But I can’t. No matter how much I want to.
I can’t let her fall for me.
Stepping out of the cab, I slide my new phone into my pocket.
Because I’m a liar.
I take out my old phone and make my way over to the parked car.
A thief.
The car door opens, and I sink down to my haunches. The muscles in my chest pull tight when tiny arms wrap around me, and for a moment, nothing else matters. “Hey, bud—”
“You’re late,” Becca snaps, cutting me off. “We’ve been waiting for over ten minutes.”
And I’ve destroyed everything that’s ever been mine.
Chapter 2
Kit
“Hi. I’m Amber.”
I’m trying to focus on what she’s saying, but all my attention is drawn to the huge pair of boobs with pale pink nipples standing at attention.
Yup. Definitely still a lesbian.
Trying not to swallow my tongue—or drop my cup of coffee—I clear my throat and look up. I knew Porn Rub shooting their new videos in the studio right next to my temporary office would be a distraction, but I didn’t think it would be this bad.
“Hi, I’m Kit.”
The beautiful blonde raises one perfect eyebrow. “Are you fucking with me?”
I blink, unsure of what she’s implying. “No? Why—”
“Your name, silly.” She smiles and the action only makes her even hotter. “It’s kind of ironic since you work for Pretty Kitties.”
Safe to say I officially feel like a dumbass.
“Right.” I bring my palm to my forehead. “Duh.”
She giggles a little, causing her boobs to jiggle ever so slightly. “I have to go back to the studio to finish filming, but it was nice to meet you.” Walking backward, she gives me a sly grin. “Hope we run into each other again.”
Mamma mia. Is she flirting with me?
My brain temporarily short-circuits as I scrutinize the thought. “Roger that.” I raise my cup of coffee. “Tallyho.”
Her pretty face scrunches in confusion and that’s when I realize the clusterfuck that just came out of my mouth.
Fuck a duck.
“I mean…bye.”
With that, I quickly dart into my office, close the door behind me, and slump against it.
“Smooth, Kit. Real smooth.”
My cell phone vibrates with an incoming text and I practically jolt as I fish it out of the pocket of my jeans.
Disappointment sinks like a brick in my chest when I see a text from Breslin asking how my new job is going instead of a text from my asshole husband.
Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised, considering the way we left things before I came to New York.
Or rather—the way he left things.
The organ in my chest twists as I think back to the way Preston ran out of the room while I was naked and vulnerable…
Ready to do the unthinkable.
For him.
Turns out I’m not just terrible with women.
Sighing heavily, I make my way over to my desk so I can set up some new ads for Pretty Kitties.
I’m about to plop my ass in the chair when there’s a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
I regret those words the moment it opens and I see Jess standing there. Looking gorgeous as always.
She offers me a warm smile that I don’t return. “Hey.”
“Hi.”
She’s been nicer than usual lately, and I can’t help but think that it’s only because of what transpired in Vegas.
I never should have signed that stupid NDA.
Then again, if I hadn’t, I’d be unemployed. So there’s that.
“I have a surprise for you.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her I have no interest in her surprises because the last one involved drugs and that douchebag Jared, but then I hear, “Dang. He’s pounding her like she’s the end of a ketchup bottle. Get it, honey.”
My face lights up at the sound of Juan’s voice. Last I checked, he was supposed to stay in Connecticut since he’s in sales, but I guess Jess had a change of heart and brought him here.
“Hope you don’t mind sharing your office,” Jess says as Juan prances past her toward me.
“Hello, gorgeous.”
Meeting him halfway, I wrap my arms around him. I’ve only been in New York for a couple days, but I don’t know anyone else here aside from Jess, so it’s been lonely.
Especially since the bag of dicks I’m married to is ignoring me.
“You have no idea how happy I am to see you.”
The crack of my voice takes us both by surprise.
“Don’t cry,” Juan says after our hug ends. “This office looks dreadful, but I’m gonna fix this place up and decorate.”
Oh, man. I open my mouth to remind him that gussying up a temporary office is a waste of time, but telling Juan not to decorate would be like telling a fish not to swim.
“Let’s start with getting some light and fresh air in here.” Before I can stop him, he walks over to the window and opens it. “Hello, New York! Your boy has arrived!”
“Suck my dick,” an aggravated voice below him bellows in response.
“Please, bitch. You wish,” Juan yells out the window.
Jess laughs. “I’ll leave you two to get settled in.”
I dart my gaze in her direction before the door closes. “Thank you.”
She gives me a small nod, and there’s no mistaking the flicker of guilt in her brown orbs before the door clicks shut.
After his verbal sparring match with the random person on the street is over, Juan ambles to the empty desk on the opposite side of the room.
“Spill the tea, girlfriend.”
I start telling him about the studio next door and that there’s a big coffee break room down the hallway that we all share, so running into naked porn stars is a daily occurrence, but he shakes his head.
“I meant about you being married...to a man.”
Oh. That.
Suddenly the room feels way too small.
“Do you want coffee?” I make a beeline for the door. “Awesome sauce. I’ll go get us some.”
“Seriously?” Juan whines. “Come on. You have to tell me what’s up.”
Thinking quick, I blurt, “On second thought, how about some food? I’m starving and there’s this awesome restaurant right down the street that has these incredible empanadas.”
“Kit.”
Dammit. Distracting him with food almost always works.
“Seriously, Juan. They melt in your mouth. I’m not sure what they do to the beef and cheese, but—”
“Stop trying to change the subject.”
“Then stop asking me about my husband,” I snap, but immediately regret it when his face falls.
“I thought we were friends,” he whispers to the floor.
Fuck my life. I feel lower than dirt.
“We are.” I decide to be honest with him. “I’m just…I’m not ready to talk about Preston.”
Because it hurts too much.
Chapter 3