Foreplay (The Ivy Chronicles #1)(32)

“Hey, there.”

I looked up at Georgia leaning against the doorjamb. She was in her running clothes. Earbuds dangled from around her neck. “Hi. How was your run?”

She fell onto the bed beside me. “Brutal. Paying for my weeklong junk food binge. I really stress-ate while studying for my finance exam.”

Em breezed into the room then. “You should major in studio arts like me.”

“You still have to take your core classes,” I reminded her.

“And I’m almost through with those.” She shrugged one slim shoulder. “I’m into the stuff I enjoy now. Which is definitely not finance.” She made a face and shook her head at Georgia.

“Maybe if I was a genius artist, I wouldn’t need to major in business.”

Em flashed her a smile. “You’re sweet. I hope my stuff ends up in a gallery someday, and I don’t end up teaching middle school art.”

“As if that would happen.” Georgia laughed. “Daddy will save you.”

Some of Emerson’s smile faded, and I couldn’t help remembering what she had shared about her father. I guess Georgia wasn’t aware of that or forgot about it.

Deciding to change the subject, I asked, “What are your plans for the night?”

Emerson brightened. “I’m all yours.”

“Harris has a project to work on.”

“Yay!” Emerson clapped. “Let’s go out. Just the three of us.”

“There’s a new Thai place over on Roosevelt. It’s supposed to be really good. We could try that,” Georgia suggested.

I nodded. “That sounds good . . .”

“And that new Bourne movie—”

“We can watch a movie anytime,” Emerson pouted.

“We can go to a bar anytime,” Georgia returned.

I inhaled. “I want to go back to Mulvaney’s.”

My friends fell silent for a moment. I knew from Georgia’s uncertain expression that Emerson had filled her in on everything—specifically my humiliation at discovering Reece wasn’t the bartender I had hoped to hook up with. No, that was his kid brother. The embarrassment of that still stung.

“You want to go back?” Georgia asked. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I need to talk to Reece.”

Emerson stared at me, and I braced myself, expecting her to remind me again that I did not owe him an explanation. Thankfully the words never came, because I couldn’t leave this alone. I didn’t want him to think I was like every girl to walk through those doors, drawn by rumors of Logan and ready for a taste. He’d thought I was different before. That’s what bothered me the most. He no longer thought there was anything special about me.

“Then we’ll go,” Emerson finally said, her expression unusually solemn. She moved toward my closet. “Okay. What are you going to wear then?”

“Something hot,” Georgia supplied.

“Of course,” Emerson replied, sliding hangers one after the other. “We’re going to make him regret he ever let our Pepper go.”

“He didn’t let me go exactly. I ran away.”

“That’s because he was being a jerk. So you wanted to use him to increase your sexual prowess? Big deal. What guy isn’t eager for a no-strings-attached hookup?”

Reece, apparently.

“I think the key here is that his ego was wounded,” Georgia explained. “Pepper thought he was his brother.”

“Well. Then you need to make him forget why he was so offended.” Emerson paused, and turned around, studying me. “Wait. I’m assuming that’s what you want to do. Are you still hot for him? Is he the one you want to show you the ropes?”

I should be accustomed to Emerson’s directness by now, but she could always catch me off guard. I stared from her to Georgia, who looked so calm and self-assured. Like she already knew the answer.

“Yeah.” I nodded, feeling my cheeks warm up. If I was going to get lessons on foreplay, I wanted it to be from him. I hadn’t been able to forget that one kiss. I certainly wasn’t about to renew my search and go after some new guy. A stranger. It was either Reece or no one. I would just have to wait and hope I attracted him in my own fumbling way.

“All right then.” Emerson looked at me with understanding. Only what she understood, I wasn’t too sure.

“I still want Hunter,” I said, making sure there was no confusion.

“Of course. Of course.” She nodded, and then turned back to the closet. Propping her hand on a slim hip, she studied the contents a moment longer before she pulled out a pair of dark jeans. “Georgia? What top do you think?” She lifted an eyebrow, waiting for advisement.

“Blue cowl-neck sweater. Right side of the closet.”

“Thanks.” Nodding, Emerson went off to search in their room.

“You know, Pepper,” Georgia said, crossing her Lycra-clad legs, “the world won’t end if you end up with someone besides Hunter.”

Everything in me tightened, resisting the idea. “But I want Hunter. I always have.” I’d always wanted to be a Montgomery. “And for once it doesn’t seem like such an impossible thing.”

“I never thought it was impossible. Especially not now that he’s single. He’d be lucky to have you. Any guy would.” She uncrossed her legs. Pressing her knees together, she scooted to the edge of my bed and looked at me earnestly. “But sometimes the thing you want isn’t what you really need.”