Page 54 of Miss Belief

Teagan

Instead of spending my time pacing the floors while waiting for Reid to return from meeting Vanessa, I forced myself to get ready for bed. But now, instead of pacing, I was lying there feeling completely unsettled.

Dammit, fake girlfriend fail number thirty-seven if I was letting myself get upset that he was talking with his ex. I should know better than to let that bother me. Despite the intimate kisses and inside jokes, I’d never be more than his friend.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

I needed to remember my place in all of this and not get wrapped up in the story.

How long had he been gone? Ugh. What if he’d met her in her room and they were— Nope, I wasn’t going there.

The sound of the key card followed by the opening of the door had me sitting up. His footsteps were quiet as he walked into the bedroom.

“Hi,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“You didn’t. How did it go?”

He expelled a long breath. “Which part? Talking with my ex or talking with my brother?”

“Yikes. Please tell me they didn’t meet you together?”

“No, no. I met Vanessa in the lobby and ran into Chance on the way back to the room. Then because I needed to cool down, I took a walk outside before coming up.”

I hoped the conversations had been shorter than the walk. I could hear him slipping off his shoes before the distinctive swoosh of clothing. No big deal. Reid was just undressing for bed. The bed we were about to share.

“Hold on. Give me a few minutes to brush my teeth.”

I waited, listening to the sound of the water in the bathroom and trying not to let the intimacy of the moment mess with my head.

“Are you sure you’re okay with me sharing the bed? My offer stands to take the couch.”

“It’s a king size, so plenty of room. Sharing will be fine.”

I tried to calm myself when the bed dipped, and then he was turned on his side, facing me, the moonlight illuminating his face.

“What did you say to my brother earlier?” he asked.

I repeated our conversation though I didn’t know how he’d take it.

His laughter filled the room, causing me to feel immediate relief he wasn’t upset by my unfiltered words.

“I’m sure Chance isn’t used to having someone put him in his place.”

“I’m surprised. He seems like enough of an asshole to warrant plenty of pissed-off people giving him a comeback or two.”

He chuckled. “True, but when you’re rich and the owner of a lot of restaurants and clubs, I suppose you get away with a lot more.”

“What kind of clubs?”

“Nightclubs, strip clubs, and who knows what else?”

“Your brother owns strip clubs?” My voice sounded high, even to my own ears. Although my moonlighting job in Dubai was completely secret, I didn’t like the coincidence of the connection.

“Yeah, I forget how many, but most of them are in the LA area.”

What a relief. “Have you ever been to one?” Color me curious.

“No. Definitely not interested.”