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Fuck yeah, I am. His free hand came up to frame her face, and he nudged her cheek with his nose
until her head angled to the side. You re sexy as hell, Lucie, and I want to unwrap you to get to the
decadent prize underneath. I want to learn your likes, your dislikes to know your fears and your
dreams and I vow to peel back each beautiful layer until I discover everything about you.
Lucie s heart was pounding so hard she was sure the hostess could hear it in the front of the
restaurant. She wanted to be known like that physically, emotionally desperately.
Yes, she said. I want that.
Then take what you want. His voice was little more than a rasp at her ear. It sounded strained
and on the edge. Make it happen.
She was so wrapped up in the image in her mind, she didn t notice Reid had stepped back from her
until the feeling of bereftness came over her. Letting her eyes flutter open, she focused on Reid
standing in front of her. His hands shoved into his front pockets and the stiff look on his face didn t
match the sultry emotions he d just poured over her.
All you have to do is remember everything I ve just told you, and walk through that door. Before
she could ask him if everything was all right, he jerked his head in the direction of the banquet room.
Go on. It s time to make your entrance, Cinderella.
The idea of walking into a room with all eyes on her no longer sent her into a panic. He was right.
She might not be celebrity beautiful, but she did look one hundred percent better than she had a week
ago. There was no reason she shouldn t find some confidence in that. Stretching up on her tiptoes
Lucie placed a kiss on his cheek. Thank you, Reid.
One side of his mouth quirked up. Anytime, sweetheart.
With her newfound conviction and brand-new look, Lucie pushed her shoulders back and strode
down the hall.
&
Reid dragged his hands down his face as soon as Lucie turned the corner. What he wouldn t give for a
sweaty gym and a tough sparring partner to beat him senseless right now. The visualization technique
was something that could be applied in any situation, so he knew it would work for her. What he
hadn t known was how it would work him over.
He couldn t even say for sure who he d been speaking as that whole time. At some point it felt like
he d slipped out of character. He hadn t been picturing Dr. Dipwad staring at her lips and kissing her.
He d been picturing himself.
I need a drink, he mumbled, making his way to the room. As soon as he crossed the threshold he
spotted Lucie. Like she was the North his gaze would always point to. The simple, pale blue shift
dress she wore was understated and yet magnificent. He kept eyes on her as he crossed to the table set
up with punch and premade cocktails. Grabbing one of the drinks he watched her ass as it moved
under the thin material with every step she took. His gaze drifted lower to wander over the curves of
her smooth legs. Damn, she s hot.
He raised the glass then stopped. If he had to guess based on the shower s signature drink, Lizzie
was due to have a girl. It looked like a crazy version of a Shirley Temple, bright pink with cherries
stabbed on an open plastic diaper pin straddling the rim of the glass.
It s emasculating, isn t it?
Reid glanced to his left to see a well-built Hispanic guy standing next to him with an amused smirk
on his face. He was holding two open bottles of Corona instead of the current embarrassment he held.
There s not even any alcohol in that thing, the guy said.
Holy shit, that s inexcusable. He put it back on the table with a disgusted look at the whole setup.
How can they justify that?
The man laughed, and held out the extra beer. It s a baby shower, man. That s all the excuse they
need to suck anything even remotely manly out of the occasion. Normally we aren t even supposed to
step foot in these things, but Lizzie s kind of like the darling of the hospital staff. Everyone loves her
so it became an everyone event. I m Eric.
Reid. Gladly accepting the offered bottle, he shook Eric s hand before downing half of it in one
shot. Thanks, man, you re a lifesaver.
Don t mention it.
Looking past Eric he saw Lucie break a hug with a very pregnant girl and then walk toward her
doctor who was talking with another gentleman at a table across the room. Dressed in an expensive
suit and his dark hair gelled and combed to the side, he looked like the stereotypical trust-fund baby.
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