Page 29 of Fourth Wall

“Absolutely not.” This time, he stared right at me. “I didn’t say that because you look bad. If you let me finish my thought, I wasgoing to say that you should flaunt it to every goddamn person who walks through the gate because you look amazing.” Was it hot enough outside to completely melt the insides of my chest? Because with his confession just now, I wanted to. This was the Christian that I loved. The kind one who knew how to build me up without even a second thought. The person who helped me harness my own confidence and strength.

“Oh, then yes. I was planning on wearing it.” His delicious smile crept back on his face before he turned around and got out of the pool like a dripping-wet Norwegian Viking and walked into the house.

I walked over to open the gate.

“What the fuck took you so long?” Julian grumbled as he came in with a cooler filled with mocktails.

“Maybe they were christening the house,” Elio murmured from behind the group.

“Ew,” Tatum and I said in unison.

“Babe, you look fucking hot in this, though. Where did you pull it from?” Tatum gave my hip a little bump, and I playfully laughed.

“Yeah, where has this version of Maeve been hiding?” Gianna sat with her pregnant belly on one of the loungers.

“I don’t know, you guys. I think she has always kinda been around, but I guess it’s a new house, new me.”

“Well, I’m feeling it.” Tatum pulled off her cover-up, and her little bump was proudly on display.

“I’m excited for the shower this weekend. My mom has already agreed to watch the girls for me.” We spent the next few minutes chatting about details for the baby shower Chels and I were throwing for them.

I felt his presence come back as he threw on some swim shorts and talked with Julian. The girls chatted around me, but I couldn’t listen. All I could do was stare at the V that made its wayso fucking perfectly down his shorts. It was as if the fabric was almost holding his body by being molded into that outline. The way his tattoos glistened in the sun.

“Earth to Maeve,” Gianna asked, and I snapped back into reality.

“Wha-What? Sorry I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Shit, I’m very happily married, but I would stare at thatGame of Thronesgod standing next to my husband too.” Gianna looked in the direction that I remained focused on.

“I’m not staring.” I quickly snapped my head back to my friends, and they rolled their eyes.

“I don’t know why you guys fight this so hard.” Tatum popped open a can of the mocktail seltzer.

“He was gone last night with one of the girls he takes home. He will never change,” I confessed to my friends.

“On your first night here?” Gianna asked.

“Yup.” I popped the p for emphasis.

“Wow. That sucks. He is a playboy through and through, and you don’t need that energy, especially when you’re dealing with everything with Tyler,” Gianna agreed with me, which only made me smile more until I looked over at Tatum, who had not cracked even a nod of agreement.

“I don’t know, guys. It’s not my place to tell, and honestly, I don’t know the whole story, but there is just so much to his background. I think he kinda does it to protect himself.”

“Does what?” Gianna asked, but I knew exactly what Tatum was getting at. We sat on our lounge chairs just staring at each other, telepathically arguing that I disagreed with her.

“He uses women to somehow protect his heart.”

“That’s bullshit, then,” I added to the conversation while still shooting daggers at Tatum. “He cannot just go around fucking women and using it as an excuse for whatever he’s got going on.It’s just an addiction to mask another addiction.” I lowered my voice, but I still felt the heat of his stare on me.

“I agree with you.” Tatum offered me a sympathetic pat on the thigh while Gianna stayed quiet, presumably because I had just outed Christian as having an addiction but not wanting to pry.

“Especially after what happened last night.” I quickly slapped my hand over my mouth and totally didn’t mean for that to actually slip out. It was a thought meant to stay in my head.

“Oh shit. What happened?” Gianna leaned up on her chair, and we all huddled together like we were kids on the playground telling each other a deep secret. The boys must have thought we had lost our minds when they looked over at us.

“I shouldn’t have said that aloud. It’s really fucking embarrassing.” I shot Tatum a look because part of me wasn’t sure if she was able to keep this between us. I knew how close she and Julian were.

“I swear, I won't say anything,” she responded as if she could read my thoughts.

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