Page 41 of Dirty Intentions

I accepted my key from the hotel clerk and turned around. “I have nothing to say to you unless the words out of your mouth are ‘here’s the rest of your money.’”

He winced. “Please keep your voice down. Look, there’s no way I can get the rest of the money in two weeks.”

I walked towards the elevators, already done with this conversation. “Then you’d best sell your car, condo, or a kidney.”

“Come on, Daniella. I was talking to your mom, and she agrees we’d still be good together.”

I lifted a brow. “Now that you don’t have the money, you want to get back together. Unbelievable.”

“What? She said you were showing up with some date, and you didn’t.”

“Says who?”

Shane’s husky words came from behind me, but before I could turn to see him, he’d put his arm around my waist, intimately pinning my back to his front. Considering we’d been in much the same position the last time Eric had seen us together, I blushed.

“He’s your date?” Eric stammered.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get a lot of satisfaction from the look on his face. “It would seem so.”

“You heading up to the room before the reception?” Shane whispered in my ear.

“Yes.” I turned and saw he was holding my duffle along with his. “Thanks for bringing my bag.”

He smirked. “Not a problem. Shall we?”

I gave one last glance toward Eric as Shane ushered me to the elevator, but my date wasn’t done.

“Money to Dani in two weeks, Eric. Don’t make her wait for it.”

In epic, usually-only-see-it-in-the-movies fashion, the doors closed after his words, making Eric’s face turn bright red.

I had goosebumps from Shane’s don’t-fuck-with-me tone. But it wasn’t enough to override my annoyance from earlier.

I took a step to the side, but he wasn’t having it. Instead he pulled me close, dipping his face into the crook of my neck and kissing the top of my shoulder.

“I’m sorry.”

I pulled back to look at his face, shocked those words had come from him.

“Don’t look so astounded. I do manage those words every once in a while. I came back for the ceremony, but it had already started, so I stood in the back. Then you all but bolted, so I couldn’t catch up with you until now. It was a dick move to back out.”

“It was, but I should’ve been clearer about the family element. To tell you the truth, after five minutes talking with my mother, I really can’t blame you. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Why were you sitting by Eric in the church?”

The elevator stopped on my floor, and he followed me out. “My mother seems to think I should let bygones be bygones and trade in his pedigree for my self-worth.”

“She wants you married with kids in the burbs.”

I smiled sadly. “More than she wants my happiness.”

He turned me, pinning me up against our room door. “And what do you want, Daniella?”

His gaze was burning into mine, and I found the breath catching in my chest. It was as though I had no choice but to utter my next words. “To feel free from the burden of being responsible for everyone else’s happiness. Instead, I’d like to be responsible for just my own for once.”

He cupped my face, running his thumb over my bottom lip in an intimate gesture. For a suspended moment in time, I was convinced he would kiss me. It could have been my imagination, but in his eyes, I saw the indecision. Then it was gone.

“What do you want, Shane?”

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