Page 3 of Always Knew It Was You

But, just for the night, he probably makes it worth their while.

“I wouldn’t say we’re friends,” I say as the women finally look back at me. “I’ve never even had a conversation with the man. I’m more so friends with Declan and Emma.”

“Good,” V says. “Stay away from Micah if you know what’s good for you. I’ve never met a more arrogant, selfish bastard in my life.”

“That’s not the tune you were singing last summer in Cabo,” Cherise quips with a teasing smile and V’s complexion reddens.

“Yeah, and I learned my lesson then,” she says.

“Was he that bad?” I ask.

“No, dear,” Heather winks. “He was that good.”

The women giggle again and V rolls her eyes. To me, she says, “Micah has more charm than the devil himself and has this way of making you feel like you’re the most beautiful woman in the world. He’ll show you an amazing time and then completely toss you away at the end. He won’t so much as return your calls.”

“And he’ll ruin you for every other man,” the quiet dark-haired one says, and then she catches the blonde’s frown. “What? We’ve all heard the rumors. I’m jealous of you, you know. At least, you got to enjoy the ride. I wish I’d gotten that close.”

“Me too,” Heather sighs.

“Me three,” Cherise says and her companions stare at her in surprise.

“You’re married,” V says.

“So? I’m married, not blind. And what Remington doesn’t know won’t kill him.”

For some reason, the statement has the women breaking into raucous peals of laughter, which I also join.

I quickly grow weary of the conversation after that, and hold up my empty glass as an excuse to melt away. Emma’s still with Declan and I don’t want to interrupt their romantic ambiance. It’s a night for lovers, a beautiful cool spring evening with red maple trees in full bloom outside and the mingling scent of cologne and perfume surrounding me. As I walk away, my eyes wander around the room, wondering if I should intercept another conversation group or simply observe how the rich and powerful interact with each other.

It’s why I agreed to accompany Emma to this party in the first place.

I felt like playing dress up and pretending to be someone else for the night. Tonight, I’m not Carly whose cousin is in jail, whose father is a drunk, and whose mother is a thief. I’m not the girl struggling to retain her scholarship and claw her way out of poverty.

Tonight, I’m the girl in the golden mask, beautiful dress, and the necklace that has an expensive-sounding name. Tonight, I can walk with my spine straight because no one knows who I am. I can pretend I’m one of them, that I take trips to Cabo too. I can pretend that I’m the kind of woman Micah Landing would look at.

I find myself staring at him again and, then, in a startling twist, his eyes meet mine.

As the brilliant green flashes, my body blazes to life. My breath lodges in my throat, heat and desire slamming into me. A smirk curves the side of his lips as though he knows the exact effect he has on me.

Damn it.

Nevertheless, I refuse to give him that satisfaction. I school my features underneath the mask into indifference and deliberately roll my gaze down his body. When I meet his eyes again, I shake my head and turn away.

My stomach still flip-flops once it’s done, excited at the challenge I’ve just given him. I feel like I just laid down a gauntlet.

And now his gaze is burning a hole in my back.

CHAPTER TWO

MICAH

Athena is on the move again.

“Athena” is what I’m calling the girl in the golden mask that covered nearly her entire face except for red luscious lips that looked like they would bounce back if I bit. Her brown locks flow in waves down to somewhere around her midback, and I think she’ll have probably been better off arranging it at the top of her head into some kind of bun. That way it can show off the long line of her neck.

And there would be nothing blocking that nice deep décolletage.

My body hardens as my eyes take it in once more.

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