Page 30

The Titans weren’t the only ones on a winning streak, a week later Bella joined the ranks of the victorious. Chase Miller had got his comeuppance. Astrid had been avenged and in spectacular fashion too!

Last night, the girls had celebrated. Drank champagne and talked until their voices grew hoarse. But as happy as Astrid had been, post-PMDD and high on payback, she’d also been forced to come clean about her own failings. At least where Aiden was concerned… not Blake.

They couldn’t know about Blake. Astrid didn’t want to know about Blake. He made her feel too much. Want too much.

They’d been kind and understanding – more than she deserved – and immediately set about creating a fallback plan. Dedicating a chunk of the call to the many and varied ways in which she could mess with the Ice King… each idea more fanciful than the last.

And today was the day of the photoshoot. The perfect opportunity to do something …

But what?

As she hurried along the sidewalk to the twins’ apartment, her mind buzzed with their suggestions and then it struck her, flashing before her eyes in vivid technicolour. The same billboard she’d passed that very first day walking home with Blake – Aiden grinning with his preferred brand of tan.

To be fair to the guy, if it weren’t for a New York winter and the amount of time he spent on the ice, it could be considered au naturel . But there were other brands… brands with shades that shouldn’t exist unless you intended to look like a pumpkin.

Now this she could mess with…

And checking her watch, she pivoted to the nearest department store.

* * *

Blake hated having his photo taken.

Even his professional profile pic had been taken under duress, and did he smile? Did he fuck.

Fin, the camera guy, was setting up in the living room. Astrid was supposed to be on her way over but running late. Stella was clucking about and Aiden, he had no fucking idea where Aiden was. The guy had become a law unto himself.

Was he the only one ready for this damn thing? Ready with a headache too. Not to mention the fact that his face felt weird. And he smelt of a goddamn biscuit.

Why he’d listened to Stella when she’d suggested he shave, he had no idea. As for the tan, that was all Aiden’s doing – the camera loves a tan, buddy. Blake did not.

But he was determined to play ball. Do as he was told in the hope that the whole thing would be over as quickly and as painlessly as possible.

Though now Aiden was AWOL and he felt… he ran a hand over his smooth jaw and grimaced, his skin prickling with mounting unease. This wasn’t him.

Fin had taken some test shots earlier and Blake had struggled to recognise himself. Maybe he ought to change the clothing Stella had chosen too. White tee, stonewashed jeans. So not him.

About the only thing that was truly ‘Fury at Home’ were his bare feet. And Astrid had said she wanted this to be genuine, a true representation of their life…

So why did you listen to Stella?

Perhaps because Astrid wasn’t here to tell him otherwise, and he was so far out of his comfort zone he’d take instruction from anyone who looked like they knew what they were doing.

Why hadn’t Astrid rocked up with Fin? Was she the reason Aiden wasn’t here either? Were they both off together doing God knew what?

He clenched his jaw and fired off another text to the man himself.

‘Mr Carter?’

The voice accompanied a knock on his bedroom door, and he blinked through the darkness. ‘Yes?’

It cracked open a slit and Fin’s pixie-haired apprentice peeped in… what was her name… Betty? Betsy? Becky? ‘What is it?’

‘Fin’s asking if we’re okay to move the coffee table out of the living area?’

Did he want to move Blake out of the apartment while he was at it?

‘No problem.’

‘And can we take the?—’

‘Fin can do whatever the hell he likes so long as he gets this over with as quick as possible.’

‘Great!’ Though she sounded terrified now and he gripped his temples.

‘Sorry, headache, my bad.’

‘Can I get you something for it?’

‘No-no, it’s fine. Just do what you need to do.’

She hurried off and he dropped back on his bed, threw an arm over his head and closed his eyes. It was going to be a long morning…

* * *

‘Everything going okay, Fin?’

Astrid? Blake’s eyes eased open; he must have fallen asleep. Just the sound of her voice carrying down the hall had a smile working its way through him, the thumping in his head easing.

‘Aye, all set. We’re a man down but Stella reckons he’ll be here in a wee bit. Thanks for the coffee.’

‘No worries. I—’ She broke off, her tone taking a turn. ‘Sorry, Fin, I just have to make a call and then I’ll be back.’

‘Nae bother, take your time.’

Blake pushed himself to sitting and ran a hand over his hair – time to get this party started.

He hit the bathroom, freshened up and headed out, surprised to find Astrid coming down the hall at a lick, head down, ponytail swinging, thumbs working furiously over her phone. Why the sudden hurry? And why did she always look so goddamn sexy?

She’d skipped the glasses again today, but the waistcoat was back. Her white shirt lay open just enough to tease at the sweet spot between her breasts, while her jeans clung to her legs in a way that made his fingers itch to?—

‘Morning!’ he blurted, eager to cut the thought dead… not, as it happened, scare the bejesus out of her.

She jumped, and her phone flew, hitting the floor and skidding past him, straight into his room.

‘Shit!’ She dived to rescue it as he did, hurling herself in front of him and catching the doorframe as she went. She ricocheted from it to him and back again, going down like a pinball, ping ping ping.

He lunged to catch her, but she dragged him off balance and they went down together. One moment, she was beneath him, his hands braced on her hips. The next, she was on top, clutching the phone tightly between them.

Wide, glittering eyes blinked down at him in the dark; her soft breath swept over his cheeks…

‘Hey.’

Hell, was that his voice? All gruff and winded and weak. Though with her body pressed to every inch of his, her thighs straddling his hips and all the heat rushing south, it was lucky he could speak at all.

‘Hey.’

She was just as breathless, just as startled…

She shifted over him, the friction firing through his groin.

Shit. He needed to move before— too late.

She knew. She felt it. Eyes widening and then closing as she dropped forward and before he knew what she was about, she kissed him.

Hard. Insistent. Going all in. And he was so here for it.

The passion, the fire – holy fuck this woman could kiss!

He buried his hand in her ponytail, tugged her head back as he rolled her under him, his groan as wild as he now felt. Oh yes, this was worth getting all preened for…

‘Blake!’

They froze. Aiden . For fuck’s sake. The king of bad timing had returned and was hollering from somewhere down the hall…

Blake lifted his head, gave her a lopsided grin. ‘That was some good morning, Twinkle Toes.’

Now she scrambled. Hurrying out from underneath him, her hand quivering over her lips as she squinted up at him.

‘Blake?’ she whispered, her voice raw.

‘Yeah, who else would it—’ His gut shrivelled and rolled. ‘You’ve got to be kidding me…’

But it was there, in her horrified gaze.

‘You thought I was him, didn’t you? That’s why you…’ He choked on his own words. ‘Fuck. Of course you did.’

‘But your face… your stubble… your tan …’

‘Un- fucking- believable!’ He launched to his feet. He wanted to puke. Fuck, he wanted to get the hell out of there and not come back.

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t – it’s not… It was dark and you?—’

Her phone started to ring in her hand, and she glanced at the screen, her pallor deepening. ‘I’m really sorry, I need to take this.’

‘So long as you take it elsewhere, Foxy, I couldn’t care less.’

She stared at him, eyes rolling with emotion that he had no interest in responding to. The phone was still ringing, its lilt grating on his nerves. ‘Just go, Astrid. And while you’re at it, find your fucking glasses.’

She got to her feet, wobbling as she straightened. But he didn’t care. He didn’t.

She teetered to the door, gripped its frame and looked back – a moment’s glance full of… regret? Pity? Guilt? And then she was gone and his gut bottomed out.

This was why he didn’t let people in.

This was why he should remember who he was.

This was why he refused to feel anything for a woman.

Because it hurt. Hurt like fuck when they let him down. Or worse, chose his brother over him.

Well, more fool him for caring.

And more fool her for getting it so wrong.

And damn Stella and his bro for suggesting he make some changes. Though he only had himself to blame for listening. To Stella, to Aiden, to Astrid… and his own body that had wanted so much more from her and dared to believe it was possible.

* * *

No-no-no-no-no-no-no…

It rambled through her mind, past her lips as Astrid raced into the elevator and slammed the button for ‘Ground’, the lurch to her stomach nothing to do with the speed of the lift and everything to do with Blake and Bella. Bella and Blake.

How could she have thought Blake was Aiden?

And what the hell was wrong with Bella?

Everything had been rosy on their call. Champagne central all night!

She glanced at the screen, Bella’s initial ‘Code Red’ message had been followed by two more:

Just Desserts WhatsApp Group. 10.39 EST.

Bella

Code red.

Code RED.

HELP! NOW!

And now Bella was ringing them all.

Her head raced with what it could be while her heart raced over that kiss.

She’d been so caught up in the sudden karmic opportunity and utterly convinced that the AWOL twin would be Blake.

That good boy Aiden would be prompt and ready with his trademark grin.

And her quick glimpse in the hall had delivered everything she would have expected – freshly shaved jaw, golden tan, white tee, pale jeans – all Aiden.

Only it wasn’t !