Sophie. Sophie, this is Claire.”
I absolutely don’t miss the look of pure relief that paints Claire’s features when she realizes Sophie is with Wyatt and not me, her eyes brightening, lips parting in a grin.
Yeah, I don’t want to do this. Is there a way I can sneak out of here with Claire before Gwen gets back? I start looking around the ballroom, planning my exit strategy while Claire and Sophie embrace, and Wyatt continues with introductions.
Claire steps in front of me, cheeks flushing when she tips her head backwards to smile up at me. Fuck. She’s perfect. Her smile, her pink, freckly cheeks, her ruby red lips. She fiddles with a loose tendril of hair that’s spilling down the side of her face. Most of it is twisted away from her face in some sort of wavy ponytail, sweeping down her back and over her shoulder. I want to yank the pins free and bury my hands in it.
“Hi Avery,” she says quietly. “You look very handsome.”
“Thanks,” I croak. I’m a goner. “You look…um…” I scratch my head, totally lost for words as my brain shuts down on me. “I mean, wow.”
