Like I shouldn’t have ended it.
I didn’twantto end it.
A moment later, we have fresh drinks in hand and head back inside to the ball. The auction winners are announced, and I guess it’s time to party now as the dance floor seems to pick up.
“Want to get out of here?” Dex asks me.
“Whatever you want,” I say.
He pulls out his phone, and then we head toward the front doors. A few minutes later, we’re climbing into the back of the car Milton arranged for us.
“We’re heading home?” I ask. “What happened to taking me out? Taking risks? Saying fuck it? Getting me wasted?”
He clears his throat and glances away from me, and I’m not sure what he’s thinking. Maybe he’s tired of me and wants to get rid of me so he can go back out and have some fun.
Eventually he lets out a breath, and then he says, “It didn’t seem like your scene. We can have another drink at home. I was wrong to push you into getting drunk. You can just have a drink or two if that’s all you want.”
I tilt my head and purse my lips as I contemplate that. “Is that what you want to do?”
He presses his lips together, and then he narrows his eyes at me. “I’m not sure what I want, to be honest. But you seemed uncomfortable, and I kind of figured the easiest route to figuring out why was to get you home where we could talk.”
“Talk?” I ask, a bit of incredulity in my voice. “You want totalk? You took me home early so we couldtalk?”
He chuckles. “Yeah, I know. I don’t know what the fuck’s happening to me, either. A night at home, a few drinks looking out over the view with you…I don’t know. It sounds relaxing.”
“What do you want to talk about?” I ask, still a bit dumbfounded.
He seems to contemplate what to say, and then he turns back into the direct guy I’ve come to know. Only…his directresponseleaves me with my jaw hanging open. “I want to talk about why you ended the kiss up on the rooftop.”
“Huh?”
“The kiss. You didn’t like it?” he asks.
“Oh my God, Dex. No, that wasn’t it at all. I was just…” I trail off as my cheeks turn bright pink.
I can’t exactly admit to him that I was about to lose myself in that kiss in a way I’d never done before during a kiss in my life, so instead, I say, “I was getting caught up in the moment, and I forgot where I was for a minute. That’s all.” I turn away from him and look out the window, but he doesn’t let me get away with that.
“What does that mean? Caught up in the moment?”
I chew my bottom lip for a few beats. “I forgot who was kissing me, okay? I forgot that this can’t happen between us.” My words come out as a whisper, and he’s quiet beside me until I feel his fingertips under my chin, forcing me to look at him.
“Why not?” His voice is low and raspy when he asks me, and the car glides to a stop as we arrive at our destination.
Thank goodness.
I don’t think I have the strength to sit back here with those eyes pinning me to my spot another second.
I practically jump out of the car, which is an absolute mistake because I’m wearing a gown, and said gown gets caught under me as I step out of the car, and I proceed to trip forward since I’m stepping on my own gown. I’m about to plow face-first into a planter when strong arms haul around my waist to save me.
Dammit.
I can’t seem to escape this guy’s arms tonight, and it’s just reminder after reminder thatI want him.
Well, one more peach bellini and maybe I won’t be strong enough to continue telling him all the reasons why we can’t be together.
I realize as soon as I think it that we never actually detailed said reasons, and as I straighten back to a stand and manage to step off the hem of my dress, I mutter athank youand make my way inside.
We’re on the elevator alone when he says, “I’m your best friend’s older brother. I’m paying you to take care of my kid. We hardly know each other. You’re ten years younger than me. You’re too sweet and pure and kind for someone like me. We’ve got a contract. Does that cover it?”
