Page 43 of Sweet Temptation

He mouthed the words it’s Theo.

“I’ll be in the bathroom.” Meg tugged her dress over her head, smoothing out the skirt.

“Don’t.”

“Don’t what?” She froze, looking between him and the door questioningly.

“Let’s just do this. Let’s tell him, together.” He stood there, shocked into stillness at his own words, waiting for her response.

“What? Why?” She shook her head, her long locks brushing over her bare shoulders, the same shoulders he’d pressed hot, openmouthed kisses to only minutes ago. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“I’m not saying I have all the answers.” He rocked back on his heels, incredibly conscious of his angry friend on the other side of the door. “But there’s something here. We both know it. We’ll figure it out.”

“John. If there was a way to figure it out, we already would have.” Her blue eyes met his in a challenge. “I’m not going to needlessly hurt Theo or anyone else in my family when we both know there’s no answer here.”

Tearing her gaze from his, she ducked into the bathroom and, feeling like he’d just been sucker punched, the air left his lungs in a whistling whoosh. He took a deep breath, then another and glanced at himself in the mirror. A groan crawled out of his throat when he caught his reflection. Sex. Staring back was a guy who’d just had sex. No. Correction: a guy who’d just made love to the woman he was head over heels in love with.

Fuck me.

He scrambled to dress, to make himself somewhat presentable, even though he knew it was a lost cause. Theo was still pounding on the door, and the din was giving John a goddamn headache. Christ, someone was sure to call security if he didn’t stop.

Maybe he’d call them himself. That was an idea. Then he could stay cocooned in here with Meg for just a little while longer.

“Answer the damn door,” Meg hissed from the bathroom. And he knew she was right—the spell had been broken.

It was done.

He reluctantly walked to the door, unlocked it and swung it open, bracing his shoulders.

“Hey, Theo,” he said, the fight going out of him the second he set eyes on his friend. Theo’s mother had been Brazilian, and his friend had inherited the passionate nature of the people of his mother’s home country.

He hissed out a breath at John, practically breathing fire.

“Where’s Meg?” he demanded, his nostrils flaring, his hands fisted at his sides. “And don’t lie to me. I’ve had enough of your lies, John.”

John stood there for a second. If Meg didn’t want Theo to know she was here, he couldn’t out her, but he couldn’t lie to his friend any longer, either. It had to come to an end, now. He opened his mouth, not sure what he was about to say when the bathroom door clicked open.

“I’m right here,” Meg said, stepping from the bathroom fully dressed, her sweet lips swollen and bruised from John’s kisses, her hair still a beautiful tumbled mess that reminded him of all the times she’d put herself in his hands, his to do with as he pleased.

This pain—what was this? It felt like he was being torn in two.

“You’re coming with me,” Theo said to the woman he considered a sister, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. “Now.”

“Nice try,” Meg said, her eyes shooting daggers as she planted her feet. “I’m a grown woman, Theo. No one, including you, gets to tell me what to do or who I can do it with.”

John leaned against the bureau as he watched his two favorite people square off—because of him. He didn’t want this. He didn’t want to be the guy responsible for fighting or family disputes. But watching them reminded him that he wasn’t good enough for Meg. His best friend thought the same, otherwise he wouldn’t be here, demanding she leave with him.

“Does Jo know you’re here, acting like an ass?” Meg asked.

“No.” Theo winced a bit as he paced two steps in, then two steps back to the door. “She’d kick my ass if she knew.”

“I’m about to kick your ass.” Meg’s eyes shot blue fire. “What is your problem?”

Theo turned to John, his eyes flaring with unchecked rage he seemed to be having a hard time controlling. “I thought Meg was smarter than this.”

“Hey,” Meg bit out. “If you have something to say to me, I’m right here. Say it to my face.”

John stepped between the two, putting Meg behind him even though she was quite capable of fighting her own battles. “Back off, Theo.”

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