His jaw tightens. “Tell me I’m wrong, then.”
“You are.”
He sets his cup down and shoves away from the counter, getting into my face. “Yeah? Then what is it, huh? Explain it to me.”
I shove him away from me, but he surges forward, eliminating the distance between us and baring his teeth in my face.
“It’s complicated,” I growl.
His smile is bitter. “I’m sure it is. Because Dominique Price can’t be in a relationship with a white girl, right? Dominique Price, who has his whole fucking life planned out for him, has to marry a sophisticated black woman. One with the right background who comes from the right family. The Prices are prestigious. They hold themselves to higher standards.” He stabs his finger into my chest. “You forget, I know everything about you. Your parents agree to look the other way while you lower yourself to play ball in college because they know when the time comes, you’ll fall in line. So you know you can’t have her, but you fucked around with her anyway.”
He steps back, expression hard and filled with disgust. “I’ve told you since high school to stay the hell away from her. You swore you wouldn’t go there.”
“I know.”
“You lied.”
“I know. But—“
“There is nobut,man. Don’t you get that? She’s had a thing for you since fucking high school, so whatever you think you're doing, however casual you think it is, it’s not the same for her.”
“She didn’t like me in high school,” I retort, though it’s a moot point. I’m keeping her now.
“Yeah, man. She did. And I thought you were decent enough to stay the fuck away because you knew—“ He slices me open with his glare. “You knew nothing could come of it. She doesn’t have a chance with you. Not a real one.”
He turns his back to me, bracing his hands on the counter. His shoulders are stiff, arms flexing as he struggles to rein himself in. To be honest, I’m surprised he bothers. If I were him, I’d have punched myself in the face by now.
“I think I love her, man.” I haven’t said the words out loud before, but they’re true. Last night made me realize a lot of things. Not only am I falling for her, but I want a life with her. I want forever.
“Does it even fucking matter?” he asks, not looking at me.
“Yeah. It does.” He still doesn’t turn around, but that’s okay. He’ll come around. Right now he’s pissed because he thinks I’m doing wrong by her. He doesn’t know everything.
“I told my mom Tamara and I have never been anything more than friends.”
He barks out a laugh. “Bet that went well.”
“I also told her I’m with your sister.”
His head snaps toward me. “You did what?” He twists back around to face me. “Don’t fuck with me right now.”
“I’m not. I meant what I said. I think I’m in love with her, man. I didn’t plan any of this. It’s been messy and complicated from the beginning, and we’ve had more than our fair share of ups and downs, but,” I shrug, “I want her.”
“For now?”
I shake my head. “Nah. Forever.”
“You’re serious.”
“I am.”
He swallows hard. “So what’s your plan?”
And that’s the million dollar question. “Don’t know. Guess I figure out if she wants a forever with me, too. If she doesn’t—“ I shrug and finish the thought in my head. I won’t accept that shit. I’ll tie her infuriating ass to my bed and fuck her until the lust in her eyes turns into love if I have to. I’m not giving the girl up. No fucking way.
“I’m tempted to kick your ass for going behind my back and sleeping with my sister. That’s messed up.”
“I’ll give you a free shot.” Tapping the edge of my jaw, I wait to see if he’ll take me up on the offer.
