Nate never told me about her. Never even told Abbi after all this time. But why keep something as precious as a child from the people closest to you?
I need to hear it from him. But also, she didn’t deny it, which means either way, Cove is off-limits. She has to be. “I’m sensing a bit of an attitude, Cove. If your father weren’t nearby, I’d be tempted to take you over my fucking knee.”
“Maybe you should.” She smirks. “Teach me a lesson in sinning.”
I can’t help it. My cock twitches in my jeans, thinking of how good it would feel to punish her. “I’m gonna pass. You get nothing good from me anymore.” I cross my arms at my chest and just watch her. Watch as Cove processes what’s happening. I won’t fight for someone who doesn’t want me. And as much as I desperately want her, I’ll learn to forget about it.
Forget about her.
I won’t betray my best friend, and despite thinking herboyfriendis a fucking tool bag, I have more class than to go after another man’s woman. Let alone a woman who would do this to me after I told her how I felt.
I take another step closer, standing tall enough to feel huge next to her tall frame. The skintight dress she has on, the sweetness of her skin that I can smell from here, and the matted paperback pages I spot peeking out of her clutch—it all feels painfully familiar.
Cove Davenport is in her most intoxicating form.
“No. Please. Enjoy the party,” I sigh with an edge to my voice. “But tell me something, Cove.” I hate myself for being so hard on her, but goddamn it, I’m hurt. “How much did you miss me? Did you ache for me the way I fucking ached for you? Or does that city slicker out there make you forget everything we had?”
I have to know before I end this thing between us for good.
There’s a struggle in her eyes, and it confuses me. One moment, she appears composed and defiant. Next, it’s like she wants to cling to me like a second skin and never let go. Maybe that’s her guilt. Or maybe it’s just the same reckless abandon I feel around her, finally giving in.
Rising off the counter, Cove lifts her chin and closes in on me. “He satisfies every single one of my aches, Stetson. That’s a non-issue.”
Knife, meet heart.
This hurt in my chest is the pain I’ve fought to avoid all these years. I knew the feeling would kill me if I let it. And I want nothing to do with it any longer. “Then it’s a good thing he’s all you’ve got now, isn’t it?”
Her eyes blink slowly. “I guess so. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I’ve got a boyfriend to dance with.” She shoves past me, exiting the bathroom like she can’t vanish fast enough.
I’m an asshole.But maybe this is how I establish boundaries for myself, despite wanting her so badly. This is how it has to be.
I went my whole life without Cove, up until a few months ago. What’s fifty more years?
CHAPTER TWENTY
cove
“Have more than you show, speak less than you know.”
William Shakespeare
I’ve been heretwenty-four hours, and I’m ready to quit.
If Austin puts his rich prick hands anywhere near my ass one more time, I’m going to cause a scene. And that’s a promise. When Abigail showed us to our rooms last night, I knew for a fact my late grandmother in heaven could hear my gasp from the pearly gates.
I couldn’t help it, feeling like I was being locked in my prison cell for a life sentence. Nathaniel seemed to have zero issues with his so-calleddaughtersleeping in the same room as a man she doesn’t know.
His room is right next to ours, and at this rate, I’d rather sleep near his sour ass any day than Austin. The moment the bedroom door sealed us inside, I knew I had to come up with a game plan.
So, I cried wolf. Or should I say, explosive diarrhea?
Not my best idea, but it was all I could think of as Austin lifted the blanket for me to climb under, revealing himself in Calvin Klein tighty-whities. So, I planted mysicklittle tush on the floor of the surprisingly clean bathroom connected to our room. After a few practiced dry heaves and some clammy skin later, Austin didn’t argue with the distance, claiming we had the rest of eternity to sleep beside each other.
That about made me actually puke.
Not sure this plan will be sufficient for five more nights, but I’ll figure out my next best option when I get there. Despite lying about my stomach situation, I couldn’t ignore the gut punch I felt spotting Stetson down the hall from me when I snuck out for a glass of water.
Our interaction in the powder bath was not only unexpected, but left me with a gaping hole in my heart. We weren’t official yet, but it felt like we could be, and that’s the kind of loss that changes you. Especially knowing you’ll never get to find out for sure.
