Page 8 of Third Wheel

Kincaid focused on loosening Amy’s corset. She sagged even more than she had for being called a good girl, taking in a deep breath of relief. As Sam approached, holding up the robe, Kincaid stepped back and turned away slightly. Not like he hadn’t occasionally seen Amy’s breasts at Stronghold, but this was different.

When he turned back after a moment, she was now in the robe, which went down to her knees, and she was trying to tie the belt around her waist… and failing.

“Here, let me do that.” He stepped forward, taking the ends of the belt from her and tying them in a bow, very aware of the way she was looking at him with big, watery doe eyes and a trembling lower lip.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“You’re welcome.” He didn’t really know what else to say. There was something incredibly vulnerable about her at that moment.

“Okay, who wants another shot?” Carolyn asked.

“Me!” Vulnerability disappeared under a big smile as Amy turned away from him. “Me, me, me, me!”

This was probably going to end badly, but Kincaid couldn’t find it in himself to tell her no.

4

Amy

Everything was awful.

Everything hurt.

Especially her head.

And her mouth felt like something had died in it.

She recognized the symptoms as she clawed her way out of sleep, trying to wake up. Her brain was buzzing. Something important had happened, and she felt like shit. Why was she thinking so slowly?

Oh.

Oh.

Today was supposed to be the first day of her married life with Jeremy.

It was still the first day of his married life… with Noelle.

The shame, the embarrassment from yesterday, welled up inside her. She wasn’t a wife today. She hadn’t been a bride yesterday. Everyone knew. Everyone had seen what she’d suspected. She’d told herself she was imagining how close Noelle and Jeremy had gotten. Had believed Jeremy when he’d told her that he and Noelle were planning something special for her. Hadbelieved Noelle when she’d said she and Jeremy were just good friends.

And now everyone,everyone, knew what a fool she was. Knew what a failure she was.

If I got dumped yesterday, why am I in bed with someone?

Amy’s eyes popped open as she felt the heat of the body beside her naked body. That got her awake and searching her memories from the day before, her mouth somehow going even dryer when she saw the dark head of hair and handsome face and recognized Zach. And did not recognize the bedroom.

Oh my God, I slept with Zach.

How the hell did I end up in bed with Zach?

Did he and Kincaid have a fight? Did I sleep with both of them?

If I slept with both of them, where is Kincaid?

Her thoughts had gone from moving like molasses to running through her aching head like a freight train. She lifted her hands to press her fingers against her temples, practically whimpering as she tried to make it stop.

Tried to remember.

Jeremy and Noelle’s call.

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