the ground floor and gazed at him. She was grateful for the wall at her back. The solemn look in his eyes, pleading with her to understand, filled her with deep and irrevocable sadness.
He was a man of principle, honor and morals. She knew he’d stop at nothing to get to the bottom of things.
But it was too late. He wasn’t one hundred percent sure she was innocent. If he really knew her—truly cared—he’d already know the truth.
Only when the elevator doors closed did Olivia allow herself to cry.
Chapter Six
“Who needs men?” Holly squealed from her spot on Olivia’s living room floor.
She’d called Holly the moment she got home. Upon hearing the mess Olivia was in, Holly called Candy, who was currently spread out on her sofa. Both showed up on her doorstep—minus Jessica since she had to babysit her niece—bottles of vodka and OJ in hand, as well as two large tubs of Olivia’s favorite mint chocolate ice cream.
Four glasses of vodka and OJ each later, none of them felt any pain. Olivia couldn’t believe she’d drunk them all within the last three hours, but it had numbed the pain enough to keep the tears away.
“Men are pricks. Why they ever open their mouth before, after or during sex is beyond me. There should be a law that men are to only be seen and not heard,” Candy slurred.
“I thought that only applied…” Holly hiccupped. “…to children?”
“Who gives a shit? It’s a new law. Let’s call the President or whomever and get it on the books,” Candy ordered.
Olivia giggled.
“I heard that!” Holly pointed at her. “You need to laugh. Suck this bullshit about being heartbroken and let’s go to Countess . We’ll dare you into another round of great sex.”
“Oh, hell no.” Olivia leaned forward and grabbed the tub of melted ice cream. “I don’t need any men around me right now. Fuck that.” After scooping up a spoonful of ice cream, she put it in her mouth and savored the minty taste. “You guys got me into this mess. Don’t do me any more favors.”
“Hey, don’t blame us.” Candy sat up from the corner of the sofa, and steadied her drunk self on the coffee table in front of her. “We didn’t think you’d fall for this guy. You should have picked a stranger. Isn’t that what we said in the dare? Or something like that. I can’t remember now. No, you fuck off and find a dude that you know, someone you’ve had an attraction to for a while.”
“Thaz right, Livs. Is not our fault,” Holly proclaimed.
“I’m sorry, you’re right, but dammit.” Olivia laid her head on the back of her La-Z-Boy. “This hurts. I can’t believe anyone would think I’d do something so devious and disgusting. Me of all people! Do people think I’m dishonest, really?”
“Hell no! Don’t let them bastards make you doubt yourself or feel like shit. They’re a bunch of dickwads who need a boot right in the balls. They don’t know you at all.” Candy was always willing to kick asses and ask questions later.
Olivia’s throat tightened at hearing her best friends stick up for her against the injustice she’d received. She just wished Dare had believed in her as unconditionally as her girls did. Yes, he hadn’t known her long, or nearly as well. But after the time they’d spent together, the things they’d done, the ways she’d opened her body and soul to him—he should have known better.
Damn him.
Damn him for making her fall in love with him.
Tears ran down her cheeks. Her heart felt as if it had taken a beating with a sledgehammer.
“Oh, Livs, don’t cry.” Candy and Holly surrounded her, holding her close.
When no more tears showed, Olivia took a deep breath. She kissed each of her friends’ heads. She was stronger than this. The tears had come, harder than she thought, but she’d survive.
Dare had made her no promises. She was responsible for her own feelings. She needed to find out who had framed her. Once she uncovered that,
He was a man of principle, honor and morals. She knew he’d stop at nothing to get to the bottom of things.
But it was too late. He wasn’t one hundred percent sure she was innocent. If he really knew her—truly cared—he’d already know the truth.
Only when the elevator doors closed did Olivia allow herself to cry.
Chapter Six
“Who needs men?” Holly squealed from her spot on Olivia’s living room floor.
She’d called Holly the moment she got home. Upon hearing the mess Olivia was in, Holly called Candy, who was currently spread out on her sofa. Both showed up on her doorstep—minus Jessica since she had to babysit her niece—bottles of vodka and OJ in hand, as well as two large tubs of Olivia’s favorite mint chocolate ice cream.
Four glasses of vodka and OJ each later, none of them felt any pain. Olivia couldn’t believe she’d drunk them all within the last three hours, but it had numbed the pain enough to keep the tears away.
“Men are pricks. Why they ever open their mouth before, after or during sex is beyond me. There should be a law that men are to only be seen and not heard,” Candy slurred.
“I thought that only applied…” Holly hiccupped. “…to children?”
“Who gives a shit? It’s a new law. Let’s call the President or whomever and get it on the books,” Candy ordered.
Olivia giggled.
“I heard that!” Holly pointed at her. “You need to laugh. Suck this bullshit about being heartbroken and let’s go to Countess . We’ll dare you into another round of great sex.”
“Oh, hell no.” Olivia leaned forward and grabbed the tub of melted ice cream. “I don’t need any men around me right now. Fuck that.” After scooping up a spoonful of ice cream, she put it in her mouth and savored the minty taste. “You guys got me into this mess. Don’t do me any more favors.”
“Hey, don’t blame us.” Candy sat up from the corner of the sofa, and steadied her drunk self on the coffee table in front of her. “We didn’t think you’d fall for this guy. You should have picked a stranger. Isn’t that what we said in the dare? Or something like that. I can’t remember now. No, you fuck off and find a dude that you know, someone you’ve had an attraction to for a while.”
“Thaz right, Livs. Is not our fault,” Holly proclaimed.
“I’m sorry, you’re right, but dammit.” Olivia laid her head on the back of her La-Z-Boy. “This hurts. I can’t believe anyone would think I’d do something so devious and disgusting. Me of all people! Do people think I’m dishonest, really?”
“Hell no! Don’t let them bastards make you doubt yourself or feel like shit. They’re a bunch of dickwads who need a boot right in the balls. They don’t know you at all.” Candy was always willing to kick asses and ask questions later.
Olivia’s throat tightened at hearing her best friends stick up for her against the injustice she’d received. She just wished Dare had believed in her as unconditionally as her girls did. Yes, he hadn’t known her long, or nearly as well. But after the time they’d spent together, the things they’d done, the ways she’d opened her body and soul to him—he should have known better.
Damn him.
Damn him for making her fall in love with him.
Tears ran down her cheeks. Her heart felt as if it had taken a beating with a sledgehammer.
“Oh, Livs, don’t cry.” Candy and Holly surrounded her, holding her close.
When no more tears showed, Olivia took a deep breath. She kissed each of her friends’ heads. She was stronger than this. The tears had come, harder than she thought, but she’d survive.
Dare had made her no promises. She was responsible for her own feelings. She needed to find out who had framed her. Once she uncovered that,
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