Page 189 of Soul Mates: Hercules Valentine and I

“We’re in front of your building, waiting.”

“On my way,” I say.

We end the call, and I check myself out in my standing mirror. I changed my outfit eight times before settling on the black skinny jeans that Eden talked me into buying during one of our Saturday-afternoon shopping excursions, which included Lake. Frowning at myself wearing the jeans in the dressing room’s mirror, I told her that I don’t really like that much material squeezing my skin.

“I understand that, Pais,” Eden said, standing next to me as she twisted her hips, posing while assessing herself in a pair of tight black leather pants. “But at some point, you’re going to be forced to show off those Heartly Rose legs your mom gifted you.”

I frowned, studying my legs. I didn’t see what she saw. My mom’s legs are skinny. Mine have muscle tone from running.

“I mean, look at me. I’m going to sweat my vag off in this leather shit. But”—she raised a finger—“Nero is going to grow the boner the size of the Empire State Building when he sees me in these. And that, my darling, is worth the agony.” She ran her hands down her crotch then grabbed her rear. “Sexy.”

I rolled my eyes as I chuckled. Then Eden advised me to wear the black skinny jeans for the first guy I date post-Hercules.

Suddenly, I remember that I still have that date with Ronald this Friday. People are going to see me out with him on top of the video of me kissing Hercules. I’m going to be known as the loose Grove daughter.

I can’t let that stress me out right now, though. Hercules is waiting, and an important day is looming. I grab my phone and purse off my unmade bed and rush out of my apartment.

8:19 a.m.

I step out of my apartment building and connect eyes with Hercules. He has on black dress pants that fit him impeccably and a crisp white shirt. As he stands next to the opened back door of his SUV, his appreciating gaze lingers on my “Heartly Rose” legs before finding its way to my face.

He flexes his eyebrows. “You look beautiful today, Paisley.”

I’m trapped in his gaze. “So do you.” I shake the cobwebs out of my brain. “I mean, handsome. You look handsome today.”

Hercules is incredibly close. If our circumstances were different, this would be a moment to kiss.

“Well, we better get going,” he says, sounding winded.

My bobbing head feels as light as air. He doesn’t step back, clearing space between us as I slide into the back seat.

My heart patters steadily as I strap on my seatbelt. Then I catch James smiling at me through the rearview mirror as Hercules closes his door.

“Good morning, James,” I say beaming giddily. That brief moment of connect between me and Hercules makes me feel as though I don’t have a care in the world.

“Good morning, Miss Grove,” James replies.

“It’s Paisley,” I say.

“Good morning, Paisley.”

Hercules’s stare feels like a warm breath spreading across my cheek. When I turn to meet his gaze, my head floats. It takes a few seconds to register that he’s frowning. That’s when all my worries come crashing back to the forefront of my mind.

“Oh no. Have you seen the video?” I ask, my heart thumping a mile a minute.

He rears back slightly. “What video?”

My eyes expand.Damn it.He hasn’t seen it. I gnaw my lower lip, wondering if should tell him.

Hercules draws back as he shifts uncomfortably in his seat. “Paisley?” he asks breathlessly.

My thoughts are congested as I watch him wet his bottom lip. I think he’s also battling the urge to kiss me. The day is already burdensome enough. But I have to say something. It’s good that he hears it from me first.

“There’s—” A phone chimes, interrupting me.

He sighs with dread then raises a finger. “Give me a second.”

I think the ringtone alerted him to who was calling. He takes the phone out of the breast pocket of a black suit jacket that’s hanging on the seat in front of him.