Chapter 26 Vivian Her hands brush at his hair, arranging the strands around his face as if she's done it a million times. "Of course." She glances at me, then back to him. "I just worry about you chasing after a random stranger. You never know what they're after. The city is full of crazy people." She thinks I'm, what, going to mug him? Rub my stink on him? I'm barely functioning here. She leans into him. "This girl, who is she? She threw something at you and verbally abused you. She could have hurt you-or me. Remember Lollipop? Stalkers can be anyone and anywhere." I let out a huff. "I'm not a stalker. Hello, I left the restaurant. He followed me." "Courtney-" Tuck starts, but I cut him off as I step back from the couple. "Trust me," I say with an unladylike grunt. "Your boyfriend is safe from me." Tuck scowls at me, takes her elbow, and leads her several feet away from us and back toward the restaurant. They lean their heads together, whispering. "Forget her," Jasper says as he sidles up next to me. "Who is she?" "His ex. They've been on and off, and she's trying to hook him again." "No, I mean where have I seen her?" He grunts. "She's the Calvin Klein girl." "Oh." That's it. I've seen her on billboards. He pauses, peering at me. "Have we met before? It might be Wickham, but I've only lived there a few months." I shake my head. "You like tattoos? I used to work at East Coast Ink." He replies that he's never been as I glance over at Tuck and Courtney. She's thrown her arms around his neck, and they're kissing. My gaze is drawn to him, the golden color of his hair, the breadth of his shoulders... He puts a hand on her shoulder, making the arm of his sweatshirt move. A black leather cuff with gold stitching on his wrist catches my eye. I frown. It reminds me of- My body stiffens. Player has a black leather cuff... Nah, nah. No freaking way. Player had longer hair and heavy scruff! Player is a construction worker in my head. He works with his hands. Not Tuck. Still... That zap of awareness under the umbrella. His laugh. His "Sweetheart." And the cuff. What are the odds that two tall men with the same hair color have the same one? 1 look back at Jasper, and my eyes bulge. Blond guy who named his penis Cupid! Oh my God. I groan. No, no, no. Player lives in the same building as me! There are millions of people in this city, and yes, I've looked for him, but never once did I think I'd find him! It was a fantasy, something I used to get me through breaking up with Edward. "What?" Jasper asks. "Your face is red. You okay?" I manage a "Fine" as my head replays the highlights of our night like a hazy movie reel. The first time we had sex, it was slow and sweet; the second round followed, rushed and intense as he picked me up in his arms and pressed me against the wall; the third time, his body caged over mine as he took me from behind; the last round, we lay face to face, my leg over his thigh, his hands worshipping every inch of my skin as if dedicating it to his memory. He called me his little brave princess. He said my eyes were unforgettable, that he'd know me by the scent of my skin. By then I could barely recall my own name. All I knew was how it felt to have him inside me, the smell of us together, the sounds we made. Having sex with a stranger wasn't unusual for me. In fact, one-night stands were my preference until Edward came along. I went to Decadence to find someone to make me forget his betrayal. And Player did. Very, very well. Even now, my body melts at the way he twisted his hips inside me, at his fingers on my clit, at his devilish stamina- Jammit. This is so confusing. I was into Player, and Tuck is Player. [uck is an ass who has a sorta famous girlfriend. Huh. Maybe that explains the end of the night. After the last round, he withdrew, a cloud of tension hovering over him. While I stayed in bed, silent and watchful, he dressed as if the hounds of hell vere on his heels. He raked his hands through his hair over and over as he stood in front of the door for several seconds, then left without a word. t hurt. Maybe it shouldn't have. I've slipped away from lovers before, but it felt like another rejection. Sorry?" I come back and realize Jasper had been talking. le grimaces. "You're ignoring me. I asked if you came to this restaurant a lot. Maybe that's why you seem familiar-" nod jerkily. "That's it. Totally." Wanna walk back together? It'll be nice to have the company, and she gets on my nerves." He glances over at Tuck and Courtney. They've stopped ússing and are talking.