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"Because you would have beaten the shit out of Lia my battles forthat a lot, I turnedthe now faainst ht the year you started to see hteenth"

"The one after…?" Adaht for a minute and then instantly cleared as he re the last entry, I’d found the entry I’d expected him to allude to as to the moment he started to see me as more than Braden’s little sister I held the diary out to him and he took it with a small sht I had rown-up, sophisticated and, well, HOT, date I’m just not sure who I had it with… As Christian helpedto be "it"

Christian was handsoentleh but I was sure that would come as we becaain as I pushed the hem of my black dress back down It had shi"

I flushed When he looked ata plain black sleeveless dress that should have been soh he little to the iination It was a sophisticated dress with a splash of "hot"

I’d bought it earlier that day specifically for Christian

We’d o in the student union Christian was pre-lao years older than me and from an obviously wealthy and well-to-do fahlands That had nothing to do hat attracted me to him of course I was attracted to hi-- with a fresh and open honesty that really appealed to me It made me feel like I could be just as open with him It made me feel like I could be h his family had the estate, they also had a home in Corstorphine, a busy suburb out in the west of the city His parents had bought it when his sister hadout children She was pregnant with her third and the entire faht that spoke volumes about them and was ht, Christian had booked us a table at La Cour for our first date I didn’t even get a chance to tell him it was Braden’s restaurant He inherited it from our father As we entered I openedabout theto tell him I knehat I wanted to order, since I’d eaten at La Cour more times than I could count, when I heard Adam call my name

Christian and I drew to a halt as the maitre’d led us to our table, and I turnedin the center of the restaurant across a snored the flare of jealousy, squashing it, and reminded eous brunette was just one of many sexual partners for Adam

He was a manwhore

But he was my manwhore, and I couldn’t help but walk over to hie shted to see hihtly as his gaze flickered to Christian He gave Christian a once over and then turned those beautiful eyes of his back on me He perused me with a small smile and when his eyes hit mine they were full of tenderness "You look absolutely stunning, Els"

I didn’t just flush at his coave his date a polite slared at ave Christian a taut nod and then flicked his hand to his date "This is Megan"

"It’s Meagan," she corrected hian’

I saw Adah Uh oh His date obviously wasn’t going well

"We better get to our table" Christian gently pulled on "

"You too, sweetheart" I moved to follow Christian but had only taken a step to walk ahen I felt a tug on the he, and watched Ada I blushed as he winked aton I was always doing stuff like that God, I hoped Christian hadn’t seen it Opening nored Adarinned atto catch up with Christian at our table across the room

"Who was that?" Christian asked casually as ere seated

"My brother’s best friend," I replied equally casually "We grew up together"

Christian nodded and then ordered us white wine I preferred red

We chatted as aited for the waiter to return, and Christian toldwhen the waiter ca to think this was char I informed him this was my brother’s restaurant and that I knehat I wanted He was impressed that Braden owned La Cour and for five minutes I told him about Braden’s other businesses

After that ere back onto Christian

By the ti "it" was di rapidly Not once did my date appear to take any real interest in me, and the more I realized how self-absorbed he was, theacross the roolittered with interest every time I opened my mouth