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TWENTY-THREE
press and a tight dress
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THE TAP WATER ran in a heavy stream as my manicured fingers gripped the side of Zeke's porcelain sink. In an attempt to return my heart rate back to normalcy, I inhaled sharply, holding the breath in my chest for a few seconds before exhaling.
What the hell just happened?
"Be calm, Sienna, be calm," I muttered, raising my eyes to the huge mirror that relayed the image of my shaken expression.
The thing was so damn clear I could see every pore that Giselle masterfully concealed on my face. Despite the makeup, my reddened cheeks were slightly visible underneath. That was how flustered Isaiah had made me.
I let him get under my skin. I let him get to me. I had lived under the false premise for seventeen damn years that no one could ever push me out of character. And yet, Isaiah Peters successfully hit me with a whirlwind so powerful that I couldn't keep my toes on the ground.
I gripped the sink even harder, gritting my teeth before releasing the cool surface.
Maybe he did win that battle by the skin of his teeth. But that didn't mean I had to let him know that.
Shutting the tap off, I ran a hand through my hair, moving it into place. I let out one last breath to extinguish my smoldering nerve ends and wiped my damp hands on an ornate cloth hanging by the sink. Giving the mirror a Grammy worthy smile, I left the bathroom to return to my friends.
The whole dinner table looked up when I made my re-entrance. I smiled in a manner that suggested everything was A-okay, apologizing for my brief absence and taking my seat next to Rosie.
She was still avoiding my eyes. That situation was next on my list.
"Everything okay, Si?" Giselle asked with concern, her brows furrowing.
"Yeah, of course." I pushed my near demolished plate away, now devoid of an appetite. "Why wouldn't it be?"
"You were in there an awful long time. But if you say you're okay I always know you are." Giselle hit me with a sunny smile that made my stomach sink.
I hated lying to her, but now obviously wasn't a good time to explain that Isaiah gifted me with a puddle between my legs that nearly made my knees buckle just a few minutes prior.
"Well, if everyone's almost done, we can go outside and lounge by the pool," Zeke suggested, smiling charmingly.
"Great idea, I could use some sun." Rosie dabbed her napkin at her mouth, continuing the guise that she ate some of her food. Which she didn't. "I'll help you get the plates, Ms Liu."
