behind the camera - fake dating sports romance (wlw)

Chapter Nineteen

HARPER

"Trust me, Harp. Green is your color. But if you want to walk into that room and leave every single person with their jaws on the floor?" Audrey holds the hanger like a weapon, dramatic as ever, lifting a slinky red satin dress that glints beneath the boutique lights. "This is your dress."

It's got a structured bodice, delicate bows at the shoulders, and a hemline that hovers above the knees in a way that says: Look at me, but not for too long or you'll miss it.

I blink. "Audrey, I'm going to be on the arm of Millie Bennett tonight. Literally no one's going to be looking at me."

She tosses the hanger onto the dressing room hook with a huff and crosses her arms like I just offended her great-aunt's cookie recipe. "Shut up and buy it."

I laugh under my breath, half to hide the blush creeping up my neck. "I can't buy that. Have you seen the tag?"

Audrey points two perfectly manicured fingers at me. "You have your girlfriend's black card in your coat pocket. And she gave it to you for this exact reason. Buy. The. Dress."

"Fake girlfriend," I mutter, but not loud enough for it to carry.

Audrey hears it anyway. "Uh-huh," she says dryly. "Sure. Totally fake. That's why you've been mooning over her like a Jane Austen character for the last three days."

I open my mouth, close it again. Rub the back of my neck and try not to imagine the exact way Millie's hand felt on my jaw. Or the way her voice dropped into something husky and low when she said—

If you ever have needs... you come to me.

I squeeze my eyes shut.
God, I've thought about it too much. Every night since then, I've laid in bed like some lovesick idiot, staring at the ceiling, remembering the weight of her gaze and the heat coiled so tight between us I could barely breathe. And the worst part? She didn't even kiss me. She could've, but she didn't. She just walked away with that stupid smirk like she knew exactly what she was doing.

And maybe she did. Maybe she still does.

"Earth to Harper." Audrey waves a hand in front of my face. "Did she break your brain?"

"Yes," I say immediately, and Audrey cackles.

I run a hand through my hair and finally reach for the red dress. The satin is impossibly soft between my fingers. Ridiculously luxurious. "I don't know, Audrey. What if this is all... like, what if I'm reading into it too much?"

She leans back against the mirror, her tone softening. "You're not."

"You don't know that."

She tilts her head. "Okay, first of all, I know you. And I know when you're scared."

"I'm not scared."

"You are absolutely terrified," she says, and then points to the dress. "Which is exactly why you should buy this. Wear it. Walk into that gala and make her suffer."

"Suffer?"

Audrey grins. "Yeah. Suffer. For leaving you breathless and speechless and horny in your own apartment and then walking away like it was no big deal."

I groan. "Audrey."

She only shrugs, smug and unrepentant. "If I had someone like that looking at me the way Millie looks at you, I wouldn't be asking questions. I'd be buying the dress and getting ready to ruin her entire night. Trust me, I know Millie."

I laugh, a little helplessly, because I know she's not entirely wrong. It is Millie's fault I've been walking around for three days like my skin is two sizes too small. She touches me like she's testing limits. Talks to me like I'm the only person who matters. Flirts like she can't help herself.