Tomorrow she’ll be mortified that she took her dress off in front of Maverick. I try to stop her but she’s already got it around her neck, and at this point, I just help her get it off.

“Fine.” She burps and pulls her dress over her head like she’s getting ready for bed.

I’m glad you’re here because this girl has been crying her eyes out.” She shakes her finger at me and giggles. “Is he a stripper? Please tell me it’s a stripper.” Is there a hot guy that looks like Maverick in our room?” She squints. She throws her arms around me and once she sees Maverick, she takes a step back, nearly falling. He stares at me for a long time, even after Skye pops out of the bathroom and weaves over to me. Alex…he and Skye…I think there’s something there between them-that’s why I agreed to go out with them tonight. I walk over to him, eliminating the distance between us. We hear Skye then, flushing the toilet then singing “Let It Go” from the Frozen soundtrack over the rush of the sink as she washes her hands. He scrubs his face and pulls the hair off his forehead, holding on to it as he stares at me. He’s made it to the door but turns back toward me. “Because my heart is yours and always will be.” “You’re supposed to believe me because nothing compares to you,” I say, letting his arm go. How on earth do I explain to him that Alex doesn’t even register on my radar anymore? Not after falling for Maverick. “You tell me you love me one minute and the next you’re at the beach with your ex-what am I supposed to think?” His teeth snap together, his shoulders stiff and defensive as he glares at me. Skye and I went clubbing with him then he came up here and promptly passed out. Anger works his face, and another girl might worry that he’d lash out, but it’s Maverick and I know underneath all that muscle is a heart that would never hurt a girl, not even Muffin. He brushes past me and I grab his arm, making him come up short.

I wish I’d never even spoken to Alex at the beach today. I want to rewind everything and make sure Skye doesn’t beg Alex to walk us to our room. His fists are clenched at his sides, a barely contained force about to blow. He swallows, his throat bobbing as his eyes finally land on me. Maverick’s chest heaves, his face oddly still as he moves his gaze around the room, taking in the clothes strewn about on the floor, the shoes I kicked off as soon as I came in, and the boxes of wine.

I dare you ilsa