Page 22 of Crossing the Line
Surprise, Surprise
Paisley Grove
Lake texted me the alert. I’m transfixed by a video clip of Hercules and me kissing on the corner of Fifty-Seventh and Seventh. Whoever filmed us did a great job of capturing the blistering passion between us. We were going at it as if no one existed but him and me. I close my eyes to relive how light my head felt, the rapid beats of my heart and the way his mouth tasted faintly of champagne and spearmint. I release a shivering breath. Just reliving the moment was getting me all hot and bothered. Gosh, he’s such masterful kisser. It’s as if our mouths were made for each other.
“Oh my…” I finally whisper.
“Read the article, Paisley. It’s a hoot,” Lake says.
I’m glad she’s finding this amusing, but my skin feels flushed and my stomach queasy. It’s only a matter of time before someone in my family sees this.And then what?
I brace myself and then start reading aloud.
Ooh, salacious…
But that’s Hercules Lord, and sources say that he’s engaged to Lauren Mueller. And the lady in red he’s tonguing—#getaroomalready—is not his fiancée.
Who is she, you ask?
Wait for it because the plot is seconds away from thickening.
She’s Paisley Grove, cousin of one of our favorite NYC party heiresses, Treasure Grove. Sources say that Paisley is the good girl, but do good girls suck face like that?
Judging.
Not judging.
Just saying.
Sources also say that the kissing couple’s families are mortal enemies. Nobody knows why the Groves and Lords hate each other. If you’re out there and you know why, give us a buzz, or shoot us an email. Inquiring minds need to know.
But don’t wander too far from this developing story. The pages are only beginning to turn on what may become our own modern-day version of Romeo and Juliet.
Sounds salacious, doesn’t it?
I know. So… who do you think wears Hercules Lord better? The beautiful Grove heiress—oh, and may we add, daughter of supermodel Heartly Rose-Grove—or the hot, young vixen who is allegedly Mr. Lord’s distant cousin?
Yes. You read that right—distant cousin. It’s an old-money thing that we common folk will only ever see as being oh so gross.
Comment below.
“Don’t read the comments,”Lake warns before I scroll down to the bottom of the post. “People can be cruel. Just know that it’s fifty-fifty.”
Mouth stuck open, I’m speechless. At least I now know that Hercules wasn’t lying about Lauren being his cousin. However, he lied by omission when he didn’t tell me he was engaged to her.
Finally, I swallow. “So, Hercules is engaged to Lauren?” I ask in tight voice. The question makes my stomach queasy. I haven’t eaten. I should eat. But I’m not hungry anymore.
“Yes. Although…”
Lake’s dubious tone sounds like the last ray of hope. I readjust in my seat. “Although what?”
“I don’t think he’s happy about marrying her. There’s some story behind it. Mason says he doesn’t know all of it, but I think he does. Before last night, Mason and I had made a wager. He bet that Hercules would never go through with marrying her. I bet that Lauren would find a way to make it happen—since she’s so desperate when it comes to him. But then you showed up. I wasn’t aware you and Hercules knew each other.”
My temples throb, so I massage the one on the left. There’s no way I’m telling Lake everything about last night. By not disclosing the whole truth about Lauren, Hercules has put me in a cumbersome position. I would have never slept with him if I knew he was engaged, regardless of the reason why. And Achilles—if he reads whatTop Rag Magwrote, he’s going to know that I’m the woman who shed her red dress in Hercules’s den.
I groan as if every inch of my body hurts.
“Paisley—question,” Lake says like she’s being coy about whatever she’s dying to ask me.
