Page 31 of Wicked Ruin

Oh god.

I press my lips together and say absolutely nothing, hoping to god he can't feel my pulse because it’s giving me away.

“I’ve thought about that kiss I gave you that night, Bridget. Over and over and over again. When I was in Boston and I missed my family, missed my home, and wanted to come back. When things got rough and I was afraid they'd find out who I was, what I was doing, that my cover was blown, I thought about that kiss.”

Cover was blown? Oh god… do I want to know?

No. I absolutely do not.

“Did you?” I whisper. And then I do something diabolical that I wonder if I'll ever regret.

I lean in. Does he smell the perfume? I lay my hand on top of his. “What kiss exactly?” I say.

Then he smiles that smile. The dimple pops in his cheek, and his eyes flash at me. I didn’t fool him at all. “You know where we are, don't you?”

I shrug.

“I—”

“And how easy it would be for me to take you to one of those rooms and teach you a lesson for being a little brat?”

“You're all talk,” I say, teasing. Hoping. “Anyway, if you took me to one of those rooms, someone would see you.”

“We could go for a little drive, though, couldn't we? Just the two of us?”

What is he doing? What am I doing?

“We could,” I whisper.

“Gettin’ a bit stuffy in here,” he says.

I shrug. “Anyway, I think Ashland and Cavin need a little time to themselves and all.”

He leans in, as if he's reaching for a chip, but he holds it between his thumb and forefinger and doesn't move. “I want you to walk to the back door—third door on the left, the one with the purple handle. It's what we use to get to the back, where no one can see us leave. Private exit, no one else will follow because that's my old territory.” He says it low and even, like it costs him nothing, and I feel it at the base of my spine.

I nod, then swallow.

“Meet you there in one minute. I'll go first. You count to sixty, then follow.”

My heart is beating so fast I'm dizzy.

I know what I'm doing. I want to be very clear with myself, in this moment, that I know exactly what I'm doing. This is not something that's happening to me. This is a choice.

I am an adult. I am in remission. I have rebuilt my entire life from the ground up, and I am choosing this with both hands open.

One night. I'm allowed one night.

I watch him go. I press my thumb to the rose quartz at my throat, just once. It feels warm against my skin.

I take it as a sign.

Then I count to sixty… stand, and leave.

Chapter Seven

DECLAN

I should not have come. I knew I shouldn't have, and I came anyway. Now she's walking toward the car in those jeans, with her hair loose like that and her eyes lighting up when she sees me, and I haven't the first idea what I thought I’d be able to manage here.