Page 25 of Romancing the Rude Guy

“Damn. I’m sorry, Alice.” My breath pants out as my pulse pounds loudly in my ears. “That was beyond rude of me. I shouldn’t have said anything, joke or not.”

She pauses and offers me a sad smile that makes my heart break in two. “No, it was bound to come up at some point.” Her eyes drift down to the spoon she’s clutching in her hand, and I can’t help wondering if she’s remembering an engagement ring glittering on her ring finger.

“Recent?” I ask, even as part of me doesn’t want to know. She’s mine. A primitive part of my brain cries out. No other man can touch her.

Alice’s hair swings as she shakes her head. “Over a year ago. I’m over him. Don’t worry about that.” She heaves a sigh and looks up. “Honestly, it was the right thing to do. He wasn’t the man I thought he was. It wouldn’t have been a good marriage.”

The pain in her voice makes me clench my hands and wish that asshole was in front of me right now so I could clock him for hurting her like this.

“We moved too fast.” Her eyes swing over to me, and she utters a tiny laugh. “I guess I haven’t learned my lesson.”

“How so?”

Her lips inch up into a genuine smile. “Last night,” she prompts, as a bit of color floods her pale cheeks. “We’ve just begun dating and already we slept together.”

Licking my lips, I try to relax my clenched fists. “We can slow down,” I say softly, wanting nothing of the sort. It takes effort but I force the words out. “Alice, do you regret last night?”

Her smile turns soft. “No. I don’t.”

Relief rushes through me, and my smile is genuine as I stare at her. Once again I’m struck by how beautiful she is. Not just her features, but who she is inside. The beauty shines so brightly that I just want to wrap her up and keep her safe from all the ugliness of the world.

After a beat she looks away and goes back to mixing. “I was left at the altar and wanted to hide in a hole forever. But silly me still believes in love and happiness.”

“Good,” I say, wheeling myself closer and reaching for her hand. “I’m glad that didn’t dim your light.” Even as I say those words I’m hoping that I don’t do it either.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

ALICE

I cannot believe we’re having this conversation. It’s not a big secret and eventually it would have come out. It just feels too soon, yet somehow right.

Being able to turn him on and pleasure him without even touching his dick was such a rush. It felt far more intimate than any sex I’ve ever had in the past. How vulnerable and trusting he was touched me deeply in a place I hadn’t realized I needed.

On that bed, Marcus had been completely mine. My voice, lips, tongue, and hands playing his body and bringing him to a shuddering release. I had been in complete control, and it freed me in a way I never had been before.

Marcus isn’t a man I ever saw myself with, and yet here I am.

So do I regret anything we’ve done?

Actually, I can’t wait to do it again.

When he talks about my light dimming, all I can think is I don’t believe I’ve ever shined brighter than I currently do. I want love and happiness, and I’m starting to believe I might have found that with him.

Pulling my hand from his, I place the over-mixed batter near the oven and lean back against the counter to watch him make us breakfast.

“Have you been married or engaged before, Marcus?”

“No.”

Bending my elbows, I pull myself up on the counter and sit there swinging my legs. Marcus’s dark brows raise, but he doesn’t comment about my butt on his counter. I grin. It’s fun seeing what he’ll let me get away with.

“Tell me more about yourself,” I demand.

He flips the pancakes and looks at me. “There’s two of me,” he says.

Okay, didn’t see that one coming. “Like a good and evil twin?” I can’t resist asking.

His grin doesn’t reach his eyes. They remain dark and serious murky pools. “No, the before and after me.”

---