setback, that’s all. Every cancer patient probably has them, and lots of people survive. Modern medicine has come a long way.
I dab at the tears in my eyes that have yet to fall and stand up straight, steeling myself for the night ahead. I just need to compartmentalize, that’s all.
With my chin up and my shoulders back, I make my way through the large house to finally have the date I’ve waited a decade for.
16
Chapter Sixteen
Garrin
Once again, I’m led to the library to wait for Isla. I’ve tried to tell myself all day that I’m not looking forward to this, that it’s just something I’m doing to keep my father at bay, but it’s growing harder to deny that I want to spend time with Isla.
What I can’t figure out is whether it’s leftover scraps of feelings from how I felt as a teenager, or whether I’m excited for something new to transpire. Jesus, what the hell am I thinking? Get a grip, Stone.
I face the back wall with my hands in my pockets, reading the spines on a section of books, when I hear the door open. Her heels give her away, clacking against the wood floor as she approaches.
I turn to greet her, but as soon as I see her, I can’t push any words out of my mouth. I made up that bullshit about her being the most stunning woman in the world when I texted her, but it turns out I wasn’t lying.
She’s wearing a long blue dress that dips low in the front and exposes her shoulders. Until this moment, I didn’t even know that shoulders could be a sexy part of the body. Now I might be jerking off to the memory of her shoulders when I get back to my place tonight.
“Hi,” she says in a soft voice, like she’s shy and unsure if she can pull off the look.
I step toward her, unable to shift my gaze from the vision in front of me. “Isla, you look… wow. Stunning doesn’t even do you justice.”
Color creeps into her cheeks and her eyes stray to the floor for a second. I reach forward and tilt her chin up with my index finger before I can tell myself not to.
“Don’t do that. Don’t be embarrassed about the praise you’ll be receiving tonight. It’s well deserved.”
She presses her plump lips together and nods. “You look very handsome.”
I smooth my hands down my tuxedoed chest. “I’m not sure I’m worthy of having you on my arm, but I’m too selfish of a bastard to care.”
We leave the library, and I help her with her coat. When I hold my elbow out, she loops her arm through mine and I lead her out of her house. With the dark night sky, the dimness of the lights along her house and the stars above us, it sounds cheesy as hell to say, but it feels magical. Langley opens the door to my Rolls-Royce Cullinan and I help her unhook her arm as she slides into my car. As she disappears, this caveman claim wraps around me at the thought that I finally have her alone.
She’s not making it easy for me to continue hating her, and I’m pretty sure I should keep that hatred growing and burning, but every time I see her, it’s a struggle. She’s so soft and vulnerable, the complete opposite of me. A part of me wants to covet her and protect her, holding her gently in my palms so no other bastard can hurt her. The other part of me wants to corrupt her and cause her pain until she’s hollowed out on the inside like me. It’s a war I’ve yet to figure out who will win.
The fullness of her dress fills up most of the space in the back. Which is just as well because otherwise, I’d be tempted to sit closer to her. The slit of her dress exposes one long, toned leg, and it’s an effort of Herculean proportions not to stare. I’ll definitely be beating off to my hand running the length of that leg, disappearing under the fabric.
She’s quiet when Langley pulls away from the curb.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, though I shouldn’t care. It’s none of my business.
“Yeah, sorry. I’m just distracted. I promise I won’t be like this all night.” The words sound nice, but her tone doesn’t suggest she’s telling the truth.
I frown. Rather than enjoying the idea of her being distressed, I’m bothered and