“Am I?” His brow shot up before he slipped out of me with a sigh and used his elbows to support his upper body. “You weren’t thinking of my father, were you?”
“What?” I shrieked before I could stop myself, then shoved at his chest. “Get off me, Rayden,” I lashed out, not thinking of the consequences.The truth hurts, doesn’t it?
“Hey, babe.” He gripped my hands and held them above my head. Gasping for air, I squirmed. “Relax, Sianna, I’m sorry, I was teasing you.” He tried to kiss me. I turned my head.
“Why would you think that?” Kicking myself, I forced irritation into my voice, yet desperate to know how he’d picked up on my feelings for Drake.
“Call me stupid, but I’ve noticed how you tense up around him. And surprisingly, he’s—I don’t know how to explain it. He’s different around you. Anyway, I wouldn’t be surprised if you did. I had a ton of friends smitten with him.” He laughed, but I couldn’t calm down.
My pulse resembled a steam train. I swallowed against the nausea strangling my throat.What would you do if I fell for your father?The question stayed on the tip of my tongue, and I feared the answer, more so my reaction.
“What’s wrong, babe? You’re different since we arrived.” He dropped a light kiss to my lips. “Did I do something wrong?”
I bit my tongue hard to hold back the tears. Yesterday, in the early hours of the morning, I’d physically cheated, and this morning, I’d emotionally cheated him out of his pleasure, my desire for his father, stealing his moment of passion with me. I shook my head, swallowing hard against the shards of deceit stuck in my throat. “You haven’t done anything.” I reached up to move a lock of his hair from his brow. “You’re perfect,” I whispered. “I guess being around people I don’t know makes me nervous at times, so I withdraw. It’s my way of adjusting.”
He cocked his head to one side. “If I remember correctly, you didn’t think me much of a threat when you met me. I mean, you were already fucking me the second day.”
“Almost fucking,” I corrected and laughed when he nuzzled the hollow of my neck with a series of wild kisses. “I guess I was a butterfly who’d learned how to fly then.” And now I was back to being a caterpillar.
“Huh?” His brow pinched together in a frown.
“Nothing.” I uttered another laugh realizing my mistake.
“We’re out of condoms.” He grinned.
“Time to take a break then?”
“In your dreams.” He nipped my bottom lip. “Want to take a shower with me.”
“I think I’d like to lie in a little.”
“Okay.” He dropped another quick kiss to my lips and rolled off me.
I watched until he disappeared behind the bathroom door, then stared at the ceiling. It was time to tell Rayden the truth. Yet, no matter how many times the thought popped up in my head, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him. Was I selfish? The logical part of me asked. Yes. But I was so scared of hurting him. The illogical part tried to reason.
I hadn’t seen Drake since leaving his bedroom, and I still wasn’t ready to face him—I didn’t know how to. Learning someone I hardly knew had unearthed feelings I didn’t even know I’d kept hidden left me confused. How could I love two men? I scrubbed a hand down my face, wishing I hadn’t gone to Drake’s bedroom. Scratch that. I wished I hadn’t walked out on him the first time. Yeah right. Like his family would’ve been open to him divorcing his wife for a woman half his age. He divorced her anyway. So?
“Argh.” I gripped the sides of my head, praying for calm.
When I finally arrived downstairs for dinner, having spent the entire day in my room, it was to learn Drake had returned to the office. I knew that, like me, he was struggling with the betrayal. Sitting at the table for the last ten minutes, my stomach remained in knots. Roiling like a misguided meteor heading for earth, growing in proportion and no idea what the resultant consequence would entail. Every breath I took, left me dry-mouthed and ashamed, and each time I glanced at Rayden, another nerve twisted, squeezing hard until I couldn’t breathe.
“Seeing as Dad isn’t coming back tonight and most likely won’t be here tomorrow as well, I guess we can celebrate your birthday alone, Sia,” Kyra pouted, drawing my attention.
“M-my birthday?” I replied, remembering I shared the following day with Drake. I shifted my gaze to Rayden.
He gave me a sheepish grin. “Sorry, babe, but I told Kyra you shared Dad’s birthday.”
“We don’t need to,” I said to Kyra.
“Nonsense.” Rayden’s grandfather snorted. They’d returned yesterday evening. “Tomorrow evening might be short notice. We can still do something. Dinner with a few friends.” According to Rayden, his grandfather loved entertaining. Since a partial recovery from his stroke a couple of years ago, he would find any excuse to throw a party, much to the annoyance of the rest of his family.
Rayden caught my flustered look. “She doesn’t know anyone, gramps. If we can get Dad back here, then maybe it would be worth having dinner with some friends.”
“Well, you’ve got the morning to convince him.” Rayden’s grandmother dished a huge serving of lasagne onto my plate.
“Oh, my God, Carol, I can’t eat all of this.” I laughed. Carol and her no-nonsense attitude had taken over the kitchen. I found it surprising given their status, but this was her thing every year. And boy, could she cook.
“You’re too skinny. You need to eat,” she scolded while topping her husband’s plate and ignoring his exasperated look.
