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Chapter 19
Rhett
The rules of the competition are that Cristina and I are supposed to eat as many meals together as possible. Which means tonight, I’m outside her room, knocking, ready for a late supper.
While I wait, a text comes through from Pane. Hundreds watched the live stream tonight. We expect it to be in the thousands for the next competition.
Good, I text back.
We need all the press we can get.
After a moment, Cristina opens her door and brushes past me.
So that’s how it’s gonna be.
We walk to dinner in silence. Eat in silence. Return to our rooms, also in silence.
It’s when I’m in my room readying for bed that a knock comes from the adjoining door.
I spy my bottle of sleeping pills and tuck them into a drawer. They help me fall asleep, but they don’t stop the sleepwalking, and after last night, I don’t want her seeing that I need them.
I open the door and suck in a deep breath.
Cristina stands barefoot, a satin nightgown brushing her ankles, every curve accentuated in mouthwatering detail. A gentleman wouldn’t look. Unfortunately, I’m not feeling very gentlemanlike, which means I don’t stop myself from taking her in from head to foot and back again.
I drop my arm to rest on the door’s edge. “Yes, ma’am? How can I help you?”
“You can stop drooling.”
I laugh. “You’re the one who’s in the nightie, remember?”
“Well, I was going to apologize.”
“For what?”
She folds her arms and huffs. “For what I said earlier. But I’m not, because of the way you just looked at me.”
She shuts her door, and I want to pull my hair out. I knock and the door flies open.
“What?”
“I did my best not to look at you in that, that . . .”
“It’s a nightgown.”
“I know what it is, and it feels like you’re trying to seduce me.”
Her jaw drops. “I am not that kind of girl.”
“I didn’t say you were.”
“You implied it.”
“Only to you and your Bitty Beings.”
I said that last part to annoy her. When she bunches up her mouth, it’s obvious I succeeded.
“Good night,” she barks, slamming her door.
