Twisted Love (Modern Romance #3) - Piper Lawson Page 0,22
someone who has no business in the change rooms of a women’s boutique, and looks disarmingly at home here nonetheless.
Ben’s wearing a charcoal suit, shirt open at the collar and tie gone. His messy hair falls into his face at the front, those magnetic eyes boring into mine.
“I told you we need to talk about tomorrow night. I saw Rena through the window.” He pushes inside and shuts the door after him.
I fold my arms over my chest, trying to hide the fact that my entire back and part of my ass are hanging out of this dress.
“Tris suspects this is bullshit. The best way to quash it is to go out tomorrow.”
I press a hand to my face. “Remind me why house music and plastic cups and sticky floors are important?”
“They’re not. Making everyone believe we’re together so you can land Vane is important. If we don’t sell my brother on it, there’s no way anyone else will buy it.”
I groan silently, reaching behind me to try the zipper again.
The second my hands move, Ben’s gaze swoops down to take me in. It’s chased by a low sound of appreciation that has the hairs on my neck lifting. “You wear this, Richard Vane is going to be demanding you handle the publicity for your wedding—to one another.”
“Rena made me try this on for kicks.” The zipper doesn’t budge, to my growing dismay. “But the damn thing is stuck.”
Ben doesn’t share my concern. “Turn.”
I do, then feel his hands brush my back. I fold my arms over my chest. Damn it’s cold in here, because my nipples are getting hard.
“Tris is just one of many people we need to convince. It’s not as if everyone will immediately believe we’re together,” I go on, mostly for something to say as his hands stroke up my back.
Ben finally gets the material free, letting out a sound of triumph.
“Hey, Daisy!” Rena’s voice comes from the other side of the door, and I freeze. “Let’s see the other dresses.”
Shit. I try to convey to Ben to be quiet, and he stills too, but there’s a glint of mischief in his eyes.
She goes on, "I always wondered if you and Ben were secretly fucking. I’ve seen that flirty little smile you give him. The one you don’t give anyone else.”
My eyes squeeze shut. Strike me dead.
I can’t see him, but I feel his attention on me. Is he smug? Shocked?
It’s not that thought, but the brush of his fingers at my bare waist and the sound of the zipper that has me daring to blink my eyes open.
Ben’s watching me with a combination of fascination and something darker.
“And I get it,” Rena tosses through the door. “He’s hot. I know you don't give a shit about rich, and it's one of the reasons I like you, but the man has some definitely attractive qualities.”
He plays with his hair, making an exaggerated show of doing that thing I told him was sexy. I punch him in the arm hard enough to elicit a muffled exhale.
“He’s all talk,” I reply. Ben’s gaze narrows. “Stamina of my prom date. In fact, I’m not sure it’s going to work out.”
Ben reaches past me for the door. I grab his hand to stop him. Then I reach for the door and slip out without exposing him, pulling it behind me.
“Oh, that’s hot,” Rena gushes as I step into the view of the mirror. “He’s going to lose his shit.”
I turn in the mirror, pleased with the results.
“I want to see the nude one, but I need to get back for a meeting.”
“Go! And thank you for the help.”
She turns on her heel and heads out.
I duck back into the change room to find Ben’s arms folded and a self-satisfied smirk on his handsome face. “How do you look at me exactly?”
“Shut up.”
“Rena and I agree on one thing,” Ben murmurs, his attention lingering on my body. “You are saying yes to this dress.”
“I don’t need multiple designer dresses.” But I can’t resist the urge to sneak another look in the mirror.
Ben cocks his head. “You need something to wear for your new boyfriend. Who, for the record, can go all night.”
I look pointedly at the door. “I’ll stop by Tris’s thing tomorrow. Are we done?”
"Only if you’re sure you won’t get trapped in that dress again the second I leave."
I debate. “Turn around,” I say as I reach back for the zipper.
After a moment’s hesitation, I think he’s going to