La Vie en Rose {Life in Pink} Read Online Free PDF

few minutes?”
    “Well, okay.”
    He stood as she rustled her way from the table and collapsed on the couch. Everything smelled like coconut.
    “Promise me you’ll shower tomorrow. You’re getting a little rank.”
    “That’s not nice,” she mumbled and shut her eyes. “But okay. I’ll do it for you, Riley Lockhart. Because we’re friends.”
    He pried the nearly empty bottle from her fingers and covered her with the afghan. “Because we’re friends,” he agreed. “Goodnight, Emma.”

Chapter Two
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    E mma neatly tucked a sprig of basil beside the omelet and placed two pats of butter on the warm, golden toast . Perfect.
    Lifting the tray, she nudged into Riley’s bedroom and carefully navigated her way around the laundry piles and numerous cassette tapes covering the floor. She wasn’t sure why he collected something as dated as cassettes, but it had something to do with the fact that people gave them away for free and he didn’t see the sense in wasting perfectly good music. The man didn’t own a single CD and forget about an iPod.
    Fitting the tray of food on the nightstand was no easy task, with all the books and empty bottles. Once she had her hands free, she lifted the blinds and let in the early morning sunlight, bathing the dark space in immediate brightness. “Rise and shine—”
    “What the hell?” He covered his face and rolled over as if he were a vampire. “What time is it?”
    She frowned. “It’s nine.” Nine was an acceptable time for breakfast. She’d been awake for hours.
    “In the morning ?”
    “Yeah.” Why was he so angry?
    “Emma,” he said as though he were taking extra care not to freak out. “I have work ten hours from now. Why the hell would you wake me up this early?”
    Didn’t he see the lovely breakfast she made him? “I just thought we could hang out.”
    “I went to bed two hours ago. The only thing I want to hang out with is my pillow !” he snapped and she stepped back.
    She hadn’t realized he was up so late. “I’m sorry. I’ll let you get back to sleep.” Guilt-ridden, she shut the curtains, and backed out of the room.
    Damn it. She was such an idiot. The crushing sense of rejection locked around her heart again. She was being stupid and needed to go somewhere private—fast. Her vision blurred.
    “Emma. Wait.”
    Riley cursed and she winced, making a quick escape to the kitchen. Busying herself with the dishes, she tried not to get upset. She was annoyingly sensitive at the moment. Waking him as a distraction was inconsiderate and selfish. They weren’t close like that. She’d have to find something else to keep her preoccupied. It wasn’t Riley’s job to babysit her.
    A door creaked. “You made me breakfast.”
    “It’s nothing. I just wanted to say thanks for last night.” Shutting off the faucet, she waited for him to say more, but didn’t turn around.
    “You’re not wearing the gown.”
    “It’s just a dress.” She had to keep telling herself that. Otherwise, that beautifully tainted dress would only symbolize her failures and barren future.
    “Emma...”
    Bracing herself and locking away all emotion, she faced him with a smile. “It’s okay. Really. I’m not going to break.”
    He nodded and disappeared into his room. A moment later, he returned, carrying the tray of food. “Let’s eat.”
    Touched by his easy forgiveness, she grinned, fought the urge to hug him, and walked to the living room.
    “Hey, you cleaned up.”
    “Step one of recovering one’s dignity: destroy all evidence that it was ever lost.”
    He eyed her as he chewed on a slice of toast. Butter crumbs clung to his full lower lip as his mouth cocked to one side in a half grin. “I’m proud of you, Em. I wasn’t expecting this sort of transformation.” He took a sip of fresh squeezed orange juice.
    “When I said I was done caring, I meant it. Today I’m going to look for a new job and tonight I’m going to have sex with a