Page 60 of Craving Paradise
“What? No.” My sister pouts and demands her phone from Freya. “Can’t he take a fricken private jet to be here with me? He knows we were supposed to walk the red carpet together tonight. It was our debut.”
Freya looks at me and grits her teeth.
She can deal with my sister's meltdown over her new boyfriend not being here. He’s another travel influencer I guess she met on the circuit, if there’s such a thing. He’s an idiot, as are his friends. I think my sister can do better than that himbo. But she ‘loves him’, which I don’t know how she can when they have only been dating for two months. Influencer years must be like dog years, one month equals one year in their world.
I head toward my couch and sit, looking forward to a quiet home where I can watch my soccer in peace.
“Don’t get too comfortable,” Freya states.
“Why?” I turn and look back over at her.
“We have a spare ticket now, and you know Autumn will not want an empty space at her table. People will think she and Damon have broken up or something.”
“Nope, I have plans with my television.”
“You have a tuxedo up in your closet, don’t you?”
“Yes, but don’t get any ideas.”
“I bet you fifty pounds she will be down in ten minutes in tears over Damon and ask you to come.” Freya grins.
“One hundred, and she storms down the stairs sprouting feminism slogans and says she doesn’t need a man,” I counter, holding out my hand.
“You’re on,” Freya agrees to the stupid bet.
Does this make us bad people betting on my sister’s emotions like that? Probably. But a bet’s a bet.
“That fucking no good, lying asshole. Who needs men, anyway? I have a vibrator that can make me come better than he does,” my sister screams as she stomps down the stairs.
“Pay up,” I whisper to Freya, who flips me off. Also, gross. I don’t want to know about my sister’s vibrator.
“Jasper, get dressed. You're coming out tonight,” Autumn demands, which has Freya bursting into laughter as she looks at me.
“What, no. I’m happy here. Why does my night have to be interrupted by some asswipe?” I grumble.
“Because your sister is nursing a broken heart, and as her big brother who loves and adores her, you will want to make her happy.” She pouts at me.
Freya bursts out laughing again and slides off the chair in a fit of giggles.
“I don’t want to go,” I whine.
“Did you miss the fact that a modeling agency is hosting the event? There will be models everywhere. Isn’t that your type?”
This is very true. They are my people, but there’s also another woman there who I can’t stop thinking about and am trying to keep my distance from.
“Please, Jasper,” Autumn begs. She’ll not stop until I say yes.
“Fine. Give me twenty, and I’ll be ready. You owe me.”
“Yes. Yes. Fine, whatever. Just hurry,” she squeals excitedly.
18
LAUREN
For one month, I have kept my distance from that man. It’s been hard, especially when I saw him with another guest bent over a table fucking her. And another time in the voyeur room.He watched you fuck others too.Then he had to go and remind me that tonight the one month is up. I wasn’t expecting him to realize that because I thought I was the only one who had been counting down. That man is trouble. The crush I have on him hasn’t diminished but seems to have burned brighter inside me because I haven’t been able to touch him. The saying ‘you want what you can’t have is true’ I guess. At least I can escape him tonight, or so I thought.
What the hell is he doing here?