Page 37 of Chasing Lynda

It’s good to see my best friend let loose and have some fun. God knows he deserves it. “What do you say?” I ask, looking at each of them. “We all go for it and it’s all out in the open. No lies, no secrets, no fucking drama. Deal?”

Carter and Dodge nod at the same time. “Let’s do it. We can start right now.”

Zane hesitates for a second but then agrees. “I guess if we aren’t lying to her, there’s no harm in a little friendly competition over a pretty girl. Just as long as we treat her right.”

For the first time in weeks the vibe between the four of us is relaxed, and I’m loving the excitement that’s suddenly palpable in the room.

Fuck cheating girlfriends, broken engagements and stupid trust fund clauses. We’ll put Pleasure Beach back in the green, save Dodge’s family name and show our own parents that we don’t need them, all their strings attached and their staunch rules to succeed in life.

All we’ll always need is one another. Our chosen family.

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Lynda

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I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!

I seriously can’t. Once that sleazy Monroe guy leaves and the door to my room clicks shut behind him, I look at the room.

My room.

I know most people will probably roll their eyes at how ridiculously excited I am about this, but I haven’t had a real room to myself with my own bathroom since I left the church compound in Shell Cove.

Since the day that changed my entire life.

I squeeze my eyes shut because I don’t want to think about them. Not Harold Winthrop and definitely not my husband.

I take a deep breath and jump on the king size bed, landing in the middle of the mattress.

“Aww.” I half-sigh, half-groan and it’s just pure, unadulterated pleasure; the cotton of the comforter is soft against my skin and it smells clean, like laundry detergent and sunshine.

The mattress is so soft that I feel like I’m lying on a cloud.

I stay there, with my face down on the bed, trying to keep my mind empty.

If I don’t think, I can almost believe that this isn’t just for two nights and that I’m not running from my past life.

I flip over, lying on my back and staring at the hotel room ceiling, without really seeing the gold leaf motif that decorates the wall where it meets the white ceiling.

The white t-shirt I’ve been wearing for the contest is now dry but I take it off, throwing it on the floor; the cool air-conditioned air on my bare skin gives me goosebumps and it isn’t a bad feeling. It makes my nipples go hard the same way they did under their gazes.

I keep my eyes fixed on a spot in the middle of the ceiling but all I see is those four guys and the way they were looking at me on that stage.

There were twenty-four other girls all in white t-shirts, the resort staff was using garden hoses to douse us with cold water, aiming at our chests and making our white t-shirts disappear, exposing our bare chests underneath.

There was loud music and people in the audience cat calling and laughing; and yet, all I could see was those four sets of eyes fixed onto me.

I still can’t believe that I kissed three of them in the space of twenty-four hours.

Dodge, Zane and Carter.

Carter was my first kiss.

Ok, technically maybe not. Not if I count Aaron mauling my face at our wedding.

I squeeze my eyes shut, unable to suppress a shudder. That doesn’t count. I didn’t kiss him back.

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