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CHAPTER 1
Laura
This is the worst I’ve ever felt in my life,I think as I blink awake.
The ceiling isnotmy ceiling. I know my off-white popcorn ceiling like the back of my hand. This smooth, creamy brown ceiling is not mine.
With the effort of a Herculean trial, I attempt to remember where I am and how I got here.
It comes in a disjointed blur: the tequila shots come first, the smoke of the club, the sharp jaw of…
Oh. Oh no. Oh, no, no, no, no?—
I turn over in horror. The rumpled bed, the creased pillow… someone else slept here.
The sharp jaw of a handsome as-all-hell man. Who apparently I spent the night with.
I peek beneath the blankets, and, yep. No clothes.
Oh, hell.
The sun beams in through the devastatingly beautiful windows, bright and high in the sky. It sends a rush of nervousness through me, knowing that I’m late for my first day of work. Why ohwhydid I let Alice talk me into clubbing on a Sunday? Who does that?
I do, apparently,I think glumly.
I lurch up, but can’t actually get out of the bed I’ve found myself in. My stomach is rolling too much, threatening to make me vomit if I move again before it settles.
I hold my head between my hands, groaning loudly. My head pounds, my stomach flips—I feelterrible.
As I slowly wiggle out of the sheets, my eyes stay sharp on the door. Worst case scenario is the man from last night is a serial killer. Second worst case is he sneaks in without me noticing and sees my naked body hunched over searching for my clothes, a humiliating image that might make my heart give out, considering how haphazardly it’s been pulsing.
I find my panties and bra, but, horrifyingly, that’s it. Iknowthat one of Alice’s dresses is somewhere here because I wore it last night. Beyond just needing it to get out of here, I could never afford to replace anything from my best friend’s wardrobe, especially if I get fired for being late on my first day.
I’m just about to break down and steal something from the man’s closet when the door creaks open. I fling myself to the bed, grabbing the sheet and holding it over my half-naked body just in time.
There he is. Dressed already for the day in nice slacks and a button-down shirt that looks so soft it seems buttery, he looks decadent. I feel even messier than I did when I woke up.
The man creeping through the door issoattractive.
I knew this already, but the haze of memories from last night had muffled just howgoodhe looked. His brown hair is styled with a curved pouf, clearly intentional but yet somehow still a little messy. His eyes are a deep chestnut brown, with swirls of gold in them, framed by thick, dark lashes. He’s got strong features, a thick brow and a sharp nose, and his lips are ever-so-slightly crooked.
He’s potentially the hottest man I have ever seen, but I kind of wish he would run away and I’d never have to see him again.
“Um…” I smile as politely as I can. “Hi?”
The man’s face crinkles. It’s not quite a smile, but it’s friendly enough. Okay. So maybe not a serial killer. “Hello, Laura.”
“Right. Laura. I’m Laura.” I’m babbling. “And you’re… not Laura. Wow. Did I tell you I love your name? It’s so fun how it sounds like…”
I trail off. The man waits, his lips twitching until he’s full-on smirking.
I sigh and sag against the bed. “Okay, fine. What is your name, and also, where are my clothes?”
“David,” the man says. He walks into the bedroom and produces a folded-up fabric from behind his back. He places it on the edge of the bed before taking a small step back. “You left it by the stairs.”
I sigh again. “Of course I did.”
I would snatch it right now, but I really don’t want the fabric I’m hiding myself under to fall.
