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‘Do you think he’s a boob man?’

Bella sprayed wine into her hand, narrowly missing Astrid’s laptop propped open on the bed and the clothing strewn all around. ‘Do I what?’

‘You know, boobs!’

Astrid grabbed her own, thrusting them up in her cropped Metallica tee as she scrutinised her refection in the floor-to-ceiling mirrors lining one wall of the bedroom in her temporary abode, aka her uncle’s New York City bolthole.

‘You’re asking the wrong woman.’

‘Sienna didn’t say. And I’m serious; in my experience, a man is normally one or the other.’

Bella frowned. ‘One or the other?’

‘You know, tits or arse.’

Bella choked on a laugh, but Astrid was pretty sure Paige would get it if she’d been able to join the Just Desserts group video call she’d left running on the off chance she’d wake up for it.

‘If you say so…’ Bella murmured, lowering her gaze to the laptop and angling her head this way and that as she studied Research Exhibit C, a collage of Aiden Carter’s ex-girlfriends.

Astrid joined her on the bed, did the same. Nope. It was no good. These ladies were giving nothing away. Maybe it was because most of them dressed like they were attending church. An uber glam, designer-gear-only church. A church for fashionistas, if there ever was such a thing.

‘Do we have to talk anatomy on his exes?’ came Sienna’s disembodied voice.

‘Sissi, finally!’ Astrid clicked on the video call and her little square joined the collage – how apt. ‘You made it!’

‘At the wrong time by the sound of it.’

‘Sorry, babe.’ Astrid gave her an apologetic smile. ‘But if I’m gonna reel him in I need to nail my image; it’s essential I get this right for Operation Heartbreak to work.’

‘I know,’ she grumbled. ‘So long as you don’t nail him.’

‘Ha!’ Bella said, hopping off the bed and reaching for the wine bottle. ‘Can you imagine?’

‘Absolutely not.’ Astrid gave an exaggerated shudder. ‘This is all about treating him mean, keeping him keen and then cutting him loose. No communication. Nada.’

‘Cheers to that,’ Bella said, upending the bottle and earning a dribble. ‘Oh shit, we’re out.’

Both Sienna and Astrid erupted on a laugh.

‘What?’ Bella asked, wide eyed.

‘Did you just say shit?’ Sienna said.

‘Maybe.’

Astrid shook her head, affection filling her chest for the woman who was swiftly becoming a sister from another mister.

She was so glad she was living in the same city for a spell, her uncle’s apartment giving her the perfect base from which to work while infiltrating the Titans…

And this was Bella’s home turf. It also happened to be where a certain Chase Miller was launching a brand new art gallery.

He was far too close for comfort, but thanks to Bella, comfort was the last thing he’d be experiencing any time soon.

‘I fear we’ve corrupted you, B.’

‘It was long overdue,’ she declared, swinging the empty bottle. ‘I was tired of being Miss Goody Two-Shoes anyway. Now, wine?’

‘Please. There’s plenty of choice in the kitchen.’

Bella swept from the room and Astrid lowered her gaze to the laptop. She frowned as Sissi gnawed on her bottom lip. ‘Are you having second thoughts, love?’

‘Not so much second thoughts…’ She ran a hand through her blonde ponytail and tugged it over one shoulder. ‘It’s strange though, to think that in less than twenty-four hours you’ll be in the same room as him.’

For you and me both , she wanted to say. The meeting had her feeling kind of squiffy too.

She had known so little about him when she’d made her promise. She’d been too high on alcohol, sugary treats, a frenzied snowbound airport and the buzz of a newfound friendship. She’d been bold and brave and desperate to play her part.

Then she’d googled him at the earliest opportunity. And Aiden Carter had become more than just a 2D sundae-eating, ice hockey all-star pin-up with a dodgy break-up against his name. He’d become a real person with a backstory, a family, a famed reputation… and a very selective dating history.

A history that suggested Astrid was going to have to do more than alter her look if she was going to win him over. She was going to have to undergo a personality transplant.

‘There’s still time to change your mind, Sissi. I can back out of the Titans meeting?’

‘No.’ She lifted her chin. ‘It’s been ten years and it’s still there eating away at me. After everything we’d gone through together, everything we’d shared, everything that…’ She broke off, her beautiful blue eyes awash with unshed tears and Astrid wanted to reach inside the screen and hug her.

‘I know, honey, I know.’

‘I just want him to feel what it’s like. At least on some level. To be ghosted.’

‘I’m going to do my best. My very very best. I promise.’

Because Astrid couldn’t imagine it for herself. Ten years and to still have it cut so deep. As much as Chase had hurt her, broken her, she hoped to God she wouldn’t still be stewing on it ten years from now. Though Bella was already helping with that.

‘Your uncle has seriously good taste in wine,’ said the woman herself returning with a fresh bottle.

‘He can afford to.’

‘Oh, to have a wealthy uncle with a New York City apartment to steal whenever you so wish,’ Sienna said, ‘and a decent wine collection too. It’s the stuff of fantasies.’

‘Wait until you see the view, Si,’ Bella added.

‘Hey, it can be your fantasy too,’ Astrid said. ‘You’re more than welcome to come join me any time.’

‘Chance would be a fine thing.’

Between waitressing and studying law, Astrid knew Sienna rarely had a moment to spare, but still…

‘You work too hard.’

‘Tell me something I don’t know.’

That I’m not sure I can do this…

Could she admit that to her friend?

Bella topped up Astrid’s glass and passed it to her, grey eyes narrowing as she did so. ‘You look pensive. What’s wrong?’

Trust Bella to notice. The girl didn’t miss a trick.

Astrid blew her unruly waves out of her eyes and thought about how best to say it. ‘I’m no Kate Hudson, ladies.’

‘No Kate Hudson?’ Bella picked up her own glass and flopped down beside her. ‘I don’t get it… You mean, because she’s blonde and most of his exes are blonde?’

‘No, not really. Well, not quite.’ She gave Sienna a sheepish glance. She didn’t want to worry her, or worse, let her down. But at the same time, she needed to get it off her chest. ‘I was meaning more in the whole How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days sense. The facade…’

‘I’m lost,’ Bella said, chugging some wine then squinting at the drink. ‘Maybe we should have sorted your image before consuming so much wine.’

‘She means the film where Hudson’s character has to date a guy and scare him off,’ Sienna explained. ‘Though you’re in role reversal.’

‘Ha!’ Astrid huffed into her glass as she took a nerve-soothing swig. ‘I’m no Matthew McConaughey either.’

Bella snorted. ‘I don’t know, maybe there’s a slight resemblance. The twinkly eyes, the dimples, the cheeky streak…’

Astrid gave her a playful shove. ‘Hey!’

‘If it walks like a duck, swims like a duck…’ Sienna said.

‘Quacks like a duck,’ Bella added.

‘Yeah, yeah, I’m the duck, I get it.’

Hell, they were probably right. She had to be cheeky to get access to the people she had over the years, but it still begged the question – could she do this ?

‘I think it would have made more sense for you to take on Aiden, B. You’re naturally more his type.’

‘Na-ah, one man is enough, and I’ve got Chase for you. He’s driving me crazy enough. Besides, I don’t have the right assets to gain access to the Titans like you do.’

‘Assets?’ She cocked a brow. ‘Are we back on the boobs now because?—’

‘Enough with the boobs!’ both girls chorused with a laugh.

‘I’m talking about your way in,’ Bella said. ‘Your job and your skills and your angle!’

Her angle…

She opened up Research Exhibit B. The man who had given the Titans Media and PR team enough cause to bite her hand off when she’d pitched her idea of a profile piece to them.

And no, it wasn’t Aiden Carder filling her screen. It was his brother, Blake. The other half of the Titan Twins. Identical in the basics – blue eyes, dark hair, a sensual mouth and jaw of steel. Infamous swoon-worthy dimples too.

But there the similarity ended.

Where Aiden was golden – bronzed skin, clean shaven, carefully groomed, affable Prince Charming in every way – Blake was the total opposite.

Dark and brooding, zero tan, all the stubble, and as guarded as Fort Knox…

so freaking intriguing that she was salivating, her creative juices overflowing with a need to pick apart what made him tick, what drove that dangerous glint in his eye…

And her brain wasn’t the only thing enjoying an extra juicy charge.

Why did she have to dig the bad boy every time?

Hadn’t Chase taught her anything?

‘He’s something,’ Bella murmured, leaning in.

From Blake’s official headshot for the team, to an action shot mid-play, to an action shot mid-brawl taken outside a New York bar just last week, he was ‘something’ all over.

It was the brawl that had given her a way in, inspiring an article her heart, soul, and career were now invested in. A feature piece that would deliver the truth on the twins. The past, the present and the glory of these men. Two of the greatest hockey players the world had ever seen.

The aim as the Titans saw it: to turn the tide on Blake’s rapidly deteriorating reputation and save his position on the team.

The aim as Astrid saw it: to save one brother’s career if he so deserved, while dishing up just desserts on the other.

It had been perfect. It was perfect. And it was going to be another great step in her career too. Vanity Fair great if she got it right. Which she would. Her professional ability wasn’t up for debate. The karma however…

‘He’s a bit…’ Words failed Bella.

‘Fierce?’ Astrid suggested.

‘Uh-huh.’

‘Huge?’ she added.

‘Uh-huh.’

Astrid sipped on her wine as she lost herself in Blake’s brooding gaze. ‘Hot.’

Bella’s head snapped around. ‘I was going to say rakish.’