For a moment, I can’t breathe.I have lost her.“Lottie,” I whisper and hold out a hand. “Can we at least be friends?”
For a brief moment, she closes her eyes, then slowly opens them again before striding over to the bar table and pouring herself a bourbon. I nervously watch as she downs it in one hit.
“My father once told me if someone hurts you, forgive them. But never forget what they did. So… do you deserve my forgiveness?” She rolls her wrist, twisting the empty crystal glass in her hand. “Choose careful words, BJ.”
“I do,” I say quickly and take a step closer. “And a second chance, you owe us that.”
She raises her hand, and this close she won’t miss. I fly at her and have her hand and body pushed against the wall. A whimper escapes my throat, not from the effort of restraining her. I have thought about this moment for three years, and this close proximity to Charlotte is dangerous. My knees weaken as I breathe in her air, minty with traces of bourbon. Our lips are so close it would be easy to steal a taste. Arousal overtakes my every thought, the blood rushing to my cock. God, I love everything about Charlotte, especially her passion.
She glares as she twists against my weight until I push my chest harder into hers. “I hope the day comes that I never have to see you again,” she growls out.
“Well, if I didn’t stop you throwing this, that day was almost today.” I pry the glass from her hand while keeping her pinned to the wall. “Don’t hate me, Lottie.” I hold her eyes as I lower my lips toward hers, slowly, watching her watch me. She bucks but doesn’t say a word.
Charlotte shakes her head as tears stream down her cheeks. Wrapping her ponytail around my hand, I pull gently and wait for her to see me, really see me. My body quivers against hers as though the fear of rejection and the longing to touch her collide. In her eyes, something snaps, the power of familiar lust flowing between us. My mouth crashes onto her lips, and in seconds, she surrenders. Memories of what we shared flood back, and I fight the urge to kiss her like it’s our last. Fight the urge to take what has always beenmine.
She tugs desperately at my shirt, with our kiss heating up.
Our breaths are hot and fast. We can’t control our needy hands roaming everywhere clothes don’t restrict.
“This fucking bra…” I can’t stop and tug at it blindly, trying to free her breasts. She draws in a sharp breath, and it sends me wild. I push my cock into her pelvis… and freeze.
Fuck.
My heartbeat pounds behind my ears. Even though it takes more strength than I thought I was capable of, I pull away to give her space. Her head falls forward, and the disappointment on her face reflects the heaviness in my chest. She raises her fingertips to her lips.
Taking her chin between my thumb and fingers, I tip her head until she looks at me. “Give me time to prove I can make you happy. Then, the next time, I won’t stop.”
She wipes her tears. “We can’t. Byron will never forgive you.”
I’m done with him being the mountain between us. “He doesn’t own us.”
“It’s more than that, and you know it.” She turns and pours another drink. “The storm hasn’t gone away.”
“Hey.” I wrap my arms around her waist from behind and nuzzle the soft skin of her neck. I inhale her scent and close my eyes, savoring what time has stolen from us. “You need to find other ways to relieve your stress.”
“You mean with you?”
“Not what I meant.”
“I know,” she whispers, and finally, there is calm in her voice.
“But you were thinking it.”
She turns and holds my gaze before downing the drink. “For now, this works.”
For now…
I slide my hand up and down her hip, stealing this connection for me. Charlotte moans and leans her head on my shoulder, and I can’t stop as my hand glides over her stomach to the zipper of her designer pants.
As much as it pains me, I let go. This is not how I imagined reconnecting. I collect my pile of clothes as she pours another drink. “I don’t regret coming here.”
“To my home or LA?”
“Both.” Before opening the door, I turn. “Charlotte…” I wait for her to look at me. “You can stop drinking away your pain because… we’re no longer stuck in reverse.”
19
CHARLOTTE
