Page 15 of Release You

“I will.” I trudged to the door, trying to erase James Cavalier’s face from my mind. I didn’t want these memories in my head. I wasn’t ready.

When I turned, Dom’s face had returned to his usual devil-may-care look, a big wolfy grin across his face. “You know he thinks we’re having sex up here. Right?” He pointed toward the window.

“I know.”

“Well, I can honestly say I’ve never had fake sex before. Not what it’s cracked up to be.” He winked.

“Come on. I’ll see you out.” I laughed and opened the door.

He followed me down the hallway toward the grand staircase. From up here we had a view of the entire lobby, with the sheets dividing it in half.

“What’s with the wall?” He tugged at the flowing fabric.

I giggled, mostly for Henry’s benefit. He sat at the bar, gripping his beer so tight I was surprised the glass hadn’t crumbled in his hands. I pointed at the sheets. “I call it the Great Wall.That side belongs to the construction guy, and the other side is mine.”

Dom chuckled. “There’s never a dull moment with you, Nikki Swift. Which reminds me, here’s your check. Cashier’s, as requested.” He handed me a white envelope as we descended the steps.

At the bar, Henry choked on his beer, coughing a couple of times to clear his throat.

When we reached the lobby door, I threw my arms around Dom’s neck. “Darling, it was so good to see you.”

“Always a pleasure.” He winked and took off.

“I’m glad the condition of the hotel hasn’t deterred your clients,” Henry said from the bar.

That was a low blow. But if that was how he wanted to play it, fine. “He was here for me, darling. I was all he could see.” I took out the check and showed it to him. “Oh, Dom. Always so generous.”

Henry’s mouth dropped open as his eyes went wide. “That’s a lot of cash for less than an hour.”

“I’m very good at what I do.” I stepped toward him.

I studied his features, looking for the Henry Cavalier I knew so long ago. His boyish smile had been replaced by a half smirk, though his mouth hadn’t changed much. He had the same full lips, soft and sexy. Like his mood, his hair had gone from dark blond to dark brown to match his eyes. Even though he was a foot taller than me now and built like a quarterback, there was something familiar and comforting about him.

His face gave nothing away, but the vein throbbing in his temple told me what I needed to know. For some reason, he was affected by all the fake sex I’d just had. Did he care about me? I met his gaze.

His eyes were full of regret and anger—those beautiful eyes that so long ago looked at me with such tenderness and helpedme get through the worst months in my life. The same eyes that had promised we’d be together forever. Why was he mad at me? He wasn’t the one who left Paradise Creek with a heart broken into a million pieces. He lied to me. He hurtme, not the other way around.

“Cut the crap.” He closed the space between us. “We both know you didn’t have sex with that guy.”

“Oh yeah? Why is that?” I placed my hands on my waist, fighting the urge to throw my arms around his neck and kiss him.

“Because you’re here. If I had that kind of cash, it’d be days before I let you out of my bed.” His gaze dropped to my lips for a beat.

The chaste kiss he gave me the last time we saw each other, after being apart for almost five years, still burned on my lips. As if he understood I was trying to erase whatever feelings I had left for him, he shook his head once and caught my wrist. I jerked away from him, but he pulled me closer in response. My breasts pressed against him. With every strained breath, his chest felt like it was about to crack open from the effort of keeping his emotions in check.

“Say my name.” He touched his forehead to mine and slid his thumb across my cheek.

“You’re Henry Cavalier,” I sighed.

“You can’t stay here.” He slow-blinked before he let me go.

“Excuse me.” I stepped back. “Who do you think you are to tellmewhat to do?”

“You said it yourself. I’m Henry Cavalier.” He smirked. “I own this fucking town.”

I dug my nails into my palms and stomped my foot. Crap. I hadn’t meant to do that, but Henry just had a way to make my blood boil. This wasn’t the sweet Cavalier boy from Cavalier Manor.

“Darling, from what I can see, you don’t own shit. Look around you. You don’t even own this hotel.”

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