The Downfall of a Good Girl by Kimberly Lang Read Free Book Online Page B

contemplate the idea.
    “It levels that playing field.”
    Vivi’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “What if that puts me over the top?”
    “Then you win.”
    That brought another chuckle, only this time there was real humor behind it. That was progress. “Can your pride handle that, Connor?”
    “The question is, can yours?”
    She snorted. “Taking your money? Definitely. In fact, it would give me great pleasure.”
    “There’s a first time for everything.”
    A flush crept up her neck. “As I’ve said, this isn’t about us.”
    “Then why else would it give you pleasure to beat me?”
    “The fact there’s a bigger, more important purpose to this competition doesn’t preclude me from gaining personal satisfaction.”
    He raised an eyebrow at her choice of words and watched the flush get darker. Strangely, it made his pulse kick up a notch.
    She cleared her throat. “From beating you, that is. Competition is healthy and good.”
    “If you say so.”
    “I do. But I fully expect you to live up to your promise. If you try to renege on this…”
    “I always deliver on my promises, Vivi. Always.”
    A strange silence fell and Vivi looked away. The tension still felt heavy, but it crackled a bit now that pride and challenge had joined it.
    The car stopped and Vivi looked out the window, eyebrowsdrawing together. Reaching for the intercom button, Vivi said, “My car’s at my house. I don’t know why he came to the gallery.”
    Connor caught her hand, causing those eyebrows to furrow at him. Then, like his touch was painful, Vivi extracted her hand from his.
    “This is
my
stop.”
    “What?”
    “I’m staying in a friend’s place.”
    Vivi looked around. “Where?”
    He pointed to Gabe’s building.
    “But that’s Gabe Morrow’s building.”
    “Yeah. He’s in Italy right now—”
    “I know that. I didn’t know
you
knew Gabe, though.”
    “We have mutual friends. I just didn’t know they included you.”
    “Did you know my gallery is right there?” She pointed.
    “I do now. I’d say you were welcome to drop by for a drink sometime…” He let the thought trail off and, predictably, Vivi rolled her eyes. “See you tomorrow, Vivi.”
    The cool air felt good against his skin as he stepped out of the car, and with Vivi safely away, he began to feel normal again for the first time in hours.
    Something had happened today. He just wasn’t sure exactly what. Or why. Or how, for that matter. But whatever that
something
was…
    Vivi just had the ability to make his brain short-circuit. That was the only explanation.
    But while it was nice to have that explanation, it also meant he was going to be permanently brain-damaged by the time this was done.

CHAPTER FOUR
    I T NEVER failed to amaze Vivi how slow recovery was coming to some areas. If not for the tall weeds and faded Xs painted on the buildings, people might think the hurricane had come through weeks ago instead of years. It wasn’t something visitors to New Orleans saw unless they specifically came to see it—all the popular tourist areas were up and running—and, unbelievably, it wasn’t something
she
saw very often even though she lived in the city. More than distance separated the hardest hit areas like the Lower Ninth Ward from the Garden District and the French Quarter. Less than a third of the residents had been able to return, and the neighborhood felt empty and lifeless. She thought of her own lively neighborhood, and it only made the loss here sharper.
    Vivi hauled another bag to the portable Dumpster and grunted as she tossed it in. Her shoulders and arms throbbed and her legs ached, and they’d only been at this for a few hours. There was a big difference between working out at the gym and actually working, and she was feeling it already.
    Lorelei appeared beside her, water bottle in hand. Although the day was cool, sweat beaded around her hairline from the work. She had a dirty smudge across one cheek. Like Vivi, she’d layered