Page 44 of The Secret

But this morning… this morning was different.

And I knew instinctively that his wet, ripped, naked torso would be all I’d be able to see when I closed my eyes to sleep, tonight and every other night.

That’s if I could sleep.

Payton’s fingers snapped in front of my face, bringing me back to the present.

“Sorry. What?”

“Were you even listening to me?”

I gave her a sheepish grin. “Nope.”

“Do you want to tell me what you were doing instead?”

I rolled my lips. “Nope. Not really.”

“Too bad, spill it.”

I sucked on the inside of my cheek. “It’s Murray.”

The waitress placed two giant stacks of pancakes and eggs in front of us, ones I had no memory ordering. Payton reached out before the waitress could walk away. “Thank you, and could we get two more coffees please?”

She nodded and walked off.

“What about Murray? I thought you were getting on better.”

I forked in a mouthful of eggs, suddenly famished. “We are.”

“Is he still being weird?” She tucked into her breakfast, drowning everything in maple syrup.

My brow furrowed at her. “Weird?”

“Yeah, after you saw Jackson Foggerty…” Her big brown eyes widened dramatically, “Fuck, have you seen him again? I’m so jealous. I need to come over, you know.”

“Yeah, come. Murray said today that you could come over. And no, he’s not being weird anymore, we’re getting on well. It’s good.”

I hadn’t seen Jackson Foggerty again, but I also hadn’t forgotten about the way Murray reacted to him, growly and possessive. Because when it came to Bell, he didn’t want anyone near her.

Because that’s what he’d meant.

Because the alternative was absurd.

“Then… it’s what?” She forked a portion of pancake into her mouth so massive I was amazed it fit, chewed it and washed it all down with coffee while I watched on in silence. “Ooh, did he figure out you’ve got a crush on him?”

“God I hope not…” My face dropped in horror. “Actually, probably, given what happened this morning.”

“Okay… what does that mean? I assume this is why you were late.” She loaded up her fork again and bit into it.

I sipped my coffee, and placed it back on the table. “Yeah. I ran back to get my bag and when I was leaving the house again, I bumped into Murray and Bell. They’d just got out of the shower, and he was only in a towel.” My voice dropped with dramatic effect, but also to stop the table next to us from overhearing my plight. “You should have seen him! He was like a Grecian statue with all the…” I started gesturing around my body, “you know…”

“Muscles?” Her eyebrows rose at me.

I pointed at her. “Yes! Muscles! Obscene muscles everywhere. I couldn’t stop staring. And he noticed.”

She started cackling hard. “What did he do?”

“Nothing really, kind of grinned at me…”

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