I closed my eyes as I pressed my palm to my abdomen.In. Out.I repeated that for a few seconds, then opened my eyes again. I wore a long-sleeved shirt and pants, which were a little tighter than I’d normally wear, and I had the fake guns holstered to my thighs like Lara Croft.
Sure, she’d worn a tight tank top, but that wasn’t going to happen here. Not with all the scars I had on my shoulder. Not to mention my wrists. But the rest of my costume was exactly like hers when she kicked ass in the caves.
I’d picked Lara Croft because of her strength. That chick pummeled anything she faced, and I wanted to be her tonight.
“There, the color’s back to your cheeks…well, what little color you have.” Lizzie laughed. “Okay, let me see.”
I angled the iPad so she could see as if she were beside me, looking in the mirror with me.
“Perfect. You’re so kicking ass tonight in those boots. And here is your assignment…”
“I kinda hoped you’d forgotten.”
“I figured. But Angelina—hey, totally appropriate that your name is Angelina!”
“You just figured that out?” I shook my head. “I thought you had a 130 IQ?”
“Jerk. Just for that, your assignment changed.” She grinned. “You will tell Hunter about the attack.”
Chapter Twelve
Angelina
“Lizzie, no. First—no. And second—it’s a party. Why on God’s green earth would I talk to him about that at a party? Third—why would I open up to him like that when he thoroughly shut the door on my face last night?”
“My first assignment was to try and kiss him. Would you rather have that one?” Her grin filled her cute face. She was so sweet, thoughtful, and so young looking.
Sure, she was nineteen and I was only twenty-three, but still. Her blonde, bob-cut hair flopped forward, and she pushed it behind her ear as she focused in on the screen with her midnight-blue eyes.
She might be in New York and looking at me via Facetime, but I felt every bit of her stare.
“I say there aren’t any assignments.” The doorbell rang, and I hopped to my feet. “He’s here.” I hated that I was so excited for this. He’d told me we couldn’t be together other than friends, but…I was pathetic.
“Take me with you,” Lizzie said as I snatched the iPad. “I want to see him.”
I hustled to the door and whipped it open.
His bottom jaw dropped, and I think mine did, too. He wore boxing shorts and no shirt, instead, it was a little coat thing that matched his shorts. He had a pair of gloves slung over his left shoulder.
But man, that little jacket thing was open enough for me to get a great view of the middle of his chest. The coat covered his pecs, but I could see the faint smattering of hair in the deep valley between them clear as crystal. I’d known he had nice pecs, but to see a little more…Whew.
And the abs. I needed to stop gawking, so I shifted my focus to his eyes. They were wide and in the middle of a head-to-toe appraisal of me. And I felt every second of it.
Lizzie snickered, and I lifted the iPad so she could see Hunter more clearly. “Hey,” I said. “Lizzie wanted to see your costume.”
She squealed and said, “Damn, that’s a sweet costume. And that eye…yeah, that’s a wicked shiner all right. Hey Hunter.”
“Hey Lizzie,” he said, still looking at me.
Heat flooded my cheeks, but I stood a little taller under the scrutiny of his stare. Sure, I didn’t have much of a body, but I still had a few curves. And for the first time in averylong time, I wanted someone to see them. I never thought I’d ever want that again after the attack, but that was another thing Hunter did for me.
He made me feel beautiful.
“You look great, Lina.” He smiled then looked beyond my shoulder. “Is tonight the night I get to come in?”
Lizzie gasped. I turned the iPad so I could see her. “Okay, Lizzie. Thanks for helping me get ready. Talk to you later?”
She grinned that evil grin again. “Assignment number one. I want a report on it tomorrow morning.”