Read Online One Condition (The Lust List: Kaidan Stone #1) by Nova Raines - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Nova Raines
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I’m carrying, and then buy something much, much cheaper, like maybe a pair of earrings in the front. That’s what seals the deal.
Once you’ve made friends with the store clerks and actually buy something, they don’t suspect you. And even if they do, they’ll feel uncomfortable calling security on you, in case they’re wrong.
I pull on the emerald gown first and step up to the mirror. My eyes are a vivid shade of green, even brighter with this dress on. My cheeks are flushed, and I’m high—high off even the idea of stealing. Shame floods me, dampening my excitement. Deceiving people. Stealing from them. I used to rationalize stealing from stores—they expect a certain amount of stolen stock. But even wanting to steal makes me a bad person. I’m never stealing again. Never. Even if I can do it without getting caught.
“You slut!” Char says, from the room next to mine.
“What?” I laugh and cast off the green dress to slide into my other favorite—a gorgeous blue clingy thing.
“Have you been online at all today?”
Uh-oh. The tone of her voice lets me know I’m probably not going to be happy to see whatever she’s trying to show me.
“ ScandalLust ,” is her one-word reply.
I pull my phone from my bag and bring up the site.
It’s right on the homepage.
SCANDAL! Playboy Kaidan Stone Arrives at LUSH with Hayley Wade… but Leaves with Peyton Mackenzie!
The home page images are low-quality cell phone shots of me and Kaidan—in the club, sitting on the couch in the Velvet Room. The next shot is of me, straddling Kaidan, my lips pressed to his. His hand is buried in my hair. My cheeks grow hot, and I wiggle, the ache back between my legs, remembering the feeling of him, how hard he was beneath his jeans.
And now everyone on the planet can see us.
The thought excites me, but for some reason I’m also shocked that it’s here, displayed like this. But what did I expect? The only surprise is it took more than an hour for someone to find a buyer for these craptastic low-res images.
The curtain to my dressing room opens, and I whirl. Char’s standing there, looking stunning in a red gown. She’s got her phone open to the same picture. She points one well-manicured finger at Kaidan and me. “That’s hot. You didn’t say he kissed you like that .”
I suppress a smile. “Yeah.” I look back at the headline, and my rush fades away. “Too bad he apparently left with Peyton.”
I move to the next image. It’s higher res, courtesy of some enterprising paparazzo. Kaidan’s exiting LUSH, stepping down off the curb, and Peyton’s hanging off his arm in her tight blue dress. He took her home and then called me for dinner the next morning? I feel the color drain from my face. What a jerk.
“Aww, Hay. He’s a playboy. The kind of guy you have to use right back.”
“Yeah,” I say, my voice empty.
“He did invite you to his party, so…”
I think of the coldness in his voice when I asked to attend. I have a feeling whatever he and I had together… maybe it’s over.
Charlotte turns, admiring herself in my dressing room mirror. “What are you going to do when you see him tonight?”
“I don’t know,” I say. “But I promise I won’t be kissing him again.”
“Darn.” She makes a silly face. “I was enjoying living vicariously through you.”
“Is that the dress you’re getting?” I’m desperate to change the subject.
“Yeah, like it?” She twirls around, and the ruffles that run down the back of it move with her.
“It’s perfect on you.”
“Did you find a dress? You should get that one. You look hot in it.”
I look at myself in the mirror, then glance back down at my phone and cringe. The dress I’m wearing is the exact same shade as the dress Peyton had on at the club. It’s even cut the same, just longer. This dress is not an option.
“Nah. I’ve already decided on this other one,” I say, pointing to the green one I’d dropped on the
Once you’ve made friends with the store clerks and actually buy something, they don’t suspect you. And even if they do, they’ll feel uncomfortable calling security on you, in case they’re wrong.
I pull on the emerald gown first and step up to the mirror. My eyes are a vivid shade of green, even brighter with this dress on. My cheeks are flushed, and I’m high—high off even the idea of stealing. Shame floods me, dampening my excitement. Deceiving people. Stealing from them. I used to rationalize stealing from stores—they expect a certain amount of stolen stock. But even wanting to steal makes me a bad person. I’m never stealing again. Never. Even if I can do it without getting caught.
“You slut!” Char says, from the room next to mine.
“What?” I laugh and cast off the green dress to slide into my other favorite—a gorgeous blue clingy thing.
“Have you been online at all today?”
Uh-oh. The tone of her voice lets me know I’m probably not going to be happy to see whatever she’s trying to show me.
“ ScandalLust ,” is her one-word reply.
I pull my phone from my bag and bring up the site.
It’s right on the homepage.
SCANDAL! Playboy Kaidan Stone Arrives at LUSH with Hayley Wade… but Leaves with Peyton Mackenzie!
The home page images are low-quality cell phone shots of me and Kaidan—in the club, sitting on the couch in the Velvet Room. The next shot is of me, straddling Kaidan, my lips pressed to his. His hand is buried in my hair. My cheeks grow hot, and I wiggle, the ache back between my legs, remembering the feeling of him, how hard he was beneath his jeans.
And now everyone on the planet can see us.
The thought excites me, but for some reason I’m also shocked that it’s here, displayed like this. But what did I expect? The only surprise is it took more than an hour for someone to find a buyer for these craptastic low-res images.
The curtain to my dressing room opens, and I whirl. Char’s standing there, looking stunning in a red gown. She’s got her phone open to the same picture. She points one well-manicured finger at Kaidan and me. “That’s hot. You didn’t say he kissed you like that .”
I suppress a smile. “Yeah.” I look back at the headline, and my rush fades away. “Too bad he apparently left with Peyton.”
I move to the next image. It’s higher res, courtesy of some enterprising paparazzo. Kaidan’s exiting LUSH, stepping down off the curb, and Peyton’s hanging off his arm in her tight blue dress. He took her home and then called me for dinner the next morning? I feel the color drain from my face. What a jerk.
“Aww, Hay. He’s a playboy. The kind of guy you have to use right back.”
“Yeah,” I say, my voice empty.
“He did invite you to his party, so…”
I think of the coldness in his voice when I asked to attend. I have a feeling whatever he and I had together… maybe it’s over.
Charlotte turns, admiring herself in my dressing room mirror. “What are you going to do when you see him tonight?”
“I don’t know,” I say. “But I promise I won’t be kissing him again.”
“Darn.” She makes a silly face. “I was enjoying living vicariously through you.”
“Is that the dress you’re getting?” I’m desperate to change the subject.
“Yeah, like it?” She twirls around, and the ruffles that run down the back of it move with her.
“It’s perfect on you.”
“Did you find a dress? You should get that one. You look hot in it.”
I look at myself in the mirror, then glance back down at my phone and cringe. The dress I’m wearing is the exact same shade as the dress Peyton had on at the club. It’s even cut the same, just longer. This dress is not an option.
“Nah. I’ve already decided on this other one,” I say, pointing to the green one I’d dropped on the
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