Read Online Beauty Shot (Hope Parish Novels Book 5) by Zoe Dawson - Free Book Online
Authors: Zoe Dawson
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stairs.
I wasn’t ready
to go, not yet, not like this. But Minnie was staring at me, not
moving. One look at her and I was about done in all over again.
She looked like she
wanted me to be the strong one, like she was going to need days
before she would be willing to let me go. Her mouth was soft, her
cheeks flushed, and I could tell from her eyes that she was still
just a little bit lost in that wonderful place we just visited.
I didn’t blame
her. I would have stayed there, too, for days, right along with her,
except I had to let her go because there were people here. People she
didn’t want to know she had a crush on me and had given in to
it.
Sonuvabitch. This
was damned annoying and frustrating.
I had to go, and I
had to go now.
She hesitated, then
cupped my cheek and kissed me, her lips brushing across mine, not
once, but twice. In the next instant, she whispered, “Go, I’ll
have Daniel take you home.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow is
another day, love. Now, go.”
I went because I
didn’t want to embarrass her by being here in the morning, even
though I would have followed her anywhere.
Back on the street,
I headed for the limo parked at the curb. I glanced toward the
intersection as a noisy bunch of people crossed against the light
before settling into the soft leather seat.
Yeah, the City that
Never Sleeps.
I twisted and ducked
my head to look up at the penthouse, wondering how much sleep I would
get tonight.
Or how many times I
would relive those last moments in her arms.
Chapter Four
Travis
I swore, threw back
the covers, and reached for Deke’s phone. Damn thing had been
going off all day. I didn’t know what was going on, but I’d
had enough. I turned the damn thing off and set it down. I had just
settled back into bed when I heard him at the door, and he came in as
quietly as he could.
I suddenly wished I
had been able to get a single. After what happened yesterday, I
couldn’t seem to get the image of him and Emmie together out of
my mind. I didn’t know what Deke was playing at, but I didn’t
want him to hurt Emmie. Hell, I barely knew her, but I hadn’t
been able to get her off my mind from the moment I saw her amazing
gray eyes.
I’d never seen
such a color before. Those big black-framed glasses did nothing but
make her look like a cute little Goth princess.
And I’d blown
it again by not acting fast enough. But I was up against Deke, for
krist sake. It hurt more than I was willing to let myself feel. Why
couldn’t I just make a damn move? Why was I so…damned…stupid!?
“I’m
awake,” I grumbled.
“Shoot, son,
I’m sorry,” Deke said, and I wanted to punch him in the
face.
“I’m
sorry to wake you,” he added.
“It wasn’t
you. It was your damn phone. It’s been buzzing all day.”
“Ah, shoot,
has it? Sorry.”
I saw him cross the
room in the dim light from the outside streetlamps. He picked up his
phone and turned it on.
“Shit, a
hundred messages? Damn.”
“What the hell
happened?”
“I sorta got
roped into participating in the fashion show, and my picture was
taken. A lot.” He sounded weary.
I rolled my eyes in
the dark. “All the hot females calling you?”
“No,” I
saw him stiffen. “Maybe, but I’m only interested in one
woman.”
I gritted my teeth.
I knew who that was, and it was a good thing I didn’t give her
the time of day today. I wasn’t as good with girls as Deke was.
I was shy and felt mostly stupid around them. Just a big, clumsy oaf.
But with Emmie it
was ten times worse.
Deke sat on the edge
of his bed and sighed. “In fact, I just kissed her senseless
and I would be with her right now if—”
“I don’t
want to hear about your conquests, Deke,” I snapped and I had
never heard myself sound full of goddamn mad. He’d
kissed her? Sonavabitch! My heart felt crushed like I was having a combined head/heart attack,
a physically debilitating, agonizing, mental breakdown.
“Travis?”
he said,
I wasn’t ready
to go, not yet, not like this. But Minnie was staring at me, not
moving. One look at her and I was about done in all over again.
She looked like she
wanted me to be the strong one, like she was going to need days
before she would be willing to let me go. Her mouth was soft, her
cheeks flushed, and I could tell from her eyes that she was still
just a little bit lost in that wonderful place we just visited.
I didn’t blame
her. I would have stayed there, too, for days, right along with her,
except I had to let her go because there were people here. People she
didn’t want to know she had a crush on me and had given in to
it.
Sonuvabitch. This
was damned annoying and frustrating.
I had to go, and I
had to go now.
She hesitated, then
cupped my cheek and kissed me, her lips brushing across mine, not
once, but twice. In the next instant, she whispered, “Go, I’ll
have Daniel take you home.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow is
another day, love. Now, go.”
I went because I
didn’t want to embarrass her by being here in the morning, even
though I would have followed her anywhere.
Back on the street,
I headed for the limo parked at the curb. I glanced toward the
intersection as a noisy bunch of people crossed against the light
before settling into the soft leather seat.
Yeah, the City that
Never Sleeps.
I twisted and ducked
my head to look up at the penthouse, wondering how much sleep I would
get tonight.
Or how many times I
would relive those last moments in her arms.
Chapter Four
Travis
I swore, threw back
the covers, and reached for Deke’s phone. Damn thing had been
going off all day. I didn’t know what was going on, but I’d
had enough. I turned the damn thing off and set it down. I had just
settled back into bed when I heard him at the door, and he came in as
quietly as he could.
I suddenly wished I
had been able to get a single. After what happened yesterday, I
couldn’t seem to get the image of him and Emmie together out of
my mind. I didn’t know what Deke was playing at, but I didn’t
want him to hurt Emmie. Hell, I barely knew her, but I hadn’t
been able to get her off my mind from the moment I saw her amazing
gray eyes.
I’d never seen
such a color before. Those big black-framed glasses did nothing but
make her look like a cute little Goth princess.
And I’d blown
it again by not acting fast enough. But I was up against Deke, for
krist sake. It hurt more than I was willing to let myself feel. Why
couldn’t I just make a damn move? Why was I so…damned…stupid!?
“I’m
awake,” I grumbled.
“Shoot, son,
I’m sorry,” Deke said, and I wanted to punch him in the
face.
“I’m
sorry to wake you,” he added.
“It wasn’t
you. It was your damn phone. It’s been buzzing all day.”
“Ah, shoot,
has it? Sorry.”
I saw him cross the
room in the dim light from the outside streetlamps. He picked up his
phone and turned it on.
“Shit, a
hundred messages? Damn.”
“What the hell
happened?”
“I sorta got
roped into participating in the fashion show, and my picture was
taken. A lot.” He sounded weary.
I rolled my eyes in
the dark. “All the hot females calling you?”
“No,” I
saw him stiffen. “Maybe, but I’m only interested in one
woman.”
I gritted my teeth.
I knew who that was, and it was a good thing I didn’t give her
the time of day today. I wasn’t as good with girls as Deke was.
I was shy and felt mostly stupid around them. Just a big, clumsy oaf.
But with Emmie it
was ten times worse.
Deke sat on the edge
of his bed and sighed. “In fact, I just kissed her senseless
and I would be with her right now if—”
“I don’t
want to hear about your conquests, Deke,” I snapped and I had
never heard myself sound full of goddamn mad. He’d
kissed her? Sonavabitch! My heart felt crushed like I was having a combined head/heart attack,
a physically debilitating, agonizing, mental breakdown.
“Travis?”
he said,
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