Page 2 of False Start

"God damnit! I told Maya open bars are dangerous! Champagne leads to shots, one shot leads to six, and then I wind up in bed with the asshole brother!"

"Hey!" he protests, but I barely hear him. I'm too busy yanking away the sheets to find my panties and bra so I can get the fuck out of here.

"If it makes you feel any better," he mumbles, "I don't remember anything."

How is that supposed to make me feel better? Every woman on the goddamnplanetwants to be memorable. I willnotbe naked for this conversation. Where the fuck are my underwear?

"If neither of us remembers," he continues, "it's like it didn't happen."

"Yeah, right," I scoff. I find my bra under my pillow—correction:Cory'spillow—and turn my back to shove my arms through the straps. Once the ladies are strapped in, I wrap the sheet around myself like a sarong and go in search of the rest of my clothes.

"Do you really think Maya's going to see it that way?" I ask. "Hellno. When she finds out I slept with the dick who tried to talk her husband out of marrying her, she's probably going to somehow go back in time and kick me out of the bridal party. And maybe have Adam kick your ass."

Cory's eyes narrow and his jaw clenches. I do my best not to notice how sharp it is. Or how sexy his shoulder-length hair looks still rumpled from sleep. Or that I can clearly see the half-chub he's sporting through the thin material of his sweatpants.

"He could try."

I roll my eyes and almost cheer when I find my bridesmaid dress under the bed and slip it on.

"Not saying I agree with your characterization of events," he starts, and I have to stop myself from slugging him, "but what if she doesn't find out? What if you don't tell Maya, I don't tell Adam, and we treat this whole thing like the drunken mistake it was?"

I stop and think, one heel on and the other still missing. Could I keep this from Maya? He does have a point: if neither of us remember it, what would we even tell them? But how do we know they didn't see us together last night?

"There's one flaw in your master plan, bucko. What if they saw us leave together?"

It's Cory's turn to snort. He bends down to hand me my other heel from under his desk.

"It was their wedding day. With all the friends and family and free-flowing booze last night, do you really think they noticed two guests sneaking out to hook up?"

"Not likely," I mutter begrudgingly. He grins triumphantly, and I want to wipe that smile right off his face. "But notimpossible," I add out of spite.

He rolls his eyes, though I notice him sneak a glance as I shimmy the dress over my hips.

"I don't seeyoucoming up with any brilliant ideas, Denise."

"I'm thinking," I grumble. I'm fully dressed except for my missing panties, but I'm still feeling a little exposed.

"What if," I start slowly, hoping the plan materializes as I'm talking, "we…wait and see."

Cory claps sarcastically, and I feel anger bubbling up inside my chest.

"Bravo! Are you a member of MENSA?"

I flip him the bird and lunge for the heap of sheets at the foot of the bed.

"Aha!" I shout victoriously, pulling my thong from the pile and stepping into it.

"If Maya thought I slept with you, she would be blowing up my phone." I check my phone before waving it tauntingly in his face. "No calls or texts. See?"

Cory smirks.

"You're acting like you won something, butIwas the one who suggested not telling them in the first place."

"Yeah, and if they had seen us, Einstein, that wouldn't have worked."

Irritation flashes in his eyes.

"I let the first few shots slide, but I'll be damned if I let you keep insulting me while you're standing inmyapartment."

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