ruined me. It was only fair that I return the favor, so why haven’t I?
Bee rounded the corner at that very moment, making me eat those fucking words. She hadn’t spotted me yet, so I took advantage, drinking in the sight of her in that red gown with her strawberry locks piled high. I wanted to pull free every single pin just so I could wrap her hair around my fist and kiss her senseless. And maybe, quite literally, take her breath away too.
Feeling my gaze, she turned, and for several long, agonizing seconds, neither of us moved or spoke a word.
Vaughn cleared his throat, breaking the trance as he stood to his feet. “I guess that’s my cue. If you two start fucking, I don’t want to be caught in the middle. Or do I?” he joked with a waggle of his eyebrows.
I glared at his back as he paused to kiss Bee on her forehead before walking away. Whenever I did finally get Bee in my bed, I sure as hell wouldn’t be sharing her with anyone else. The second we were alone, our gazes returned to one another.
“Come here.”
Bee didn’t hesitate and glided toward me until she was standing between my legs. Bringing her down on my lap, I kissed her lips, making her sigh. “I’m sorry for walking away from you.”
Perking a brow, she pursed her lips, and I was tempted to kiss them again.
“Then why did you?”
“Because I’m a needy motherfucker,” I answered truthfully. “And what I need is you.”
Her lips parted, and I waited for her to tell me that I could have her. Once she said the words, I knew I’d let go of the past. I’d stop pining for how things were and start looking to the future and believing in what could be. All she had to do was say the words.
Say the fucking words, baby.
I didn’t realize I was frowning until her finger traced the lines on my forehead. I felt my expression soften as she began toying with the barbell piercing my brow. “I…” I held my breath while she struggled for words and tried not to look so eager. A second later, her shoulders slumped. “I had a good time tonight. Thank you.”
If I’d been standing, I wasn’t sure I would still be. Disappointment coursed through me, making my world spin, so when her eyes closed, so did mine. I didn’t realize we’d leaned into one another until our foreheads touched.
“You were never going to prom with him. It was always going to be me.”
“I’m glad… even if I don’t deserve you.”
I held her tighter, wanting to protect her from whatever dark thoughts plagued her. “Deserve me? You’re the lyrics to my song, Bette. I don’t exist without you.”
She shook her head, refusing to accept my claim. “You were right about me, James. I break hearts. I broke you.” My eyes flew open at the same time hers did. The growl I didn’t expect to release startled her, but there was nothing I could do to wrangle my emotions back in.
Then piece me back together, dammit.
“I survived,” I said instead and softened the blow by quirking my lips. She didn’t smile back, and I felt like shit when a tear fell.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
My jaw clenched as something inside of me reached out for her. I promptly shoved it back down as I set her on her feet and stood. Maybe I wasn’t as ready to forgive her as I thought.
Not yet.
Shit… maybe never.
Slowly, I ran my finger over the top of her breasts. Her soft skin turned red under my touch. “You looked beautiful tonight.” I couldn’t believe it took me until the night was damn near over to tell her. “But then you always do.”
She grinned despite the storm raging within us both. “Is this the part where you convince me to sleep with you?”
Looking around, I realized we were completely hidden from the rest of the world. I could bend her over the bench and hike up that gown. No one would ever know. Tragic.
“When you’re ready to be fucked, you won’t need much convincing, kitten.”
Her gaze narrowed, and I had the feeling she was pissed about being turned down. “But you were so sure it would be tonight.”
“Maybe you weren’t the only one needing to be seduced.”
“So tonight was a test?”
Rather than answer, I slipped my phone from my pocket and checked the time. Shit. “It’s almost midnight, Cinderella.” Glancing down, I tried not