Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 135831 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 679(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135831 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 679(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
When she lets go, I cup her cheek. “I want your stories someday, too, sunshine.”
She smiles tenderly with real affection in those eyes that are my undoing. “I had a crush on you when I was a reporter. Before all of this.”
This is news to me. “You did?”
“You were charming and funny, and you always talked to me, and you were just so…” She nibbles on the corner of her lip. “So hot.” Then she adds, “Still are.”
My heart thunders, then kicks in my chest when she comes in for a long, slow kiss that feels like more than a kiss. It feels like she’s telling me something. I don’t know what, but maybe it’s that she’s learning to trust me too.
Or maybe that’s just what I want it to mean. I don’t really know, but I want to find out.
When I let her go, the story’s done. It’s been told. But there’s one part I just don’t get. “What I don’t understand is why she was there today though. I really don’t get it. Just to come in and wreak havoc?”
Everly’s eyes twinkle darkly. “I think I know,” she says in a bit of a whisper.
“Enlighten me.”
“The other morning when I was doing my online media rounds, I realized that shortly after you started posting on social media again, Lyra and Bane started liking your posts. After a few more posts, I think they realized this was real. You weren’t quiet anymore. And that scared her. So she reached out to you. She’s clearly all about image, and I think she’s afraid you’re going to say what really happened,” Everly posits.
“Okay, that makes sense, but why show up today?”
“It’s a distraction ploy. They’re afraid she’s not going to be America’s sweetheart anymore so they’re trying to change the narrative. She came without him, but I don’t think they’re actually broken up since they’re still liking each other’s posts. But they’re letting the media believe she wants you back. They’re creating this idea that she’s trying to get back together with the man she really loves because they’re afraid you’re going to tell everyone what happened. She’s trying to take over the story again. To drown out your voice with her louder one.”
I sneer, but then I also shake my head in amazement, not at Lyra, but at Everly. At her beautiful brain. “Fuck, you’re hot.”
“Why is that hot?”
“Because you’re smart. I love the way your mind works.” I take a beat, mulling over her thought process. “You really think that’s what they’re doing?”
“I do. She’s trying to stop you. But in this case—she wants to stop you from potentially saying something bad about her.”
“I was never going to,” I huff. “How the fuck would that help me? Especially now, when I’m trying to fix my rep? It doesn’t help me to talk shit about an ex. Garrett has even said as much—that brands don’t look fondly on people who badmouth their exes.”
Everly’s smile is soft as she says, “He’s right. But she’s scared. She’s worried you’ll ruin her reputation, so she’s trying to control the story. To remind the media that she’s beloved. It’s like she’s trying to build a wall around herself. So even if you revealed what happened, no one would believe you because how could they? She’s this popular singer who shows up at a dog adoption event and kisses puppies.”
That’s…insidious. I breathe out hard, but after a few seconds, I make a choice. To let the frustration go. To stop talking about her. To focus on this beautiful present and the woman in my arms. “I’ve had enough of Lyra. Enough of Bane. I don’t want to talk about them anymore. They don’t matter to me,” I say, running a hand over her hair. “But you do.” And to show her she’s the only one on my mind, I say, “Do you know what my favorite part of your beautiful brain is?”
“Which part?”
I tap her temple lightly. “The part that said yes to me, and now I want you to say yes to something else.”
She inches closer. “You do know you make it impossible to say no.”
“That’s my goal. So go on a secret date with me.”
Her flirtiness vanishes. “Max, that's so risky. I’m trying for this promotion, and so is Elias and…” She stops, tilts her head, like she just remembered something. “Speaking of, did he see us in the equipment room?”
“I’m not sure. But I ran into him right after,” I say, then I tell her about the encounter. “You don’t think he suspects something?”
Everly closes her eyes, blows out a breath. When she opens them, she says, “He made a comment about it, and he also came into my office the day you sent the panties. Right after I opened them.”
“Shit. Did he see them?”