Paradise Lost (Private 9)

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"I know," I replied, trying to ignore the black, festering scab inside my chest. The scab left behind by Thomas's murder, which I was now starting to realize would never fully heal. Okay, maybe I didn't want to have this conversation. "Let's talk about something else."

Kiran finished off her latest drink and placed the glass on the ground next to her chair. "I vote we talk about how Upton Giles somehow got even hotter this year."

She turned her gaze toward a large wood dining table shaded by a red awning, where Upton was being aggressively courted by Paige, Tiffany, and Amberly. Daniel, Gage, Weston Bright, and Sawyer and Graham Hathaway were hanging with them as well, drinking beer from little brown bottles and starting to get loud. I had to admit, Upton was fun to look at. He laughed at something Amberly said, and the laugh carried throughout the party. It was a throaty, uninhibited laugh. The kind you live to bring forth in any way you can.

He was still laughing when he turned his head and happened to look at me. My body temperature instantly skyrocketed. He narrowed his eyes inquisitively, clearly curious about the interloper in his midst, and leaned over to Gage to whisper in his ear. Gage glanced at me, smirked, and whispered back. I could only imagine what he was saying. No doubt that I was some prudish, penniless farm girl from Podunk, Pennsylvania.

Paige got up from the table and tugged Tiffany away with her, excusing herself to the bathroom. They roped Amberly into joining them as well, probably trying to prevent her from getting any alone

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time with Upton. It seemed there was actual strategy involved in the Upton Game.

"That's it. I'm going in," Taylor said as soon as she saw that Upton was female free. She stood up, straightened her dress, and tossed back her hair. "How do I look? "

"Very Upton worthy," Noelle said with a nod.

"You think?" Taylor was giddy. "Wish me luck."

"Luck!" we all shouted after her, earning an irritated glance, since half the party heard us. Kiran, Noelle, and I all laughed as we sat back in our seats. I hadn't felt so relaxed... ever. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath of the tangy Caribbean air. A girl could get used to this.

"Okay, I'm getting bored," Kiran said with a yawn. "What do you guys want to do next?"

"We need to shop," Noelle said, crossing her legs at the ankle. "Reed needs some vacationwear."

"Bien sur! I am so in," Kiran said, clapping her hands.

"Ah, but you're forgetting one little problem. Reed has no money," I said.

Noelle flicked a hand. "A minor obstacle."

Yeah. For you, maybe.

"You cannot spend the entire week in jeans and a T-shirt," Kiran said. "Not with the events we have planned."

"We'll figure it out. We always do," Noelle said. She lifted her head and looked across the patio. "Uh-oh. Crash and burn."

"What?" I asked, opening my eyes.

I heard chairs scraping against the ground and looked over to

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see Upton, Graham, and Sawyer all getting up from the table to follow a sullen-looking Taylor around the pool. They were headed in our direction, and I suddenly found myself tugging down on the hem of my dress and sitting up a bit straighter. Noelle saw my preparations and smirked. Great. Now I felt like a total hypocrite. But just because I didn't want Upton and the Hathaways to think I was a slob didn't mean I wanted to win the Upton Game.

Not at all.

"Reed, this is Upton Giles and Sawyer and Graham Hathaway," Taylor said upon arrival, and not at all enthusiastically. "Guys, this is Reed."

"Hi," they all said in unison. Upton and Graham put on bigger smiles than Sawyer.

"May we join you?" Upton asked in a startlingly sexy British accent. My toes actually curled at the sound of his voice.

"Sure," I said.

As the guys pulled over more lounge chairs, I widened my eyes at Noelle. "You never said he was British!" I whispered.