His Curvy Bride - Nichole Rose Page 0,27

living room or kitchen. Riley said she was in her room, refusing to come out. That's all right though. She can stay in there for as long as she wants to just so long as she lets me in there with her. All I want is to be with her. Fuck the song. Fuck the music. I don't need any of that. All I need is her.

Her bedroom door is unlocked.

"Cami?" I tap on it, not wanting to barge in and scare her.

"I said I'm fine!" she yells, but she's clearly not fine. Her voice is rough and scratchy where she's been crying. She sounds so damn sad. I don't think she knows I'm the one out here.

I try to open the door, but it's locked. I crouch down to examine the lock, hoping it's one I can pop open. She probably won't be very happy with me if I take the door off the hinges to get to her, but make no mistake, the door won't be keeping me from her.

Luckily, the lock is flimsy and easily picked. I grab my pocketknife and flip open the little screwdriver attachment. One quick jiggle and the lock releases. I hop to my feet, pushing the door open.

My heart breaks at the sight of my little dove curled up in her big bed. She's still fully dressed in her cute little green dress that matches her eyes. Her heels are in the floor beside her. Even though she's facing away from the door, she looks so tiny and miserable.

"Go away, Riley. And tell Cash he isn't allowed to pick my locks for you anymore," she says and then sniffles. "He shouldn't listen to you so much. You have terrible ideas. Like telling me B-B-Bent…that big jerk loves me. I'm sorry. That's mean. I shouldn't be mad at you. It's not very fair, is it? You didn't know he was a liar."

How is it that she makes my heart ache and makes me smile at the same damn time? She's so fucking cute with her voice all indignant one minute and then apologetic the next. There is no one else in this whole wide world like her.

"Riley was right, you know," I murmur, leaning against the doorjamb even though what I really want to do is crawl in that bed with her and hold her until she's smiling again. "This big jerk does love you, little dove."

"Bentley!" she gasps, practically flying into a seated position. Her red-rimmed eyes come to me. Her bottom lip quivers before she bites it. Despite the watery sheen in her green eyes, they narrow on me. "Did you break into my apartment?"

"Riley gave me your key," I admit.

"I'm definitely mad at her," she mumbles, though I'm not sure if she's talking to herself or to me. Her shoulders square, her jaw firming. "I don't know why she gave you my key, but you need to give it back to me and leave."

"You can have your key back," I promise, pushing away from the wall and pacing toward her. "I'll even leave if you really want me to do that, but I have something I need to say to you first."

She flinches when I stop in front of her, and then holds her hand out for the key. I drop it into her palm, hoping like hell I don't live to regret giving it back to her.

"If you're here to tell me that last night was a mistake, I already know that," she whispers, her voice sad. She won't meet my gaze either. Instead, she stares at the floor at my feet. "I heard everything you had to say today. I may not be beautiful, but I'm not a bitch and it's not okay that you called me one." Her voice shakes, her chin wobbling. She fights through it though, refusing to cry in front of me. "You didn't have to sleep with me to get me to agree to let you use the stupid duet, Bentley."

"Little dove–"

"Don't call me that."

"Angel–"

"That either."

"I don't give a fuck about the song, Cami. If you don't want me to use it, I won't use it. And you aren't a bitch, but you are beautiful. Jesus, little…Cami," I correct at the last minute, "you're so fucking gorgeous it hurts to look at you, especially when I know you don't want me to touch you right now."

"Right," she snorts.

"Dammit," I growl, frustrated she doesn't believe me. I grab her hand. She tries to pull