Page 46 of The Autumn We Fell in Love

These are the same type of guys who fucked my mom over. She and my dad trusted an insurance agent to take care of their healthcare needs. He signed them up for a plan with confusing terms and way less coverage than it seems at first blush.

Now my otherwise well-off parents are knee-deep in debt while my mom battles for her life.

I wasn’t there to help my parents navigate the tricky world of health insurance. I can’t go back in time and help them prevent the financial disaster they’re currently living.

But I can be there for Shira. And I’m sure as hell going to be.

Peeking up at me from beneath thick lashes, Shira offers me a shy smile, unaware of her friend practically buzzing with satisfaction at her side. “Really?”

I nod. There’s no way I’m letting what happened to my parents happen to her. “Absolutely. Just let me know where and when and I’ll be there.”

“Thank you,” she murmurs.

Stepping forward, she slides a soft hand into mine. My jaw drops and my heart leaps and twists at the unexpected contact. But instead of feeling too forward, the gesture strikes me as innocent and an expression of trust.

I squeeze her hand in return. “I got your back, Shira Meade.”

She rewards me with the brightest, most beautiful smile I’ve ever had the privilege to see. I can’t help but return one of my own, my heart still tap dancing over the inside of my ribs.

I don’t know what the hell is happening right now. I probably don’t even really understand what I’m getting myself into.

But I like it.

Shira

Ican’t get Laurent out of my head.

Whycan’t I get Laurent out of my head?

I’m at home laying in bed with visions of a tawny-skinned man dancing around a pole in my head.

It’s ridiculous.

No,I’mridiculous to let my mind and heart be so captivated by this perfect stranger within minutes of first laying eyes on him.

And yeah, the man’s nice to look at.Reallynice. He’s basically a perfect specimen of humanity.

But my feelings about Laurent go deeper than his perfect, toned, glistening mahogany skin.

Tonight I watched hours of sexy dances, stripteases, and oiled abs on display. Mostly because Valentina was teasing me, but also to prove to myself that I’m just easily won over by a man in a sequined thong.

But none of the other performers made me feel the way Laurent did.

Which makes no sense.

Then he had to go and be like that. You know, all nice and gentlemanly and stuff. And was it just me, or was he kind of hell-bent on defending my honor for a second there?

Put that all together and you know what you get?

A very horny and possibly lovelorn Shira.

Clicking off the lamp on my nightstand, I nestle my body fully beneath the thick white comforter, head buoyed by a stack of pillows.

Telling myself it’s no big deal, that at this very moment probably fifty other San Pablo-area women are doing exactly what I’m about to, I summon the memory of Laurent flying around the pole and slip a hand inside my panties.

Burrowing through the curly down covering my mound, I touch my most intimate place and find I’m already wet.

I shouldn’t be surprised, I guess. Laurent had my insides pooling the first time I laid eyes on him.

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