Page 27 of Undercover Desires

“Thank God for that, right? These boys look after us. I’m a law student, and if I didn’t work and eat here most days, I would be screwed trying to pay my tuition,” Shelby shares.

For the first time since I met her, I see her in a completely different light. “I didn’t know that about you,” I respond, pleasantly surprised. Normally, that would be the first thing I’d ask a girl like Shelby—why she’s working in this place. Her being a law student is unexpected, but I guess that says more about me than her. I judged her based on the way she looked and the job she was doing, without really knowing anything about her. Makes me just as bad as Reader the first day he met me.

“Yeah, no family to help me out. So, you know, girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. We can’t all have fancy fashion jobs like these two,” Shelby explains, smirking toward her friends.

“We are pretty lucky,” Summer chimes in. “But just wait until you work at a law firm. You will crush your life goals.”

Hazel turns her attention to me, asking, “What do you want to do, you know, when you grow up, Bella?”

I shrug nonchalantly, as if I don’t know, but in reality, I do. I’m doing it. All I’ve ever wanted is to follow in my father’s footsteps and be a detective and make him proud. I’ve never even considered anything else.

“You’re still young; you’ll work it out,” Shelby reassures me kindly. Then something seems to dawn on her and she nudges me playfully. “Or you could just take Mr. Big up on his offer and have all your money problems solved in one night,” she says a little too seriously for my liking.

I shake my head involuntarily at the suggestion. “Not going to happen.”

Hazel leans in closer, her eyes filled with mischief. “What was the offer?” Her curiosity is palpable.

“He offered this chick fifteen grand for two hours with her. She’s nuts. I would have jumped at the chance,” Shelby throws me under the bus.

“Are you kidding me?” Summer's eyes go wide. She’s just as naïve to all of this as me.

I nod sheepishly. It’s kind of embarrassing. I don’t know why Shelby feels the need to bring it up with these girls.

“Why did you really turn him down? Is it that you don’t like the look of him? I know he’s older, but he’s hot, right?”

“He’s hot,” agrees Summer. “I’d do it.” Okay, maybe she’s not so innocent.

“Is it because of Kobe?” Shelby asks, mortified.

“What?!” I nearly spit out the sip of water I just had. “Why would you say that?”

She eyes him suspiciously as he walks through the room toward the offices. “Because you two have something going on. I see the lingering looks.” She glares at me as if she’s trying to read my mind. First my palm, now we have someone with telepathy skills as well? I really hope not, because it would kind of blow the undercover thing.

Summer looks disappointed at the mention of me and Kobe, and it makes me feel terrible, but she’s better off without him. “There are no looks. I can’t stand him. He’s weird and slept with every chick in this place. That’s a total turnoff to me,” I add, disgusted.

“Yeah. He’s really gross to you.” Shelby rolls her eyes, not believing me. “Why did you both watch each other as he crossed the room if you find him so utterly unattractive?”

“Did I?” I shrug it off. I didn’t even know that’s what I was doing. Whenever he's around, my eyes can't help but be drawn to him. I try to convince myself it's for surveillance purposes, but I actually just crave his attention. “If you really want to know, I didn’t take Mr. Big up on his offer because…” I hesitate. All eyes come to me. “Because I have no experience in that department. I’ve had one long-term boyfriend, and our bedroom activities were kinda vanilla,” I admit, hoping to get the subject off me and Kobe, and back on the other situation.

“Oh, sister, you don’t need experience with a guy like Mr. Big. He will take charge and show you what he wants.” Shelby motions banging someone from behind and slapping them on the ass, and the other two crack up laughing.

My eyes shoot to her in surprise. “Have you been with him?”

She shrugs, and the other girls’ eyes widen.

“You have!” says Summer. “You never told me, you tell me everything.”

“Wasn’t a big deal. But if he asks you again, take him up on the offer. You’ll have fun.”

I cringe at the thought. Yes, I’m curious, but sleeping with some guy who’s been with every girl in the place makes me feel sick. I think I will just stick to my safe vanilla ways and the comfort of my vibrator to get me through the current man drought I’m experiencing. So much safer. “Anyway, what was it you need help with, Summer?” I say, remembering her earlier dilemma.

“She’s got it bad for Kobe,” Hazel says on her behalf.

“No, I don’t.” She swats Hazel for saying so. “We just had one date, and he never called me again. Just sucks, you know.”

“From what I’ve seen, you're better off without him. He’s a player.” Not to mention the cold-hearted-killer side that seems to go unnoticed around these parts.

Hazel wraps her arm around her friend’s shoulder. “That is what I keep telling her. See? These girls agree with me, and they work for him, they would know.”

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