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Over the next few days, Es that had arrived late froht, if it killed her, she would clear out the last of the iteh years of me to them like they were her last heartbeats The final ite her chest and spinning her e, E the proud sraduation The barrier that she had fought so hard to build over the last fewdown The reality of what had happened - the unwavering fact that she would never see her ain - hit her hard in that moment

Sadness clouded Olivia’s eyes as she watched her friend crumble "I don’t knohat to say, Emily I wish I could take this pain and hurt away fro, E Olivia’s in her own She was thankful that she had her there The two friends shared a fewup, E smile at her and hastily wiped the tears fro and sauntered to the bathroom She was exhausted - not onlythree doubles in a row, the last few days caught up with her, and she was looking forward to a relaxing evening on the couch with Dillon Making her way into the shower, she tried to purge herthat had to do with her mom It was difficult, but nonetheless, she did it Once out, she slid into a pair of colass of much-needed wine

After a while, Olivia walked into the living roo a red summer dress with her hair pinned-up off her shoulders and a clutch in her hand

She eyed Eht It will do justice to your ht about her friend’s new love endeavor, Tina Reed, a twenty-four-year-old graduate of Colu been burned by too , deciding wo, Eh her hair "I really just want to relax the night away" She picked up the bottle of red wine and s this off, too"

Olivia placed a kiss on top of her head "Okay, but if for soe your mind, just call my cell"

Emily nodded, and Olivia walked out the door

Glancing at the clock, E that Dillon should’ve been there already, she wondered if another late night hts didn’t stray too far when her phone rang a half hour later It was Dillon calling to announce that he was celebrating a new account out at a club in SoHo He insisted that she ue that she was exhausted and already settled in for the night, but he wouldn’t relent, his dissatisfaction traveling through the phone Letting out a sigh, Eed herself into her roo out despite her emotional and physical state

It can’t be her, Gavin thought to hi his eyes across the di in her direction It was though Molly - the waitress that never called hied at every sense, every fiber, and every male instinct in his body Molly - the waitress that looked ined Gavin watched as she h the endless bodies pressed against each other

His eyes feasted upon her long auburn hair that spilled over her shoulders onto a tight black dress that fell just above her knees The perfect ae and neck burned a hole into his e he had to clai, and shapely - that cah his hair, Gavin couldn’t help but feel the quickening in his heart as she approached

He went to move toward her, talk to her, breathe in her scent, but a aze fro, Blake, but she’shis lips

Gavin’sca over to the beautiful woo and then shifted back to Dillon

"Wait, that’sE over his face

"Yeah, eous" Dillon motioned for Emily to hurry up where she seemed to be frozen and rooted in one spot a few feet away

Gavin took a long pull fro in his throat as he leaned hiainst the bar Unable to look away, he maintained eye contact with the woman that his friend just proclai on her lip, Emily tried to keep her panic at bay when she saw Mr Tall, Dark, and Fuckable Handsome with Dillon The air seemed to shift thick Her balance was knocked askeith every step

There’s no way they could possibly know each other This is Manhattan for Christ’s sake, Eht to herself

Each beat of her heart pounded harder the closer she got A curious yet boyish smile rounded Gavin’s lips as a kiss of a di blue eyes were intense, unblinking in her direction Eaze flicked down to his chest, the planes of his pectorals visible under his shirt If it were possible, he looked even more handsome, relaxed in his casual attire of a black, V-neck T-shirt and jeans that hung perfectly on his waist His eyes seeen fro on her brow, E to focus solely on Dillon

Dillon pulled her by the waist into his body and placed an exaggerated kiss on her lips

After ordering her a drink, Dillon shifted her in front of hiainst his chest She had center view of the stranger when Dillon finally spoke "Gavin, this is irlfriend, Emily Cooper Emily, Gavin Blake"

Unable to pull his eyes fro her hand to his lips Kissing it softly, he hesitated, al the heat that radiated froo "The pleasure’s most definitely allat the way Gavin’s slight stubble felt against her knuckles, Eave a curt nod and smiled "It’s nice to finally meet you"

"She’s beautiful, isn’t she?" Dillon asked, looking over to Gavin

Averting her gaze to the floor, Erinned, trying to regain her bearings froh her body

Gavin’s gaze dropped to herinch of him He shifted his eyes back to hers, which were a variation of green ht to hih his teeth, Gavin let his words hang "You’re a very luckyback the last of his whiskey on the rocks "Coed her out to the dance floor

Knowing she shouldn’t, Elance back to Gavin as they walked away

Gavin tried to maintain his cool when she peered over her shoulder to look back at him He watched the way Dillon held her close and the irrefutable loving way she responded to hiiving hiht back the urge to walk onto the dance floor, knock his friend out, and pull her into his arister anyone else in the club, Gavin brushed off countless women who approached hihts were irrational, considering Dillon was a close friend, but he felt as if Ees of emotions had him at odds with his body and mind

And Gavin didn’t like it one bit

Eventually, Dillon walked up to Gavin when Eainst the bar, a reverent s you werea stab of jealousy, but this wasn’t so how you pulled that one off"

It wasn’t a question but a state with crowds of women that were far wilder than Emily seehed as he ordered a shot of tequila "You seeod in this city"

"I’od, Dillon, and you’re certainly not either," Gavin ree of the bar "But I do know that you need to take care of a wo his hips back and forth "Oh, I’ care of it She has no complaints whatsoever in that department"

"I didn’t ht from his ood to her, seriously"

Cocking his head to the side, Dillon furrowed his brows "Since when did you become so worried about how I treat a wo that throws itself at you, and they’re lucky if they get a call the next day"

"We’re not talking abouta bottle of beer to his mouth "Like I said, take care of her"

"Gavin Blake’s trying to teach me how to treat a woman This is hysterical" He sed his drink and sla this one You’ll see Just to torture you, you’re going to be in the wedding party" Dillon shook his head and laughed but recovered quickly as his expression tightened "Like I said earlier, she’s o"

Before Gavin could respond, Emily approached them

Dillon handed her a beer, and she s about?"

Gavin figured he would play a little ga him His eyes concentrated on the exact curve of E his eyes on hers "I’ how my friend here landed such a beautiful woue"

Emily could feel the way Gavin stared at her His eyes see her want to bare every eerous talent for a ht to herself

She went to speak, but Dillon’s voice broke through the deafening level of ue?"

Gavin laughed mischievously as he casually sank into a seat at the bar "Yes, very out of your league"

A grin curled Dillon’s lips "Whatever ht, lanced down at an inco text and then turned to Emily where she stood inwardlyplace "Trevor’s on his way, babe I need to use the restrooone He’s a player"

He dropped a chaste kiss on her cheek and walked away

Gavin watched E between the nervous little looks that tugged at every rational instinct he had left Each tiaze met his, he wanted to sink into it and live in it forever He wondered if she felt the connection that had passed between the pull fro to ease the dryness in hisNew York?"

Knowing that one was coh "Yes, I a"

"I’m really not a stalker or a player, honestly," he said, chuckling at the nicknaave him

"The stalker part hed and so did Gavin "But, I have to be honest, I’ve heard otherwise about you being a player"

E how horribly offensive those last wordswho he was, it was the truth Olivia told her stories of Dillon’s rich friend, Gavin, being a ladies’ man She also warned E in her not to rip off her shirt and watch the buttons scatter on the floor, along with every sexual inhibition following behind them

Yep, co in his seat, Gavin flashed a smile "And who did you hear that from?"

"Olivia Martin"

"Mmm, youfor the bartender to bring them another round

"Let’s see She was e, and I live with her now" She smiled "I consider her a pretty reliable source, but hey, to each his own"

"Forgive ht You’re Eh his hair "Of course you know Olivia"

She smiled "Yes, my real name is Emily We’ve established that, but how coht never let rin slid across his lips "Ah-ha, I may or may not But that’s forto relax a bit around one another "So what else did Olivia say about me?"

"Ah-ha, that’s for me to know, and you to find out"

A his head and laughed His features softened as he stared into her eyes "But, in ’s a ht woman yet"

"Well, there seeet your attention right now" With the sweep of her hand, Eroup of wo in his direction "Pretty decent pick if you ask h he tried, he couldn’t pull his eyes away froain - the only woman he wanted was already with his friend "Unfortunately, "

Confusion knitted her brows "Isn’t that what all guys want anyway?"

"Not quite, but I like the way you think," he laughed, studying the way she nervously tucked her hair behind her ear He liked it h, I don’t want to come off like a conceited ass, but there’s a fine line between me and my money"

His remark struck an odd cord with Emily She knew he had money - the whole damn city did However, to assume women were strictly after him for his cash was obviously some sort of insecurity he had

"Oh, so in your eyes, every wo the bottle to her mouth as she leaned casually into her seat