Pure Lust Vol. 3 by M. S. Parker, Cassie Wild Read Free Book Online Page B

didn’t even think about whatever crazy shit was happening elsewhere. He was a rock, and that was what I needed. What I wanted.
    “Gabriella…” Kendra’s voice trailed off.
    I didn’t look at her. Tugging my hands away from hers, I went back to folding my clothes. “I’ve only got a couple of hours before the movers get here. You’re coming to the party, right?”
    “If you’re certain this is what you want, well…yeah. I wouldn’t miss it.”
    “It’s what I want.” It had to be…right?
    ***
     
    The party had been Edward’s idea, to celebrate my moving in with him and to introduce me to more of his friends. Same social circle as the people at the club, but closer to Edward's age than his parents. This was for friends rather than business associates, though I got the impression that some of them were one and the same.
    The thing was, I didn’t know any of them and almost none made any attempt to speak with me. Quite a few of them, however, did know Kendra, thanks to the fact that her face was currently being splashed all over the media. Edward hadn’t been joking when he said she was becoming one of their hottest commodities. I was happy for her, but every time we had a minute to sit down and breathe, somebody would come and start chatting her up. Almost all of them were men and more than a few seemed to have something other than friendly conversation in mind, which Kendra was more than aware of, judging by the glint in her eyes.
    She wasn’t like me, though. She knew how to handle men like that. The ones who flattered and cajoled. She could see right through all the bullshit and knew what each man really wanted, and whether or not she wanted to give it to them. Stupid me, I’d done one photoshoot with a known party-boy and I’d ended up naked in under an hour.
    And had I learned from my mistake? Had I listened to my more worldly-wise friend? No. I’d gone out with him again and what had happened?
    I’d ended up drunk and flat on my back.
    The misery and the shame of it started to choke me again, and I could feel the burn of tears in my eyes, but before I succumbed to them, a familiar laugh caught my attention. I looked up and saw Stacia Vanderbilt. She was leaning close to Edward and as she rested a hand on his arm, she laughed at something he said.
    My belly twisted in an ugly, hot snarl. They looked so right together. Like a match. Like they fit. They belonged. She was dressed in a sleek black column dress that set her pale skin off like a pearl and while I'd thought my own blue dress had been flattering, compared to her, I felt like the frumpy country cousin.
    As if he sensed my gaze, Edward looked up and smiled at me, his eyes heating up. There was a time when that smile would have filled me with delight, but now I could only think about how he would look at me if he knew the truth. Still, I kept smiling and he turned back to his friends, murmuring something to Stacia and then to the others around him.
    I half-expected the acknowledgement to be just that, but he walked away from them and came over to me, moving with the athletic grace that came from years of sports and maintenance.
    “You’re the belle of the ball and yet you’re standing on your own, Cinderella,” he said, dipping his head to kiss me lightly.
    “Well, Cinderella was a woman of mystery.” My attempt at a quip fell flat. Was I losing my ability for pithy comments too? Not that it had been doing me much good. “I don’t really know anybody, Edward, and I'm clearly out of my element.” My gaze wandered to Stacia who was watching us over the rim of her wineglass. Her gaze was anything but friendly. “Stacia seems to know a lot of people though.”
    “Yes,” he answered absently. “She and I grew up in the same circle. We know a lot of the same people.” He slid his arms around me and pulled me back against him. “I’m so glad you’re here now, gorgeous.”
    “Hmmm.” I tucked my head against his shoulder as he