Page 81 of Feel Me

Her jaw pops open. “You’re the one who wanted to know.”

“No. I wanted you to tell me he’s been pining after you and you rejected him every single time.” No, I’m not an asshole or anything.

She raises her brows. “So you wanted me to lie?”

“No,” I tell her flatly. “But how do you think I feel right now knowing he’s touched you, the only way I should touch you?”

Her expression, so furious before, softens. “It’s been several months since the last time I saw him, Declan. And I didn’t go to bed with him that time.”

“Oh,thattime. That’s great, babe.”

She rams her hands on her hips. “It’s been over a year since the last time Trevor and I slept together. But do you know what? It’s only been a few weeks since we ran into someoneyouslept with.”

I lean back on me heels, a hell of task considering how straight my spine is.

“What?” she demands. “I’m hearing impaired, not blind. Do you think I’ve missed the way those women have looked at you when they’ve seen us together? That hostess at that Japanese restaurant, the defense attorney you negotiated the Trammel case with?Oh, and that bartender during happy hour. I’m surprised she didn’t poison my drink. And don’t get me started on all the women whowantto sleep with you, including that airhead Stephanie who’s ready to claw my eyes out every time I walk past her stupid pink cubicle.”

“None of them mean anything to me,” I bite out.

“Like me?”

I keep my voice as low as hers, but where she seems close to tears, I don’t flinch, the truth behind my words keeping my voice even. “Youmean everything to me.”

Her expression caves, like what I say is more than she can take. I clasp her wrists gently, drawing her to me until my chest brushes against hers. “Everything,” I repeat.

She lowers her lids. “Declan . . . Trevor didn’t mean anything. I need you to know that, okay?”

His name alone riles me more than it should. I let out a breath, trying to keep it together, knowing I’m acting like a prick. “Did you know he was going to be here?”

“I didn’t think about it,” she says. “I should have seeing how he attends these functions, but my mind wasn’t on him.”

I rest my forehead against hers. “Who was it on?” I know it’s me, because God knows she’s all I ever think about. But I want to hear her say it.

“It was on you, it’s always on you.”

She says it like it pains her. I don’t understand why she’s so upset. Yeah, I get I’m behaving like a lunatic. But it’s not like I lost my composure.

Like too many times before, she pulls away from me, as if she can’t accept that I love her and need her more than anyone in this damn world.

My eyes lock on her. “It’s always on me?” I question. “Like when we were in the limo when I went down on you?”

Her eyes close and she shudders, her face flushing in that way it does when I’m turning her on. I lift my finger and trail it against her jaw, stroking it lightly until she opens her eyes. “I like it when you blush,” I rasp, speaking so quietly she has to read my lips. “You do it every time I’m on top of you and you’re ready to come.”

The feral look she pegs me with makes me lose my damn mind. Shit. It’s all I can do not to get us a room right now, the need to take her blinding me to reason.

“Hey, Deck!” Curran calls.

With a great deal of effort, I glance over my shoulder and away from Melissa. He’s standing close to the entrance of the ballroom with his arm around Tess.

“Come on, man,” he says. He jerks his head toward the double doors. “Let’s show our women how good we can dance.”

His suggestion reminds me it’s my night to shine, and I will. But I want Melissa to take her place in the spotlight with me.

I offer her my arm. “Will you dance with me? I want to show the world we’re together.”

She wavers, once more appearing close to tears. I don’t understand her response, it’s as if she’s afraid to believe me.

I almost ask her what’s wrong when she takes my arm and allows me to lead her forward. She seems stiff and hesitant. I’m wondering if she’s having second thoughts about us. But she can’t, not when my life hasn’t been the same without her.

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