Page 5 of First Comes Forever

“Perfect.” She closes her eyes, her full coral-colored lips spread into the cutest smile. Her dark eye makeup perfectly blended, her lips a kissable orangey-pink…

Not a freckle in sight.

“I’m Adam, by the way.” I bite my bottom lip, wondering if I should extend my hand. It’s funny—the day and age of social media. I haven’t formally met Amani, yet I know more about her than I bet she’d be comfortable knowing I do.

“I know who you are, Adam Montgomery.”

“You do?”

She opens one eye. “You’ve messaged me so,somany times.”

My jaw drops and I give her my most incredulous expression. “So you read my messages but justignore them?”

“Yup.” She chuckles.

“Wow…I…” I return her laugh. “I guess I kind of expected you to deny that. Or at least attempt to feel bad about it.”

She sighs in relief as she tugs the towel off her forehead and uses it to pat her cheeks and then her neck. “Oh, come on. Do you know how many sleazy talent agents and managers slide into my DMs telling me they can make me rich and famous? You don’t think I’ve learned to spot a scam by now?”

I balance a butt cheek on the edge of the porcelain tub by her bare feet. Looking over my shoulder, I see her strappy stilettos kicked to the corner of the bathroom. “First of all, I didn’t say I’d make you rich and famous. Second of all, you know I’m not some scam artist. I manage Chase Ford. It doesn’t get more legitimate than that.”

“Good point.” She raises her eyebrows at me. “Why do you want more clients? Don’t you have your hands full with Chase?”

Yes.“You want the truth?”

“Sure.”

“I just wanted an excuse to talk to you.” I touch the tip of her toe where her bright red polish ends, like a goofy idiot. I don’t even blame her for lightly kicking my hand away.Fuck. Not smooth, Adam.

Her eyes hit the ceiling. “Of course.”

“What isthatreaction for?”

Amani sits up in the empty tub and stretches her arms overhead, pushing her firm, plump breasts together as if she’s purposely trying to tease me. “You L.A. guys are all the same. You fall in love with filters, makeup, smoke, and mirrors. You’d be appalled at the real me.” She swivels her finger around her pretty makeup-filled face. “She doesn’t look like this. This took hours to achieve.”

I scoff, admittedly a little irritated now. “That’s not fair.”

“What’s not?”

“Your accusation.” I poke my tongue out at her playfully. “You know, you spend all this time trying to be incredibly sexy on the internet, and you’re”—I fake a gasp and clutch my chest—“offended when a man sees your profile and finds you incredibly sexy. How is that fair? Especially when you show up at a partyI’mhosting, looking likethat.”

I almost miss it.Almost.But I catch the tail end of her cheeks flushing. They reddened and returned to their normal tone so fast, I bet she thinks I didn’t see her blush at my forward compliment.

“I’m just here for Noa.”

Ah, Noa.The culprit behind this whole impromptu birthday party. After convincing sweetheart, single mom Noa to agree to be his fake girlfriend for a little PR, he needed an excuse to see her again. Making up a birthday party that she needed to make an appearance at seemed like a good excuse to fly her from Denver to L.A. so he could see her again.

“How long have you and Noa been friends?” I ask, trying to sound casual.

“Since diapers.”

“So you’re from—”

“Denver as well. Yes.”

I nod. “How long have you been in L.A.?”

She screws up her face and pinches one eye shut like she’s trying to work out the math. “A little over a year now…I think?” Her eyes pop open suddenly and she points at my chest. “Can I trust Chase around Noa?”

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