Page 71 of Dashing for Love

Willa ignores him and gives me a warning look. “Fine, but I’ll remind you that you said you never wanted to discuss anything even remotely like this again after I told you all I wanted was to get some more of Reid’s dick.”

I barely hold back a retch. “Okay, first of all, you said you wanted—and I quote—‘some of that D,’ and I was in a vulnerable place back then.”

She looks at me skeptically. “What, pray tell, was this vulnerability?”

I try to think of something and fail. “Fine. I didn’t want to hear my best friend talk about dick. But this is different.”

“I remember this.” Goldie laughs, glancing at me. “You looked a little green.”

“We’re not talking about me,” I counter. “Who’s James? And is he the masked guy you’re having hot kisses with, or is that a different guy?”

Reid appears. “I need the gossip. I have to feed Ox the gossip.”

I laugh. “Are you serious?”

“Have you met him?”

“How are he and Anthony related?” Goldie murmurs.

Reid points at her. “Quit avoiding the topic. Give me gossip about kissing hot men in masks. Or hot kisses with men in masks. Whatever.” Then he stops. “I can’t believe those words just came out of my mouth.”

Willa shrugs. “Like you said. You’re a full-fledged small-town resident.”

“With Ox as your chief of police and best friend,” Goldie adds.

“Mask. Kisses. Spill,” I command.

Willa whips her head to me. “You’re far too into this, you know that?” She narrows her eyes. “Why?”

Reid coughs.

I widen my eyes. “No reason. Just curious. Sounds…fun. Wow, did they paint your boat?” I point toThe Bear, the biggest yacht in the marina, which Willa claimed the instant it showed up about five years ago.

Willa falls for it and looks, and Goldie catches my eye. The look is half murderous, half appalled, and half something else I can’t pinpoint. Yes, that’s one and a half. No, I don’t care. I’m not at work, so I don’t have to make my math be all math-y.

“They didn’t paint it,” Willa says, a note of disappointment in her voice.

“About this kiss,” Reid prompts.

I keep my eyes pointed straight ahead.

“Um, right. I mean, I already told Willa—she didn’t tell you?”

“Nope,” Reid answers.

And thank God for it, because I’m realizing that it’s a damn miracle these two haven’t put it together yet. Unless theydoknow and are having way too much fun messing with us.

Goldie clears her throat. “I went to the masquerade ball and kissed a guy in a dark room. It was hot.”

Shit. If Reid didn’t know before, hedefinitelyknows now. My palms are sweaty.

A beat passes. “And?” Reid says. “You gotta give me more.”

Willa snorts. “Reid, seriously?”

Goldie huffs. “It’s a guy I’ve been talking to.”

“James, right?”Why am I still talking?I need to shut up.

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