Page 100 of Lost Love

They roared out in laughter.

“Oh, that’s the best,” Lourde exclaimed.

“Brilliant,” Olivia echoed.

Written across the front were the wordsMotherfucking CEO.

“What’s so funny?” His voice filtered past my heart, bellowing in my chest.

I didn’t dare look up. I couldn’t bear it, so I stared down at my black suede pumps. I fell silent as conversation swirled around me, and after a short while, I backed away slowly. I felt him turn to follow me, but Barrett called his name, and relief flooded my bones.

Mingling through the crowd, I quickly disappeared into Lourde’s guest room, closing the door behind me and curling my shoulders into my body. Walking over to the opposite wall, I held my chest. It pounded against my ribcage. The pain rose in my throat.

I started pacing the room. If he was here, that meant Francesca was too, and as much as I thought I could suck it up, I was failing miserably.

A breeze hit me, then I realized it was the force of the door opening behind me.

“There you are.” His voice was honey to my wound. I turned around, and Connor stared back at me. Cool eyes, blue shirt sleeves rolled up, and hair dusted to the side, he was a dream.

Just not mine anymore.

He closed the door behind him.

“What are you doing?” I asked, lowering my hand that was pinned against my chest.

He gazed at me up and down, the same stare that sent me alight with one look.

“Don’t look at me like that, Connor.”

“Like what?”

He stroked his chin, scanning my face and slowly my cleavage, then back up to meet my eyes.

“Like that!” I said, throwing my hands to my hips.

“Just because you know I’m single now does not change a thing between us. Now, move out of my way because we can’t be seen together like this.” I walked toward the door, but I shuffled past him when he didn’t move.

“I wouldn’t bother,” he said.

Before opening it, I turned. “Bother with what?”

“We’re locked in here.”

“What?” I turned around and started jiggling with the knob, but it didn’t unlock. “How?”

“If I’d offer a guess, I’d say Lourde.”

I leaned against the door, unsure what was happening.

Was this planned?If so, where was Francesca, and why was it so goddamn hot in here all of a sudden?

He stepped forward, his body brushing against the fabric of my dress, and I let my imagination run wild at all the things I wanted him to do to me.

“You look beautiful, Pepper.”

“I don’t know what’s going on, Connor, but I’m finding it hard to trust myself around you right now.”

“Good,” he breathed out, his lips brushing against my ear.

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