Page 14 of Her Filthy Mistake

“Thank you.” I cross my arms over my chest. “A couple of times when we were at family gatherings, I thought there might be something there.”

“The two times he went out with me, got plastered, and disappointed the ladies?”

“Apparently,” I bark loud enough that a couple on an adjacent sidewalk stop and glare at me for ruining the serenity of the resort. “I don’t want to hear about his sexual exploits.”

“Sweet Pea….” He shakes his head. “You don’t get it. He didn’t want to be with those girls, but something is keeping him from making a move on you.” He frowns. “Now, I wish I was sticking around so I could yank his head out of his ass.”

“You don’t think it’s weird?”

“No, I don’t. He’s a great guy that’s had some shitty luck in his past. All he needs is a good woman, and the help of his future father-in-law.”

I fist his T-shirt and yank him forward. “Let’s not get crazy. He blew me off two years ago after I kissed his cheek. He said I was young and foolish and needed to let go of my schoolgirl crush on him. That doesn’t bode well for wedding rings, white dresses, and loads of tulle.” My stomach flutters, but if I said I didn’t want that to happen, I’d be lying.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

I throw my hands around in front of me. “Why would I tell you about the most humiliating thing that’s ever happened to me?”

“I would’ve grilled him until he told me what he wanted, and we could’ve avoided two years of awkward family gatherings where when one of you showed up, the other disappeared in a puff of smoke.”

Shit. I didn’t realize anyone else noticed. Did Mom suspect something? Landon? No, they couldn’t have. If they had, they wouldn’t have paired us for the week. They don’t suspect anything. Zayden is trained to notice these things so it’s not surprising that he recognized my crush on Jace.

“It doesn’t matter. He shoved me away and said he’d never see me in that way, and it was embarrassing that I was acting like such a spoiled child. I was mortified.”

“He said what?” Zayden’s teeth ground together as every muscle in his chest and arms tightened. “I’ll kick his fucking ass.” He twists toward the restaurant, as my heart drops to my feet.

“Don’t.” I grip his arm with every ounce of strength that I possess. “This is a ridiculous conversation. I made a mistake two years ago by following him around and got shot down. And I’ve acted like a brat ever since. He’s under no obligation to respond in any other way. I’m eight years younger than he is and his brother’s stepdaughter. Even if that wasn’t the case, he wouldn’t be interested in someone like me.”

“Someone like you?”

“Yes.” I shrug. “I’m nothing like Samantha. I’m not a singer. I’m not talented. Or blonde. Exotic. Or outgoing. They made beautiful music together, and I’m nothing like that. A talent finder for a music executive is not the person you wax poetically about.”

“You sell yourself short.”

“Let’s move on.” My head hurts, and now I must figure out how to survive living in the same space with him for a week, and not make an ass of myself. And then get back home where I belong. “When do you leave?”

“Tomorrow morning at six. I need to be back in K.C. tomorrow night.”

Shit. This is happening now. There’s not even a one-day buffer.

Chapter Seven

Jace

As I bury my hands into her hair, I explore her mouth and rock in and out of her sex. Touching her. Tasting her. Devouring her. Losing myself in Zoe is a dream come true. I lift my head, releasing her mouth, and stare into her green eyes. They’re so bright, it’s hard to stare into them.

“I’ve ached for you for years,” I growl into her ear as I thrust again.

“You shouldn’t have waited.” She wraps her legs around my back, pressing her heels into my ass and rotating her hips to take me deeper. She moans, “You feel so good inside of me.”

“Yes, baby. Being inside you feels like heaven. A heaven I don’t ever want to leave.” I don’t break eye contact as words float through my mind. Words of love. Of devotion. Of growing old together. The words flow out of me like a river current. Followed by snippets of sounds.

“Then don’t leave me.” She slides her hands along my chest, past my neck, and threads her fingers into my hair. “Make love to me and never stop.”

I crash my lips against hers and fly higher and higher into oblivion. Her sex squeezes my dick, intensifying the friction of my frantic movements. I can’t stop. I don’t want to stop.

My phone beeps, and I lurch upright in my bed. Where is she? My heart thunders in my chest. She’s not here. No one is here. It’s just you and your stupid dreams. The room is light and spacious. White walls. Dark brown furniture. I blink, trying to erase the web of fantasies that always plague me.

Asleep or awake, she’s there. Sometimes more so than others. Especially when things remind me of her. She’s like a drug I can’t shake.

---