Page 67 of The Paradise Problem

“Who’s the slut, you hickey demon?”

“Oh, you saw that, did you?”

Jake laughs. “We all saw it.”

“He’s… surprisingly adorable.”

Jake’s expression flattens. “Adorable? He’s a cyborg.”

“Well, whoever managed the installation of his emotional programming did a great job.”

“I think that’s called ‘therapy.’ ”

A shadow appears behind Jake, approaching with determination through the spa’s small lobby. Jake startles as West appears at his side, breathless, looking down at me. The room behind me quiets.

“Hello, Liam,” Jake says dryly.

“Hi,” West says, putting a hand over his brother’s face and unceremoniously moving him aside. He gazes down at me, saying more gently now, “Hi.”

“Hello.” I smile. “Did I forget the lunch you packed me for school?”

A tiny smile is there and gone. “I wanted to tell you to enjoy yourself at the spa today.”

“We already did the ‘Have a good times,’ ” I whisper.

But I can’t help it, I press my hand to his stomach, wrapping my fist around the soft fabric of his T-shirt. This is all very cute and unexpected. I look briefly at Jake like, See? Adorable.

With a smirk, Jake wanders off. But West touches a finger to my chin, redirecting my attention to his face. And before I can say anything, he bends, setting his lips softly on mine. One soft kiss, and then another. My blood turns to smoke, and I lean in, chasing his lips when he slowly straightens.

“You left before I could do that,” he says.

Is this all for show? Or is this real? It’s so wild that I can’t tell at all. He’s said it quietly—it can’t have been for anyone else to hear—but then again, he’s found me in a crowded room. I pull on the reins of my emotions, reminding myself to not sprint ahead. Kisses aren’t feelings.

But… what if they are?

“I…” I clear my throat. “Thank you for fixing my mistake.”

Those honeyed eyes crinkle at the corners in a tiny smile. “You’re welcome.”

The intensity of West’s expression is like an aphrodisiac. If he doesn’t get out of here soon, I might end up slobbering all over his neck again, but this time in front of his mother and sister.

“Now go get pampered,” I tell him, lifting my chin in the direction Jake wandered off. “And relax. Get those hobbit feet scrubbed.”

Liam looks like he’d rather eat a large rock, but he does, stepping back and finally turning to walk toward the men’s lounge. I’m sorry to see him leave but allow myself the pleasure of watching him go. Whew, dat ass.

I turn around to find a roomful of women pretending to not have watched that entire interaction, but after that kiss, I honestly don’t care.

Twenty-One

ANNA

I am pleased to say that I don’t stumble over my spa menu selections. I have the manicurist shorten my nails just a little, and then enjoy a total body scrub and a divine hot oil Swedish massage from a man named Bern whose hands are so strong I think he could crumple me like a piece of paper in his fist. The pampering lasts about three hours, and at the end of it, I smell amazing and am slippery enough to fit through a boba straw.

The spa hostess leads me to the relaxation area, handing me a glass of ice-cold cucumber water. “Please, enjoy all of our amenities for the rest of the day. The steam room and sauna are down that hall. The mineral pools are this way.” She gestures down a second hall. “We recommend starting with warm and working your way to the ice-cold plunge.”

“Plunge,” I repeat numbly.

“We’ve put your belongings in a locker.” Gently, she fits the elastic key ring around my wrist, predicting, accurately, that I’m unable to coordinate motor functions beyond holding my arm out for her.

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