“That’s right,” Bunny sneers, following us. “You walked away from the best thing you ever had.”
“Trust me. You were never the best thing in my life.” I press the elevator button for the penthouse. Then I lift Stella’s hand and press it to my lips.
Bunny snarls by the elevator door. “This is the best you can do? She looks like trailer park trash. And are those hand made costumes?” She ends with a wicked laugh that unnerves me.
My mild manner dies. “I won’t fucking stand here and let you tear her apart.”
Stella suddenly steps in front of me, smiling sweetly.
“Careful, little bunny,” she says. “Talking down like that is an ugly look on you.”
The doors slide shut, closing Bunny out.
I exhale and pull Stella back into my arms, heart pounding. I’ve never been prouder to stand by a woman’s side. “You’re fucking amazing.”
She faces me, the entire encounter sobering us both up. “So, that was your ex?”
“Yeah.”
“She’s hideous. I can’t even picture you with her.”
“That was a whole phase of my life I try not to think about.”
She snickers. “Guess we both suck at picking exes.”
“I don’t want to make that mistake again.”
She peers up at me with all seriousness. “How can you be so sure we aren’t?”
“Because we were never a mistake to begin with.” I press my lips to hers, slow and certain. And holding her there, a storm of our own brewing between us, heating us up, I know—I wasn’t letting her go again. Not to fear or to timing. Not to anyone.
CHAPTER 13
MAYBE THIS TIME
STELLA
The penthouse feels quieter now,as if the storm outside has sealed us off from the rest of the world.
The door clicks shut behind us, and for a second neither of us moves. The music, the laughter, Bunny’s venom—all of it feels far away. It’s just Eli and me now, still dressed as heroes, breathing the same air.
I know what he wants. And I know I’ve been slow to give it to him, to give in to all these feelings growing between us again. Tonight could have been chaste. We planned on him taking me back to Boulder after the party. But now with the storm outside… the storm of desire swirls around us stuck here in the suite together.
I think I know what we both want.
He loosens his cape first, setting it aside, then helps me with mine, sliding it from my shoulders with care, as if it’s somethingfragile instead of satin. His fingers linger at my collarbone, and my body reacts instantly.
“I’m going to run you a bath,” he whispers, already moving toward the bathroom. “If that’s okay.”
“I’d like that,” I croak, following him.
The sound of water fills the suite. I watch as he lights candles—one after another—until the bathroom glows amber and gold.
“Which do you prefer?” He asks, holding one bottle of bubbles up to his nose and nodding in approval. He holds it out for me to smell, vanilla with a hint of something like jasmine. The next one he brings to my nose is more floral, like a rose garden. The last like fresh linen and lavender.
“The first one.” We say and agree at the same time, chuckling about our similar tastes. Steam curls up as he pours it in, carrying the scent wafting through the air, luxurious and intentional.
“Jerrod never did this for me,” I muse. The thought slips in uninvited, sharp and unwelcome.
