Page 56 of Promised Love

Why do I even care?

“Mr. Big sent this.” Autumn nods toward the untouched glasses on the table. “Did you ask for it?”

“He found me in the gym and guessed I was hungover.”

“God, this looks disgusting, but if it’ll stop this marching band inside my head, I’ll drink it.” She pushes one glass toward me and takes one for herself.

I can’t resist admiring her puckered mouth when it makes contact with the cold glass. Her long fingers, nails painted in lavender, splay over the surface.

Everything about her is so…soft.

And I have no problem remembering in what other places she’s soft. Her soft lips, her soft skin…

I’m doomed.

I grab the glass and guzzle it down. When I put the empty glass back onto the table, Autumn is looking at me with her half-filled drink still in her hands.

I put on my boots and grab the jacket from the coat hanger, but her words stop me as I’m marching out of the suite.

“You’re leaving?”

I turn around to find her looking at me head to toe. My grip on the door tightens. “I’ll be back soon.”

“You’re not driving, right?” Her worried gaze lingers on my left arm.

I shake my head, because all of a sudden her concern is making me nervous. “I’ll take a taxi.”

We look at each other for a long minute, until it becomes too much and I bolt from the room.

I have no idea where to go once the taxi’s here for me. I just know I need to get out.

After sitting in the back seat for several beats, I provide the taxi driver Zane Teager’s address in Cherrywood. The quiet ride lulls me to sleep, and my dreams once again are taken up by sable-colored eyes and soft milky skin.

“We’re here, sir.”

I jolt out of my sleep at the voice of the taxi driver. When I get out, Zane’s already standing at the steps of his porch with his two dogs, Mystery and Tassels. The motion sensors must have alerted him. I installed them myself when he bought this property some time back.

“Fancy meet-ting you here,” he stutters when I walk up to the three of them.

The pissed-off expression on his face fills me with guilt. I know I should have at least told him about Autumn, but that would mean he would have to hide my secret from his brothers.

“I’m really tired, Zane.” I walk past him, and his dogs excitedly circle me until I flop down onto the recliner. “Please give me some coffee, and then you can scream at me as much as you’d like.”

“W-why would I s-scream at you? It’s-s your life. You can choose to sh-share it with whomever you’d like.”

Those words, spoken in his usual soft voice, hurt like a bitch. It doesn’t help my headache when he saunters back into his home, leaving me on the porch with his fur babies.

Today seems to be a day of regrets.

Regret of hiding my marriage from my friends.

Regret of devouring Autumn like she’s the fanciest dessert I’ve ever seen.

Zane reappears holding a tray in his hand and is followed by his wife, Vienna. He places the tray on the table before me. Two coffee cups and some muffins.

“How are you feeling, Lukas?” Vienna, dressed in running gear, asks as she buckles collars around the two dogs.

“I’m better than the day before yesterday and worse than yesterday.”

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