Wardrobe Malfunction (Wardrobe #1)

She laughs, and there’s not a trace of humor. “I’m not an idiot. I know what I saw, Vaughn.”

“And I know what happened.” I step toward her again, and she doesn’t back away this time—probably because there’s nowhere for her to go. “I’m going nowhere, so you’d better come with me to my trailer if you don’t want me to cause a scene and let everyone know what’s going on between us.”

Her eyes narrow to slits, and her lips pinch. “You won’t do that because you have more to lose than I do.”

I fold my arms across my chest. “Right now, I don’t fucking care if the whole world knows about us. I care that you hear me out.”

“Fine,” she huffs as she shoulders past me. “Let’s get this over and done with.”

“Oh, we won’t be done,” I mutter behind her. “Not by a fucking long shot.”

“I’m popping out for a few minutes, Ava,” she calls out before stomping out of the trailer.

Arms folded, she marches her way to my trailer, ignoring me the whole way.

The minute we’re inside and alone, I lock the door. “What you saw isn’t what you thought it was.”

She laughs bitterly, her face reddening with anger. “You couldn’t have used a more cliché line if you’d tried. But whatever, Vaughn. You’re free to do whatever you want. We’re not together. We’re just fucking.”

Well, if that doesn’t sting.

I know she doesn’t really mean that. She’s hurt and angry, and she’s lashing out, but it still pisses me the fuck off.

“That’s bullshit, and you know it,” I bite.

“Do I?” Her voice pitches higher. “Because, from where I’m standing, that’s all we seem to be doing.”

“I told you last night that I’m serious about you!”

“And I thought you were just messing around!” she yells back at me.

I grab her arm, crashing her into my body, and I slam my mouth down on hers. She fights me for all of a second before wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing me back.

I break off, breathing heavily and pressing my forehead to hers. “Does this feel like I’m just messing around?”

“No,” she whispers.

I take her face in my hands, tipping her head back, forcing her eyes to meet mine. Knowing I have her attention, I say what I’ve needed to since she walked in on Piper and me, “Pins…Piper just turned up here and let herself in. I was in the shower, hence the lack of a shirt. I told her to leave, but she wouldn’t listen. She said she wanted me back. But I don’t want her, Charly.” My words are clear, so there’s no misunderstanding. “You just walked in at the worst moment possible. I was just about to shove her off me, I swear. I don’t want her. I don’t even fucking like her. Honestly, I don’t know what she thought she would achieve by turning up here.”

“You loved her once, not so long ago, and she broke your heart. I saw the news stories, Vaughn, about how you were out nursing your broken heart with drinks and…women.” She looks away.

“You’re wrong. I never loved her, and she definitely didn’t break my heart. What happened with her and Cain…it was his betrayal that hurt me.” Her eyes flash back to mine, and I know she’s still listening, so I continue, “With Piper, I felt humiliated because she’d been screwing around with my best friend behind my back, and I had no clue until it was outed on live TV. I never loved her. I know that for sure. But Cain…that fucking hurt. He was supposed to be my best friend. I trusted him. I’d known the guy for ten years. And, when it came down to it, I didn’t know him at all. That was what the partying was about. He broke my heart. Not her.”

Her expression softens, and she touches her hand to my face. I close my eyes at her touch.

“I’m sorry he did that to you,” she whispers.

“And I’m sorry you walked in on that psycho trying to get grabby with me.” I open my eyes. “But I swear to you, it was all her, not me.”

“I believe you,” she says.

I can’t tell you the relief I feel at that.

“Thank you.” I take hold of her hand and kiss the palm.

“I’m sorry I acted like a jealous person,” she says.

“Don’t be. If I’d walked in on the same scenario with you and an ex, I’d be in jail right now.”

She giggles.

“My trust took a real battering when all that shit happened, but I trust you, Pins.” And I do.

“I trust you, too. I’m sorry I reacted badly. Just seeing her and you…”

“Like I said, Pins…jail.”

I grin, and she laughs again.

“If I’d known she was groping you without permission, I would have stabbed her in the ass with a pin.”

“And I would have really liked to see that.” I laugh.

Then, I kiss her—because I can and because I have to.

Honestly, I can’t imagine a day when I won’t be kissing her.

Vaughn

I’m running lines with Alex in my trailer when there’s loud hammering on the front door. Before either of us gets to say anything, the door flies open, and Charly comes stomping through it.

“What the hell is this?” she asks, waving her cell phone around in the air.

I’m getting the distinct vibe that she’s pissed off about something. I’m just not sure what the something is.