Page 124 of Just for the Cameras
Everly smirks at him, then pours us some orange juice. “And the orange juice looks great, Hardy.”
Hardy puffs his chest out as if he just got done making a Michelin Star–worthy meal. “Takes a steady hand to create a nearly pulp-free fresh orange juice.”
If they weren’t so cute, I’d roll my eyes.
“You’re really impressive,” Everly says.
“I think you said the same thing last night as well.” He wiggles his brows, and now it’s time for me to cut in.
“Okay, can you not with that? I know we’re all friends, but that’s pushing it.”
Hardy chuckles. “Sorry.” But then he glances at Everly, who’s blushing.
Ugh, these two.
We fill our plates up with fruit salad and French toast and syrup, and then dig in.
“So,” Everly says, a smile playing on her lips. “I happened to stumble across some pictures this morning. Seems like you and Graydon were getting cozy.”
I pause in the middle of cutting my French toast and look up at her. “Where did you see those?”
“One of the gossip accounts I follow. They picked it up from a sports account, of all things.”
“Let me see,” I say, my heart racing as I think about last night.
From the way Graydon’s eyes roamed over me to the feel of his warm palm against my skin to how he slipped his hand under the fabric of my dress, holding me close with the subtle press of his thumb. And then there was the short but intoxicating kiss at the end of the night. I went to bed with my heart fluttering, my body buzzing, and my mind whirling because I never would have expected that.
Ever.
Yet I wish it had happened sooner.
I wish it had happened more.
I wish I hadn’t left that car without him.
Everly flashes her phone at me, and I let out a small gasp as I stare at the screen.
It’s a picture of me and Graydon, taken from the side. You can clearly see his hand slipped beneath the side of my dress, his posture holding me protectively as I stare up at him.
I swipe to find another picture, us at the bar and me holding on to his lapel, smiling up at him.
And the third picture is of us leaving, his hand holding mine, him clutching my bag and us both smiling as we make our way to the car.
Holy shit.We look stunning together. We look…seriously into each other.Then I think about his gruff—yet insanely sexy—demand.
“If you’re really appreciative, Maple, then thank me properly.”
If this is what Gretchen wanted from last night, to unveil the PR romance, these photos would do it.
My cheeks blush as I look at Everly and Hardy smiling like fools.
“Care to share what’s going on?” Everly asks. “Because that looks like a lot more than just a PR relationship.”
Hardy leans forward and whisper-shouts, “His hand is practically cupping your breast!”
“Oh my God, it was not cupping my breast.” Trust me, I would have known.
“Looked pretty damn close.”
