Page 2 of Forbidden Harmony

“I read a lot. It’ll be good for you, honey.And it’ll give the town gossips something else to gossip about.”

Addison winced. Directly after she’dcaught Harrison cheating and they’d broken up, there’d been a period of timewhere it seemed like she wouldn’t be the talk of the town. It had lulled herinto a false sense of security.

She rubbed at her suddenly throbbingtemples. What an idiot she’d been to think she could avoid being the town’shottest gossip topic.

She chewed at the inside of her cheek.Once she’d returned from New York and realized that the gossip had started, she’dbeen very tempted to take Kira’s advice andaccidentallyspill the beansabout Harrison’s penchant for wearing a dog collar and being spanked, but inthe end she couldn’t do it.

Not because she felt any kind of lingeringlove for Harrison – that ship had sailed after the shock of seeing him cheatingwith his legal assistant had worn off. No, she’d kept her mouth shut purelyfor one reason – she was ashamed. Harrison had straight up told her she suckedin bed and that he’d cheated on her because she didn’t do it for him.

It was bad enough that the whole town wastalking about poor little Addison whose fiancé had dumped her. If she spreadthe rumour about Harrison’s tastes, he’d retaliate immediately. She didn’tneed them knowing he’d cheated on her because she was terrible in bed.

“Honey?” Her mother touched her cheek. “Don’tworry about the gossip. They’ll move on to the next juicy story soon enough.Maybe about how you’re banging a new guy and having the time of your life doingit.”

Addison shook her head, a small grin playingon her lips. “Yeah, maybe.”

“Ready to go?” Her father joined them, theneck pillows swinging from one meaty hand.

“I think so,” her mother said. “Addie, areyou sure you’ll be okay?”

“I’m positive.” Addison took her mother’sarm and steered her toward the security line. “I’ll see you guys in sixweeks. I love you both.”

* * *

“Your mom is the best, Addie.” Graciecollapsed in the armchair in Kira’s living room and swung her legs over thearm. She took a swig of beer from the bottle in her hand. “And she’s absolutelyright. You need to find someone to, as Harper says, hit it and quit it with, sweetie.”

Addie grimaced, folding her legs up under heron the couch and staring at the liquid in her wine glass. “Why would I want anotherguy telling me that I suck in bed?”

Kira snorted and dropped onto the couchbeside her. Beer burbled up out of her bottle and she licked it off the side beforepointing the bottle at Addison. “Just because Harrison says you suck in bed,doesn’t mean you do, Addie.”

Addison toyed with the multiple friendshipbracelets tied around her wrist. “It doesn’t mean that I don’t though.”

“Oh please,” Grace said, “Harrison is notthe end all and be all decision maker of what makes a woman good in the sack.Trust me, most guys are not as picky as your asshole ex-fiancé.”

“Great,” Addie said.

Grace leaned forward. “Okay, that came outwrong. What I was trying to say is that you’re super hot and sweet and funny,and the guys will be falling over themselves to be in your bed. Trust me,sweetie. You hold all the power here when it comes to sex. Half the guys inthis town think you’re a total hottie. I’m surprised they haven’t been bangingdown your door now that they know you and Harrison are finished.”

Addie traced her finger around the rim ofher glass. “Maybe Harrison told them how much I sucked in bed.”

“Maybe Harrison can suck a big fat hairymonkey dick,” Grace said.

Kira laughed. “He’d probably be into that,the kinky son of a bitch.”

Grace took another drink of beer. “Look,you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do but -”

“I want to do it,” Addison said.

Kira blinked at her. “Seriously?”

“Yes.” Her stomach was churning, and shefelt a little sick, but she did want to do this. Sheneededto dothis. Harrison’s words about her being stiff in bed and not sexy kept echoingin her head and if it took banging some random dude to get his voice out of herhead, she’d do it.

Maybe you should ask Preacher if hewants a casual bang.

Her face flushed fire engine redimmediately. Thinking about the tattoo artist was a very bad idea. She mighthave had the occasional fantasy about him while engaged to Harrison, but thatwas because it’d been safe to fantasize about him. She’d been an engaged womanand there was no chance of that fantasy ever coming true.

And you think now that you’re single, itmight? Grow up, Addison. Preacher wouldn’t have sex with you if you were thelast woman on Earth. If strait-laced Harrison thought you were bland and boringin bed, you can sure as hell believe that Preacher would think the same. Heprobably sleeps with a different woman every weekend.

Kira poked her in the arm. “Why are youblushing?”

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