Page 68 of Ravaged By Lust

Oh, how I wish we could reverse the clock and go back to those happy days when there were no cares in the world and we snuck around in secret from my brother.

“I saw you the other night at that karaoke bar,” Bishop replies to me. “You were real good, just as I remembered. You’ve put in the work, I can tell. If there’s anyone who deserves a new guitar, it would be you.”

I roll my eyes at his compliment. I can’t take any praises from him, not after the whirlwind of the last few days. This man can make me go from hatred at the sight of his face to sex dreams back to hatred again in a matter of hours.

How can I even think about this performance when Bishop Hayes is dominating my thoughts?

“You’re really not going to apologize for what happened in high school, aren’t you?” I ask him.

Yeah, I’m still hung up over that. But it’s because it was such a big thing for us, and Bishop appears totally nonplussed about it as if I’m the crazy one to care.

He shrugs at my question. “If I didn’t do what I did, then I wouldn’t be here in this position,” he replies. “In this house.”

“Wow.”

It’s all I can say in response.

“You told Axel about us, remember? Even when I asked you not to, you went ahead and told your brother. I was a teenage boy who wanted retaliation, and I got it.”

“And that was wrong of me, but also so wrong of you to… retaliate.”

“How about we just don’t talk about it and focus instead on getting a good performance out of you,” Bishop replies quietly. “I want you to do well. I’ve always wanted you to do well.”

I can’t stay mad for long. Not when he looks at me like this. His intensity makes me want to blush.

My gaze travels to his lips. Those same lips that used to kiss mine. I miss those long nights in my bedroom when I would wait up for him, bristling with excitement, just to hear my window open and him climb through. The first thing he would do every time was kiss me. I’ve wanted that for a long time.

Maybe I should just let the past be the past. If there’s anything these last few crazy days have taught me if that I not only miss our kisses, but I also miss him. I’ve never felt as safe or as loved as when I did in his arms.

The guitar hangs loose between my arms as Bishop and I fall into a moment of silence. We’re both staring at each other.

“I wish we could just go back in time and stay at the moment when I showed you the song I wrote for you,” I say, breathless.

Bishop doesn’t even break eye contact this time. He seems completely unfazed by my wish. Like he was expecting it. “I wish so too,” he says.

My skin tingles like goosebumps.

“It was my favorite moment.”

“It was my favorite moment, too.”

And now, despite my better judgment, I wish he would kiss me.

I know he senses the moment too.

But instead of doing what I want him to do, Bishop just calmly stands up and walks over to his surround music system. He’s teasing me. He’s not ready to kiss me just yet.

But what’s he waiting for?

He puts on an upbeat song and spins back around to me, the goofiest smile on his face.

“What are you doing?” I ask him.

“What does it look like?”

He starts to throw some shapes. Really corny moves that make me laugh.

“You’re… dancing?”