With difficulty I open my eyelids, preparing for the fact that sharp knives stick into my head. However, the clear September light pouring into the room through the window does not cause pain. A strange case: a hangover, which has not happened before. But I’m glad.
Nevertheless, pain is felt – it is evoked by memories of the humiliation experienced last night. They come back to me very quickly, along with the image of Cash, the dazzling owner of the club. Picturesque details pop up in my head – a tall strong guy with a beautiful face and perfect body. And a smile to die for. I roll onto my stomach and bury my face in the pillow.
Oh my god, he was so awesome!
Even now, I regret that he did not kiss me. Stupid, but it could make my debacle not so… complete.
Scolding himself, I turn back onto my back and turn my eyes to the ceiling. I am smart enough to realize when I lose because of my serious weakness alone. When I think of his dark eyes that prompt me to undress him, my pulse accelerates and heat spreads throughout my body at the thought of touching his lips to my lips – these are sufficient grounds for the joy that I will never see him again. He is the embodiment of what I need in this life no more than a hole in my head – a love interest in a bad guy, another one.
As always, reflecting on an ideal nightmare relationship, I recall Derk. The cache reminds him a lot. Smug, sexy, full of charm. Obstinate. Rebellious.
Smoothie.
Gritting my teeth, I crawl out from under the covers and plod into the bathroom. I throw Gabe out of my head, I do not give this bastard a single chance for at least one second of my life.
Having poured enough cold water on my face to feel at least half human, I go to the kitchen with the wrong step. I walk through the living room. Luxurious designer furniture, tastefully selected pieces of art in the right places – everything is past consciousness. For almost two weeks now, as a friend, with whom I rented a room, faded somewhere, and I had to move to my rich cousin Dore. Finally, I got used to the kind of luxury in which another part of humanity lives.
“Well, sort of,” I think, stopping to look at the wall clock for two thousand dollars.
About eleven. I’m a little angry with myself for having overslept most of the weekend, so I enter the kitchen grumbling and bristling. Dora sits by the kitchen island, throwing her long bare legs one on top of the other and putting them in the direction of a guy nestled in a high chair. This sight does not improve mood.
I look gloomily at my broad, pulled in lazy back and powerful shoulders, at dark blond hair. For about half a second I figure out what I’m dressed in (boyish shorts and a topic on thin straps) and how I look (matted black hair, sleepy green eyes and barefoot makeup). Wouldn’t I go back to my room? The question was dropped because Dora spoke to me.
– Here you are, Sleeping Beauty! – She smiles warmly at me.
This is suspicious.
Dora never meets me affably. Never. On it you can safely put the trifect on the sweepstakes.
Trifect – a type of combined bet in a sweepstakes. In this bet, the player tries to guess the winner, as well as the second and third prize winners in the race, race or race. The payout of the prize is made only if the three horses indicated in the rate of bet come to the finish line first and in that order. – she will take the first three places in corruption, arrogance and malice. If I had any other option of gaining a roof over my head, I would certainly use it. Not that I’m not grateful to her. I am grateful. And I express my gratitude that I pay my part of the lease, which Dora does not care about at all (her father does it), and not her soul in a dream. I consider this a great generosity on my part.
“Good morning,” I say, uncertainly, in a hoarse voice.
The broad shoulders that block Dora turn to me with a light brown head. Cash’s vicious dark brown eyes freeze, stop breathing.
This is Cash, the owner of the club yesterday.
I feel my jaw drop and my stomach sinks somewhere under the floor. I am surprised and confused, but it amazes me the most how much more attractive it looks in daylight. Secretly, I hoped that my reaction to Cash last night was caused by alcohol, coupled with the fact that I took off his clothes.
Obviously, neither one nor the other had anything to do with my experiences.
– What are you doing here? I ask embarrassedly and see how he frowns slightly.
– Sorry I did not get it?
He looks at Dora, then at me again.
– Wait a minute. Nick, do you know her? – Dora asks; the warmth in her voice was gone.
Nick? Nick is Dora’s friend?
I do not know what to say. My stupefied mind is not able to put pieces of the puzzle in place.
“Yes, it seems,” says Cash / Nick with an impassive expression on his face.
As soon as I realize what is happening, amazement and embarrassment give way to rage and indignation. More liars, I hate only liars. Liars disgust me, they just infuriate me.
I automatically suppress anger. Now, keeping calm does not cost me much work – the result of many years of training in swallowing my own emotions.
“Oh, how?” Do you always forget so easily the women who undressed you the night before?
A spark flashes in his eyes. What is this … laughter?
– Believe me, I would not forget that.
Dora jumps off the chair by the islet and assumes a warlike pose with his fists on his hips:
– What the heck? What’s going on here?
I never get stuck in a relationship between couples. What they do without telling each other is their own business. But here is a special case. I don’t know why, but it is.
“Maybe because she is my cousin,” I tell myself, although I myself know that Dora and I do not like each other, we have nothing to lose.
Another thought flashes through my head: “You are upset because you were easily forgotten by the guy with thoughts about which you woke up today.” I decisively dismiss it, hanging the label “bullshit,” and move on.
First I turn to Dora:
– But what. This same Nick came to Sean’s bachelorette party last night and impersonating a club owner named Cash. – Then I turn to the impostor in question. Although I try, but I can not resist the mocking tone. – And you? Are you Cash or Nick? Don’t you think that could be more original? Calculation would be verified, or what?
I had no doubt that now Dora would bring forth righteous anger at Cash / Nick, and that immediately would begin to repent or at least get out to justify what he had done. But she got what she least expected.
They both began to laugh.
My confused look only seems to enhance their fun. And the anger in me grows accordingly.
The first to speak Cache / Nick:
“I suppose Dora didn’t have time to tell you that I have a twin brother?”
I observe how the whole gamut of emotions is displayed on the face of this cute girl. Embarrassment, anger, chagrin, pleasure, then embarrassment again. The final chord is complete bewilderment.
– Are you kidding.
– Hardly. Why make up such a story?
She continues to stunned at me.
“So, then you’re Nick.”
I nod:
– Right.
– Cache and Nick.
I shrug:
– Our mother liked country music.
“And Cash is the owner of the Sunset Club.”
– Exactly.
“That excuses you.”
– Strictly speaking, no. In any case, no. Anyway.
– And nobody fooled me.
I am laughing:
– Yes, nobody fooled you.
She bites her lips without opening her mouth, the news digests. I don’t think she guesses how sexy and charming.
The excitement subsided, the girl takes in air and asks a question:
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