For the record, I was NOT jealous of the women Christian
saw last night. I was merely worried about him being gone for hours since he was my boyfriendโwell, fake boyfriendโ and it would create a lot of headaches for me if anything happened to him.
That was all.
My skin prickled with awareness as we waited for Josh or Jules to answer the door.
It was their belated housewarming, and Christian had finagled an invite since Rhys and Bridget were in town for both the party and some diplomatic event. Something about wanting to see Rhys and not being able to meet up with him separately.
Iโd planned to avoid Christian until I sorted through my tangled feelings toward him, but now I had to spend an entire day with him while his confession and warning played like a broken record in my head.
Iโve never wanted anyone more, and Iโve never hated
myself more for it.
Go to your room, Stella. And lock your door.
My imagination couldnโt resist spinning fantasies of what wouldโve happened had I not left after his warningโฆ or if I hadnโt locked my door like heโd told me to.
Rough hands. Whiskey kisses. Footsteps in the dark.
Heat arrowed down my torso and pooled between my thighs.
I clutched my housewarming gift closer to me as my breaths quickened.
Despite my love of crystals, tarot, and all things mystic, I didnโt believe in magic. Not the spells and broomsticks kind, anyway. But in that moment, I was certain that Christian could crawl inside my mind and pick out every dirty, wicked fantasy Iโd had of him.
His stare burned a hole in my cheek as the crisp April afternoon turned into a furnace. The sun blazed a ruthless path over my exposed skin and slowed my heartbeat while the silence wrapped tight hands around my throat.
I mightโve suffocated right there on the front steps had Jules not opened the front door and saved me.
โStella! Christian! I thought I heard you guys,โ she bubbled. โIโm so glad you could make it!โ
The tension collapsed, pulling Christianโs gaze away from me and loosening the string holding me upright until I sagged against my boxed candle gift set with a mixture of relief and disappointment.
โWe wouldnโt miss it for the world.โ I thrust the box at her, hoping she couldnโt pick up on my restlessness. Once Jules scented a whiff of gossip, she chased it down like a dog after a bone. โThis is for you. Happy housewarming.โ
Her eyes lit up. She lived for presents. She once told me
it was a shame Santa wasnโt real because, as old as he was, sheโd fuck him if it meant sheโd wake up to a different gift every morning.
Granted, that had been after three eggnogs over the holidays, but still. Jules Ambroseโs mind worked in fascinating ways.
โThank you! Come in, come in. Everyoneโs already in the living room.โ She took the gift with one hand and opened the door wider with the other. โJust take off your shoes and leave them by the door. I personally donโt care, but Josh is
anal about that.โ She rolled her eyes in good-natured exasperation.
โThatโs because I donโt want people tracking city dirt and grime all over our floors, you heathen.โ Josh came up behind her and kissed her cheek before greeting us with a dimpled smile.
โHey, guys. Welcome to our humble abode.โ He swept a dramatic arm around the two-story townhouse.
Iโd visited before, so I was familiar with the hardwood floors and charmingly mismatched dรฉcorโJulesโs fluffy pink rugs next to Joshโs black leather furniture, her red lip- shaped pillows offsetting the hideous paintings strewn on the walls.
Josh was easy on the eyes, but his taste in art was questionable at best.
โNice art,โ Christian drawled.
โThanks.โ The other man beamed. โI picked it out myself.โ
โI can tell.โ
I shot Christian a quick look, but his expression was impassive.
โI am not a heathen.โ Jules was still stuck on what Josh called her. โAs for the grime and dirt, thatโs what cleaning is for.โ
โYeah? And who does the cleaning?โ he asked as we walked toward the living room. His lean frame moved easily around the skis propped haphazardly against the open door of the front hall closet and the empty Crumble & Bake box half-sliding off a side table.
He was an ER doctor at Thayer University Hospital, but with his tousled dark hair, tanned skin, and razor-sharp cheekbones, he could play one on TV as well.
โI do,โ Jules said primly. โWhen I have time.โ
โThe last time you had time, you spent it giving yourself an at-home facial.โ
โMy skin needs pampering. Being a lawyer is stressful.โ She tossed her hair over her shoulder. โMight I remind you that the last time you had time, you spent it getting your ass whooped at chess by Alex?โ
Josh scowled. โI did not get my ass whooped. I was getting the lay of the land. Figuring out his weaknesses.โ
Jules patted his arm with a soothing hand. โThere, there, babe. Itโs okay. I still love you even if you suck at strategy.โ
I swallowed a laugh at their bickering. Some things never changed.
We entered the living room, where the rest of the party sprawled across two leather couches.
Bridget jumped up and hugged me the instant she saw me. โStella! Itโs so good to see you!โ
โYou too.โ I squeezed her tight. To the rest of the world, she was a queen, but to me, sheโd always be the girl who I binge-watched The Bachelor and stayed up late drunkenly discussing the philosophy of life with when we were in college. โHowโs the royal life treating you? Behead anyone lately?โ I teased.
She released an exaggerated sigh. โUnfortunately not, though I was tempted to sentence the minister of the interior to the guillotine. Rhys talked me out of it.โ
She cast a playful glance at her husband, whose muscled, six-foot-five frame made the couch he was sitting on look like a piece of doll furniture.
โHalf me talking you out of it, half the fact no one uses guillotines anymore.โ Amusement softened his battle- hardened gray eyes.
โI could bring them back. Iโm the queen. What I say goes.โ Bridget sank back onto the seat next to him with regal haughtiness, though her face glowed with mischief.
A grin split his face. โOf course you can, princess.โ He murmured something else too low for me to hear. Whatever it was, it made Bridgetโs cheeks flush pink with pleasure.
Jules nudged Josh in the ribs with a dreamy sigh. โWhy donโt you call me princess? Itโs so cute.โ
โBecause youโre not a princess. Youโre a hellion,โ he said, earning himself a deep glare. โAnd thatโs just the way I like it.โ He drew her to his chest and planted a dramatic kiss on her lips.
Jules made a half-hearted attempt to push him off, but laughter bubbled from her throat. โNice save, Chen.โ
The lighthearted atmosphere eased my earlier tension as I leaned over to hug Ava.
She was curled up next to Alex, who eyed the other couplesโ sweet interactions with distaste while he wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders.
โIf you want to engage in PDA too, nowโs the time,โ I joked.
She laughed. โNoted, but weโre good for now.โ Her voice dropped to a stage whisper. โAlex is allergic to PDA.โ
โI am not allergic.โ He grimaced when Jules looped her arms around Joshโs neck and said something that made his face soften. โMerely disturbed.โ
โAlex has performance anxiety,โ Josh said without looking away from Jules. โItโs okay, dude. Happens to the best of us. Maybe you can invest in the development of a pill thatโll help with your problem. Itโll be like Viagra for kissers.โ
โIf I were to invest in the development of anything, it would be a custom muzzle to keep you quiet.โ
A mischievous dimple creased Joshโs cheek. โAlex Volkov spending all that R&D money on me? Iโm honored.โ
Jules buried her face in his chest, her shoulders shaking with laughter.
Ava placed her hand on Alexโs arm. โDonโt kill them,โ she warned. โWe canโt lose a bridesmaid and best man this close to the wedding.โ
โThe term best man is false advertising.โ Alex pinned Josh with a dark glare. โI should swap you out with
someone else.โ
โYou can try, but Iโm your only friend, and who can throw a better bachelor party than me? Thatโs right, no one.โ Josh answered his own question. โBesides, I already put down the deposit for the jumbo banana float and custom poker cards. Theyโre illustrated with a drawing of Ava and a robot in a suit.โ
I turned my head away so Alex couldnโt see my smile.
Besides Ava, Josh was the only person who could get away with provoking Alex like that.
Maybe.
โChristian, itโs nice to see you again!โ Ava chirped before her fiancรฉ strangled her brother to death in the latterโs living room. โI didnโt realize you were coming.โ
Theyโd met once at Bridgetโs wedding, but meeting someone once had never deterred her from treating someone like they were an old friend.
โI wouldnโt miss an opportunity to hang out with Stellaโs friends,โ Christian said easily.
He rested a hand on my lower back, and I almost stepped away from the sheer heat of him before I remembered we were supposed to be dating.
Iโd caved and told my friends they could tell their significant others so everyone here knew we were pretending, even if they didnโt say it.
Still, should I keep up the act for simplicityโs sake or not?
Indecision tightened my muscles.
Christian mustโve picked up on my hesitation because his jaw flexed as his hand lingered for an extra second before he withdrew it.
Relief and disappointment battled for dominance in my chest.
Meanwhile, the room fell silent as six pairs of eyes ping- ponged between us. I wasnโt the only one unsure about
how to treat our relationship; I could see the confusion scrawled all over my friendsโ faces.
An awkward shadow darkened the room before Jules clapped her hands.
โSince everyone is here, letโs start happy hour! I have a new margarita recipe Iโm dying for you guys to tryโฆโ
No one questioned her, even though it was barely noon.
Several homemade margaritas and way too many chips later, I found myself on a couch with Ava, Jules, and Bridget while Christian, Alex, Josh, and Rhys sat across from us.
Iโd stuck to my two drinks per party rule, but Josh had been so heavy handed with his pour that my head swam like Iโd downed half a dozen tequila shots.
โWe need a girlsโ trip soon.โ Bridget leaned her head back and yawned. โSomething fun. Iโm so tired of diplomatic trips. I fly thousands of miles to smile and shake hands with a bunch of old men. I could do the same thing in Parliament without the jet lag.โ
โYes!โ Jules brightened at the prospect of a wild weekend abroad. โAva, your bachelorette is coming up. Letโs make it big. Letโs make it unforgettable. Letโs make it
โโ
โSafe and legal,โ Ava said firmly. โI donโt need to go to jail again.โ
Ava, Jules, and I had gotten arrested during Bridgetโs bachelorette after Jules punched some creep in the face for groping Ava. Thankfully, Bridget had left by then, but our stint in a cold Eldorran holding cell wasnโt one of my fondest memories.
โAgain?โ Bridgetโs head popped up. โWhen were you in jail?โ
โUhโฆโ Avaโs cheeks pinked. โThat was a figure of speech?โ
Weโd never told Bridget what happened because she would freak out. Besides, Alex had bailed us out and taken
care of the aftermathโi.e. kept it out of the pressโso no harm, no foul.
โYou said again.โ Suspicion darkened Bridgetโs elegant features.
โSheโs talking about the time we broke into the clock tower in college and ran into campus security,โ Jules interjected. โAnyway, of course the bachelorette will be safe and legal. I like to live life on the edge, but I donโt want Alex to murder me, thank you very much.โ
We looked over at Alex, who was listening to Josh detail the thirty-six different uses for a jumbo banana float with a pained expression.
On the other end of the couch, Rhys and Christian were engaged in conversation, their voices too low for me to hear. Rhys was scowling; Christian looked amused.
It should be illegal for that much gorgeousness to occupy such a small space. But while every man was devastating in his own right, my gaze was irresistibly drawn to the lean form lounging closest to the door.
Christian turned his head at the exact moment my attention landed on him. Our gazes locked, and an electric current of something primal singed my blood.
The fogginess clouding my head suddenly had nothing to do with the margaritas.
โForget the trip for now.โ Julesโs voice dragged my attention back to her, though Christianโs eyes remained a hot brand on my skin. โWhat was that?โ
โWhat was what?โ My heart ricocheted in my chest.
The lingering aftertaste of strawberry and tequila dissolved into spice and whiskey on my tongue. It was how I imagined he would tasteโlike heat, sin, and pure, unfiltered masculinity.
โThat.โ Eyes like hazel blades punctured my feigned
ignorance. She tilted her head a fraction of an inch toward Christian. โThe sexual tension is so thick I can cut it with a butter knife.โ
โThereโs no sexual tension.โ Unless you counted the ache in my core and the awareness tightening my skin.
โThere is. Even I feel it.โ Ava lifted her hair off her neck. โIf it gets any hotter, Iโll have to make Alex revisit his no PDA rule.โ
โExactly.โ Jules stood abruptly, drawing the menโs attention and interrupting Josh as he reached banana float use number twenty-five.
โEverything okay?โ he asked.
โYep. We just need to use the restroom.โ She grasped my wrist and pulled me up and toward the back of the house. Ava and Bridget followed us. โDonโt eat all the chips while weโre gone!โ
โIโm a doctor, and I still canโt find a medical reason for why girls always have to use the bathroom at the same time,โ I heard Josh muse as we left.
โYouโre an idiot,โ Alex said.
Their voices faded when Jules pulled us into the guest bath and shut the door behind us.
โWhy do I feel like this is an FBI interrogation?โ I leaned against the counter and eyed my friends warily.
โBecause it is.โ Jules planted her hands on her hips and adopted her lawyer voice. โNow, tell us the truth. Are you, Stella Alonso, having or have ever had sexual intercourse with Christian Harper?โ
โNo.โ
โDo you want to?โ
Two seconds of hesitation was enough to elicit gasps all around.
โI knew it!โ Triumph glowed in Julesโs eyes. โIโm so happy for you! Finally, someone youโre attracted to. Christian is crazy hot, and youโre living in the same house. Itโs like the perfect setup for a sexy fling.โ
Bridget was less enthused. โI thought this was a fake relationship,โ she said gently. โWhat changed?โ
โLike Jules said, heโs pretty good-looking.โ I instinctively grasped my crystal necklace. The warm, clear stone was supposed to clear my mind and help my focus, but my thoughts tumbled in my head like laundry set on high. โAlsoโฆโ After another momentโs hesitation, I spilled everything thatโd happened.
New York, Christianโs weird aversion to art, the watch, his confession about wanting me.
By the time I finished, three eyes pinned me to the marble counter with varying degrees of shock (Ava), concern (Bridget), and delight (Jules).
โI had a feeling he was into you since the day we met him,โ Jules said sagely. โThe way he looked at you when we signed the lease? Whew.โ She fanned herself. โListen, if you want to leave and bang his brains out, I wonโt be offended. Itโs a new season, babe. Time to clear out those cobwebs from your sex life. Itโll be like spring cleaning for your vagina.โ
I winced at the mental visual.
โI wouldnโt jump into anything that fast.โ A frown marred Bridgetโs forehead. โChristian is, well, you know my thoughts about him already. Iโm forever grateful he helped me and Rhys with our photo leak problem, but heโs not someone you turn to if you want a serious relationship.โ
โThatโs why I said bang, not date,โ Jules said. โI bet heโs a beast in bed. He just has that look.โ
Heat stained my cheeks. โWhat would Josh say if he knew you were secretly assessing other menโs sexual prowess?โ
โHeโd say heโs still better than them, and heโd be right. Our sex life is fantastic.โ Jules cast an apologetic glance at Ava. โSorry.โ
โIโm going to pretend I didnโt hear that last part.โ Ava had accepted the relationship between Josh and Jules on the condition that they never discussed their sex life in front of her.
She turned to me, her dark eyes warm with concern and curiosity. โThe question is, do you want just sex with him? Or do you want something more?โ
โDonโt be ridiculous,โ Jules said. โStel isnโt interested in dating. Right?โ
The crystal flamed against my palm. I didnโt answer, but my silence spoke volumes.
โOh.โ Julesโs smile slowly faded into realization. โOh.โ
Oh was right.
I didnโt know if I wanted to date Christian, but I knew I wanted him.
And I knew it was only a matter of time before the dark chemistry between us exploded into something neither of us could come back from.