Stolen Desire (The Lust List: Kaidan Stone #3) by Nova Raines, Mira Bailee Page B

Boston? I never saw it in your closet.”
    She knows I have no money and knows I used to steal. Is that what she's insinuating? I hope not. “Kaidan had his stylist send some clothes over. This was on the rack.”
    “Nice. Lucky girl.” She grins at me, and I smile back and lead her down the hallway.
    My palms are a little damp, and my heart's beating kind of fast as we pass through the empty ballroom to get to the veranda where everyone is. I'm nervous to meet Kaidan's friends. What kind of people does he hang around? Will they like me? I'm sure they were at the Stone mansion party, but that was a rough night, and he never actually introduced me to anyone.
    Kaidan steps into the ballroom and pulls the door shut behind him. I can see a small group of people hanging out back there, drinks in hand.
    Kaidan's wearing casual khakis and another nice button down shirt. Skinny mint green stripes on cream. I almost giggle at the way we match. Boy are we a pair. We'd fit in perfectly with old money right now.
    His eyes light up when he sees me, and he grabs me by the hand and pulls me close for a kiss. His gold-brown eyes are shining when we stop. “You’re gorgeous.”
    “Thanks. You're pretty handsome yourself.” I glance over at Char, who looks like she just witnessed a most gossip-worthy event. Her eyes are bugging out of her head, and her smile’s a little crazy. “Uh… my friend Charlotte. You met her at LUSH.”
    “I remember.” Kaidan nods at Char.
    “So nice to see you again,” she says.
    “Come on outside,” Kaidan says. “I want you to meet everyone. These are my old friends from boarding school. We don't get together that often, but everyone happened to be in town this weekend, so…” He shrugs and opens the door for us.
    It's dark out here, but tiki torches dot the veranda and lend their light and a tropical ambience to the scene. Low pop music plays through the outdoor speakers, and the salt-spray scent of the air tingles my nostrils as a light breeze reaches me. Waves crash from the dark sand below in a steady rhythm beneath the music.
    The chef's Hawaiian-style hors d'oeuvres—pupus—have been set up on a low bamboo table, complete with little colorful umbrellas and creatively carved fruit. At the bar, one of Kaidan's black and white uniformed staff members is making drinks.
    Everyone's looking our way, and I count eight people besides us. One group is hanging out next to the railing and stone columns, and the rest are gathered between the bar and pool. They're all well-dressed, and I'm glad I took the time to look nice.
    Kaidan leads us to the closest group near the railing first.
    A tattooed girl with a neon-pink streak in her black hair catches my eye first. She's got a full drink in her hand, but she's already wavering on her feet. She looks like she started the party hours ago.
    The drop-dead gorgeous guy next to her seems to be keeping her standing. Drop-dead gorgeous is actually an understatement. I think he may be prettier than any of the girls here. He's got tan skin and black hair, and he looks about ten years younger than drunk punk girl, so… he might be barely eighteen. Interesting pairing.
    Two dusky-skinned women stand against the railing, and after doing a double take, I realize they're twins. I can tell the flowing dresses they're wearing are high-end. As in, hot off the catwalk haute couture.
    “Hey guys,” Kaidan says. “I'd like to introduce you to my girlfriend Hayley and her friend Charlotte.”
    I flush with pleasure at the word girlfriend, and Char shoots me a meaningful look. The meaning being, “How could you fail to mention that ?”
    I ignore the look and greet Kaidan's friends as he introduces them. Based on the recognition in their eyes, this introduction is just a pleasantry. I made national news with my HIT awards fiasco last weekend. I just hope no one mentions it.
    “I went to school with Neveah and Nina,” Kaidan says, pointing to the twins. He gestures to