Free First Taste (The Lust List: Devon Stone #1) by Mira Bailee Page B

obsessing over every article, gawking at every publicized photo, and overanalyzing every little thing that’s happened over the past couple days. Like any rational person would do, I removed all methods of research, leaving only my mind to relive today over and over. “He kissed me.”
    “Whoa. What?” She drops her purse on the love seat blocking off her door, and sinks down into the cushion next to it, hardly caring that I’ve rearranged our living space and locked her out of her room. “Spill, woman.”
    “I went to work. He talked to me. He kissed me. We argued. I blew it.” That sums it up.
    Maddie shakes her head. “But yesterday…”
    “Yesterday, he didn’t know who I was. Yeah, I addressed that in our argument. Didn’t seem to help my case.”
    “What did you fight about?”
    She sounds more impressed than surprised. Of course she would. I haven’t put myself in a situation to have guy trouble in over a year, and suddenly here I am, skipping the drawn out, stressful relationship, and diving head first into the “we need to talk” stage.
    “I…um…I guess I accused him of wanting to sleep with me.”
    “But he did, didn’t he?”
    “Which is why I accused him. But Number Three does not like to be questioned.” I laugh and throw a couch pillow over my face. “I don’t know what I’m doing Maddie,” I scream into the pillow.
    “I’m not sure I know either. But I don’t think disconnecting from all of technology is going to solve your problems.”
    I sit up and look at her. “Sorry. It’s just…he kissed me. And. Wow. It should be illegal to kiss like that because I was tempted to do whatever he wanted, and he wanted me to blow off my job to go with him.”
    “To have sex?”
    “Apparently not. But I didn’t get a chance to find out. He’s mad now. I’m mad now. Who does he think he is trying to get me to skip work, like my financial well-being doesn’t matter?”
    “A rich guy who doesn’t have to worry about that.” She keeps a straight face for a second before we both burst into a fit of giggles.
    “I would’ve been much better off getting a job at some Waffle House or something.”
    “Much better off and so, so bored.” She stands up and escapes to the kitchen, coming back a moment later with two beers and her eyes glued to her phone. “Drink this.”
    I accept the bottle and take a sip. “Thanks. But this isn’t going to solve anything either.”
    “No, but you’ll want it when you see this.” She’s still staring at her phone as she reads, “‘Roses Are Red and So’s Devon’s Blushing Brunette.’”
    My stomach seems to do a somersault as my mind pieces together what I’m about to see.
    Maddie keeps reading. “‘Devon Stone was seen today with an unknown woman as they ran a suburban errand at Exotic Blooms. Stone is better suited for the alternative location, but while there were no naked ladies in this flower shop, who knows what he’s being treated to tonight.’” I snatch the phone out of her hands to see it for myself. “What are they talking about? This nonsense is passed off as journalism now?”
    I’m not listening to Maddie as I see my first tabloid appearance. They used a shot of us leaving the store. Devon’s arm around me while I look horrified and awkward and embarrassed. Great. I guess it could be worse. At least I’m not scratching my nose or tripping on the sidewalk, but seeing us together in a photo—how could we ever be a match? It’s all too obvious that on the ladder of importance and belonging, Devon’s on top and I’m… across the street as the quiet observer.
    “You two are hot together.” Maddie sits next to me looking at the photo again. “He’s all close to you like he really likes you, and—”
    “Is this supposed to make me feel better?” I hold up the phone. “It all went downhill from here. I doubt he’d come this close again.”
    Maddie lays her head on my shoulder. “There you go, making assumptions