Page 44 of The Billionaire Experience

“What the hell?” Matt grunted. Reagan heard the sound of shifting fabric and prayed that he was fully dressed.

“Sorry!” Reagan repeated, even though she had nothing to be sorry for. Matt, on the other hand, who had cheated on Kelly—or maybe not—did. She peeked out from behind the fast-food bag to find Matt dressed and Kelly stuffing her bra into her jeans pocket.

“Reagan! Hi! I thought you were working.” Her friend smoothed her hair away from her flushed face. Matt propped his hands on his hips, his teeth stabbing his bottom lip. And there they both stood, mere inches away from where Reagan laid her head most nights.

Yerk.

“I needed a change of clothes. I came here to shower before I ran errands. I didn’t know you’d be”—snogging your ex-husband—“home.”

Reagan made a beeline for the kitchen as Kelly’s and Matt’s voices dipped. She threw away the fast-food bag and opened the accordion doors on the laundry closet as loudly as possible so they wouldn’t think she was eavesdropping. As she was folding the two pairs of leggings she’d hung to dry, she mused that she was way past due on finding her own place.

Heavy footsteps clomped up the stairs—Matt’s. Kelly met her in the kitchen, hands held up in a defensive position. “I know what you’re going to say, and I know how this looks.”

“How do you know what I’m going to say when I don’t know what I’m going to say?” Reagan carried her leggings to the weekender bag that was tucked into a corner of Kelly’s living room. As she shoved them into a pocket, she said, “I thought you hated him.”

“I do! Sometimes. It’s complicated.” She licked her bottom lip. “The thing is…”

Reagan waited. When Kelly didn’t say any more, she asked, “What?”

“He’s been here a lot.” Kelly winced. “And he’s probably going to be here more often.”

Her mind went back to the couch she slept on. How many times had Kelly and Matt— No. She wouldn’t think about that. “It’s time I found my own apartment. I can’t keep sleeping in random places.” Kelly’s couch, Ike’s recliner, Brody’s guest bedroom. Her temporary solutions had her invading everyone’s privacy while having none of her own.

“I will not kick you out. I made a promise, and I’m sticking to it.”

“Kelly, you shouldn’t feel the need to sneak around with Matt because I’m sleeping on your couch.” Where she would not be sleeping again.

“You don’t have to leave. We’ll be discreet.”

Reagan cocked her head to one side.

“More discreet.”

“You shouldn’t have to be discreet. That’s the point.” Reagan crossed to the half bath and began gathering her toiletries. Kelly followed.

“Are you mad because you think he cheated on me?”

Hands full of skin care products and toothpaste, Reagan paused. “Kelly, you were the one who told me he cheated on you.”

“I know.” She toed the carpet. “I’m not sure now. But I didn’t want to tell you about Matt and me until I was sure. I assumed you’d sleep in this morning, or at least be snuggling with your billionaire benefactor. How did last night go, by the way?”

Reagan was halfway to being insulted by the “benefactor” comment but reminded herself that Kelly sometimes spoke before she thought. She pulled in a deep breath and asked, “Have you and Matt been doing it on the couch I’m sleeping on?”

Kelly’s grimace was enough of an answer, but then she added, “Maybe twice?”

“Oh my God. I can’t be here.” She gathered the rest of her personal effects and nudged past Kelly.

“Where will you go? You have nowhere to live.”

While that was essentially true, it wasn’t like Reagan had zero options. Through gritted teeth, she replied, “I’ll figure it out.”

“Before you leave you have to spill. How was the sex with the rich boy?”

“We didn’t have sex. I slept there. Alone and in a different room.” Irritated, Reagan crammed her toiletries into her bag.

“That’s it?” Kelly’s disappointment was evident.

“Yes, Kel. That was it.”

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