Page 59 of Never Kiss and Tell

She shrugs. “I don’t know. No? But my period’s a week and a half late.”

“Could be the stress,” Lionel says, his eyes still trained on thedoor.

I nod. “Come on. You take it and I’ll wait for it to turn.”

As it turns out, Andi isnotpregnant.

After four minutes of waiting, I finally turned it over and everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.

“Oh, thank God,” Andi sighs, holding a hand over her heart. “I thought I was done.”

“I told you it was the stress,” Lionel says, pushing off the door. “You need to take it easy.”

“I am. Since Bailey’s here, things have been way easier. I think I’m just worried about work and school and this wedding and Tom and Tom’s mom and Charlie and Priscilla and Bailey having a good time and—”

“Okay, enough,” I say, holding up a hand to stop her. “You can’t control any of those things, but yourself. Just focus on you and take a breather. Enjoy your bridal shower.”

She smiles, though it doesn’t reach her eyes.

“I guess I can have another glass of champagne.”

Lionel holds out his arm. “Come on,cheré. I saw wine in that kitchen.”

I split from the group because I need a moment to collect myself, before returning to the party and make my way to the side gate I saw, hoping to step out and have a cigarette. There’s no sign of Charlie in the garden and I’m grateful. Maybe the bastard left.

Hidden by the garden wall, I step out, lighting my cigarettequickly, before anyone can find me.

“Winning my grandma over to your side is no small feat.”

I jump, chocking on my inhale and sputtering. Charlie pats my back, a little too roughly, as I struggle to catch my breath.

“Told you those things would kill you,” he taunts.

“You’re going to kill me,” I wheeze. Charlie steps back looking me up and down and a blush warms my cheeks.

“Looks like you’re raiding her closet, now, too.”

“Your sister picked this out for me. Don’t you have someone else to annoy?” I snap, my hand shaking as I raise the cigarette back to my lips.

“You stepped ontomypart of the sidewalk,” he argues, his eyes flashing with that particular brand of Charlie amusement that both annoys the hell out of me and makes my stomach do a backflip off the high dive.

“Allow me to remove myself,” I smile sweetly, taking off down the sidewalk.

“They’ll see you up there,” he calls. “Camille has camera’s all over the front of the house. This is the only place there isn’t one.”

I stop and close my eyes, sucking in a deep breath before turning back around.

“Are you sure that’s the reason? Don’t have any moredesiresyou need to fulfill?”

His eyes flash, a dark look passing over his features. I know he’s remembering last night, just like I am. My stomach belly-flops, thinking of the dirty things he said, the feel of him holding me, getting him to lose even that sliver of an ounce of control.

“Still thinking of me, huh, princess?”

“Only when I applied a pound of concealer to cover your mistake,” I point out, tilting my head to the side so he can see the vanished hickey.

His jaw ticks. “Who said it was a mistake?” he murmurs darkly.

The hair on the back of my neck rises and my body warms. I should be ashamed, lusting over my best friend’s brother atherbridal shower, yet I couldn’t stop the sudden dull throb in my core at the meaning behind his words.

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