Page 44 of Those Heartbreak Scars

“Well, yeah. Unless…” I’m not sure why he would be surprised after the last few times we’ve run into each other. I cuff my hand around my elbow. “Did I read this wrong?”

Why wouldn’t he be happy about this? He was so adamant that Everett was bad news.

I guess I built it up in my head that he might be happy about it for other reasons. Realizing that he might not be… I’m almost queasy.

“I think I said that we should talk.” His voice softens and the tension leaves his posture.

I lift my chin. “You did.”

Pursing his lips, he glances at the busy hub of the club. “How about I go to the bar and get us drinks?”

“That would help.” Now that we’re talking about talking, the nerves have set in.

“All right. Do you want…”

“Gin and tonic. I’m a G and T girl now.” I smile when he nods, those ice blue eyes looking surer with every word we exchange.

“Be back in a minute.” He squeezes my hip and brushes his lips over my mouth before he heads to the bar.

I slip into the booth and study his broad back in a suit jacket that fits across his wide shoulders and tapers perfectly to his narrow hips. Everything about him is mouthwateringly attractive to me. Is this crazy? Pursuing something with my best friend’s ex?

My phone beeps with a notification. Everett messaging to let me know he won’t be coming and telling me to have fun catching up with Gray. If the idea of ending things via text didn’t make me hate myself more than I already do, I’d tell him right now just so I don’t have to carry any more guilt.

Gray smiles as he returns to the booth with a beer and my G and T. I abandon my phone on the table. It can wait.

Placing the drinks down, he scoots in beside me until our knees touch.

“How did I not notice…”

“What?”

“I feel like I should be having a heart attack right now with how gorgeous you are…” His fingers graze the side of my throat before gripping the back of my neck while he leans in to kiss me.

God, if this is crazy… I don’t want to be sane. After all these years he’s not looking at me as his girl’s best friend. He’s looking at me like I’m a woman and he is a man who wants me. And I wished for that on every birthday between fourteen and eighteen. After that he was with Indy, and I realized wishes didn’t come true.

But maybe they can.

His fingers trail along the material of my halter neck, over my collarbone and down the edge of the V. “You are making me lose my damn sanity. Did you know that? You’ve never been a problem, but now… being this close to you… it’s not enough.”

I’m a problem for him? Because he didn’t want this? Or because now he does? “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you need to come over here, Rica. Crawl onto my lap.”

My dress hikes up my thighs as I move to straddle him.

“Don’t think about it.” He stops me from tugging the stretchy material back down before he secures me in place with both hands on my waist.

“I don’t need my ass on display.”

“No one can see. We’re in too much shadow.” His big palms cover both globes while he kisses me. “And you’re hidden by the table. I bet we could fuck right here, and no one would notice.”

“You’re not serious.” My body tingles all over when he grinds against me.

There are people everywhere, but the lights are dim and the booze is flowing and I want him so much that I can’t help but roll my hips to sharpen the contact. It does nothing to ease the ache building in my core.

He catches my jaw with one hand and kisses me. “You want it, don’t you? You’re a dirty girl who likes the idea of being caught while I’m deep inside you.”

My panties are destroyed, my body is addicted. I would do just about anything when he talks to me like that.

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