Page 32 of Love is Blind

“I’ll help you get dressed,” Holly offers, her tone apologetic. “Ghost said you’re staying with Emmy. I can drive you there too.”

I know she’s trying to be helpful, but I can’t help feel as though I’ve been punched in the gut.

“Thanks, but…I don’t need help getting dressed. But if it isn’t too much trouble can you help me find my clothes?”

My cheeks heat as soon as I say the words and I drag in a deep breath. I’ve got a real problem asking for or accepting help from others. It makes me feel defeated, like I’m succumbing to this wretched disease.

“Birdie,” Holly starts, but I don’t turn to her this time. Instead, I tighten my hold on the sheet and crawl towards the bed. “I know what happened this morning is disappointing.”

More like humiliating but no need to get into specifics.

“But I promise you Ghost isn’t the type of guy who leaves a woman in his bed to run after another one. He’s noble and loyal to a fault. He’s just going through something really bad and unbelievably tragic right now.”

Using the mattress as leverage, I rise to my feet and turn to face Holly.

“Ghost doesn’t owe me anything. He only met me last night and if I didn’t follow him into the bathroom, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

“Sure you would,” she argues. “Maverick and I saw you two together at Sally’s. We were there with our kids having dinner. You spit a drink at him.”

I flinch at that little reminder.

“I didn’t mean to do that.”

“Whether you meant to do it or not, you left an impression.”

“Not a good one,” I mutter.

“I think that’s debatable, but that’s not the point. Birdie, Ghost looked alive last night, and I can’t even begin to tell you how wonderful that was to witness. So, even though you’ve had a shit morning, I’m going to need you to trust me.”

“And I’m going to need my clothes,” I volley, holding out my hand.

I think the best thing is to cut my losses and get out here.

Releasing an exasperated sigh, Holly hands me my pants, but my underwear is missing and so is my bra. Not really wanting to make a big deal of it, I ask her to find my shirt. When she finds it, she mutters a curse, and then I hear a drawer open.

“You can’t wear that,” she says. “All the buttons are ripped off and unless you want to flash everyone your headlights, we need to improvise.”

“I’m sorry…everyone?”

“Some of the guys are outside,” she supplies.

Of course they are, where else would they be?

“I have an idea,” she exclaims. “One that will drive Ghost nuts. Lift your arms and lose the sheet.”

I’m not modest by any means, I think we all know that by now. But lift my arms and lose the sheet—is she nuts?

“Yeah, you know, um…I’m kind of low on trust seeing as how Ghost told me to trust him too and I wound up naked on the floor. So I just really want to get of here. If you could just get—”

My words die as she grabs my wrists and raises my hands over my head. The sheet falls from my body but there’s no time for me to protest because she quickly pulls a shirt over my head.

“Um…”

Okay so sheisnuts.

“Just hang tight, I think I have a pair of clean leggings in the next room.”

With that she disappears from the room. Alone, I try to process what the fuck just happened but then I get a whiff of Ghost’s cologne. My fingers pinch the neckline of the soft cotton tee and I lift the fabric to my nose, breathing in the masculine scent.

---