Beauty from Pain(64)

“You’ll have a great time. I wish I could be there to hear you sing.”


“I’ll dedicate one to you.”


“Well, that’s hardly fair. I won’t be there to hear it.”


“Yes, that’s very unfortunate.”


I miss her. “What are you wearing?”


“Do you want the truth, or shall I describe some terribly sexy lingerie so you can fantasize?”


I can’t help it. I want to know what she’s wearing while Ben Donavon is sleeping only a few feet from her. I need to know what he’ll see if they run into each other on the way to the bathroom. “The truth.”


“I’m wearing an incredibly unsexy T-shirt and boxer shorts.”


I’ve seen her definition of unsexy and I couldn’t agree less. One of her sexiest moments was when she was wearing jogging pants and had her hair piled in a messy bun on top of her head. “Baby, you couldn’t be unsexy if you tried.”


“Lachlan. You’re wrong, but I thank you anyway.”


“You’ve felt all right today? No more headaches or vomiting?”


“I’ve felt really good today.”


She scared the shit out of me. “I was worried yesterday.”


“I’m sorry I worried you, but really … I’m fine.”


Is she really okay? “You’d tell me if you weren’t?”


“Yes.”


“It’s late and I should probably let you get to sleep. It’s not a bad idea for me to catch up on my slumber since someone has been keeping me up late at night.”


“Well, you might find it easier to get a little sleep if you weren’t instigating late-night activities.”


“You don’t like my instigating?”


“I didn’t say that.”


“So, you like it?”


“Very much, Mr. Henry. I like your late-night instigations. And your morning ones. And your midday ones. Hell, I like all of your instigating.”


“I’ll remember that next time I see you.”


“Yes, be sure you do. Now, get some sleep, Mr. Henry. You have a lot of instigating to do when you return.”


“Yes, ma’am, I do.”


25


Laurelyn Prescott


I’m applying my makeup to go out for New Year’s Eve and I’m totally bummed. I thought bringing in the new year in Australia would be some kind of spectacular experience, but it won’t be because Lachlan isn’t here to celebrate with me. And he won’t be here to kiss me at midnight.


I’m smoking up my eyes with black liner while Addison is in the shower talking nonstop about Zac. I really want to tell her to shut up. I know I’m being completely selfish, but if I can’t be with Lachlan, I don’t want to hear about all the things she’s going to do to rock Zac’s world tonight.


Enough is enough. “I’m going to the bedroom to get dressed.”


“Okay. I’ll be out in a minute.”


“Take your time.” I’m wrapped in a towel as I peek out the door to be sure Ben isn’t around before I streak to the bedroom. After I see that the coast is clear, I make a break for it. I’m not four steps down the hall when I run right smack into him. Literally.


I look up as I grasp my towel tightly. Being so close to him while wearing so little feels wrong. Really wrong. “Excuse me.”


He doesn’t make a move or say a word as his eyes roam my body. I dart around him and run for the bedroom door, slamming it behind me. Shit. That was more than just a little unpleasant.


I stand in front of the closet searching through what has now become community property. There’s no mine or yours. I pull out a black strapless with a wide red waist sash and hold it up to myself as I look in the mirror. It’s Addison’s so of course it’s going to be short on me, but I like it. It’s sexy as hell. I don’t know why I care. I have no one to impress.


I’m standing in front of the mirror with the dress when Addison comes into the bedroom. “Nice choice.”


“You weren’t going to wear it, were you?”


“No, I’m wearing the electric blue one.”