Nailed - Opal Carew Page 0,71
here with you. I’m going to ask Will to take me back to the penthouse.”
But he grasped her arm. “Like hell you are. I need you to listen to me. I didn’t tell her I was married because I wanted to do it in person … and introduce you. But I saw you with Will’s arm around you, got jealous, and … well, fuck, I went outside to clear my head and she caught me off guard. But understand this. She kissed me. I didn’t initiate it. And I didn’t want it.”
He pulled her close. “I only want you.” His eyes blazed with intensity as he stared at her. “You’re my wife and I will never cheat on you.”
She sucked in a shaky breath. She was mesmerized by the intensity of emotion in those vivid indigo eyes of his.
He squeezed her arms. “Tell me you believe me,” he insisted.
Her heart ached as she stared at him.
“I believe what I saw with my own eyes.” She glared at him. “Don’t treat me like a fool. I saw the passion between the two of you, and it takes two to kiss like that.”
His jaw twitched as he met her icy stare.
“I’ll stay for the rest of the party,” she said finally in a flat tone. “I’ll meet your friends, be the loving wife by your side. Then I’m leaving.”
She sent him a defiant glance, daring him to protest. He simply frowned.
She held out her hand. “Shall we?”
* * *
River put on a smile and stayed by Kane’s side during the party, doing her best to hide the turmoil inside. When Kane introduced her to Francoise as his wife, the woman was surprised, but totally unruffled, despite having been caught kissing Kane, and having told River she’d had a threesome with him and Will. In fact, the woman continued to be perfectly charming.
Meeting Kane’s friends at the party wasn’t as difficult as River had feared. They were all friendly and talkative, drawing her out of her shyness.
The party died down after midnight. Earlier, Kane had told her he’d arrange a car to take her back to the penthouse. Once they saw the last of the guests out the door, she turned from the entryway.
“I’ll go get my bag,” River said.
As she hurried up the stairs, she realized Kane was behind her. He followed her into the bedroom. She collected her toiletries from the bathroom, tossing them in her overnight bag, and then she grabbed her pajamas and quickly tossed them in, too. She would let Kane worry about the rest. She just wanted to leave.
“I wish you wouldn’t go.”
She compressed her lips and tried to walk past him, but he tugged her into his arms and kissed her. His tongue teased her lips open and glided inside her mouth.
God, the man knew how to kiss. She wanted to melt into the kiss. To revel in the strength of his arms around her, and the fact that he wanted her so much.
But she couldn’t. She stiffened and pulled herself free, then turned away from him and walked out the door.
* * *
River walked to the town car awaiting her in the driveway, blinking back the tears that threatened. When the driver opened the door for her, she saw that Will was inside.
“Mind if I get a ride with you?” he asked.
She slid in beside him. “Of course not, but I thought you were staying for the rest of the weekend?”
That had been the plan. Kane had agreed to the three of them having a nice Sunday brunch and spending the day together, hoping to mend the rift between Kane and Will.
He shrugged. “Yeah, but with you leaving, it’s clear Kane would rather be alone, so I decided to head back to my apartment tonight, too.”
The driver put her bags in the trunk and got in. The car started to move. River sent a last glance at the house, and then stared down at her hands.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Will asked.
She just shook her head. Her stomach was coiled in knots and she didn’t want to have to think about it. They arrived at the building and within moments stepped into the elevator. He pressed the button for the penthouse and for the eighteenth floor, where his apartment was. As the door opened at his floor, she realized that as soon as she got to the penthouse, she’d be alone with her thoughts, and she knew they would spiral around her issues