Page 48 of Forget

Brock opened the door and waited until Duke stepped inside before asking, ‘Do I really look like my dad?’

Duke’s face split into a wide grin. ‘Spitting image.’

Brock mustered a smile, watching as Duke swaggered towards the function room. He needed to head back inside too. He’d been a rude prick leaving Jayda to fend for herself. But rather than clearing his head outside, running into Duke had only served to muddle him further.

If he’d misjudged his parents, what else was he wrong about?

Deliberately pushing Jayda away when she got too close was fast becoming trite; and he’d used his parents’ crappy marriage as an excuse to do it.

But what if he’d scrabbled at excuses, desperate to latch onto whatever psychobabble bullshit he could, in order to protect himself?

Lots of kids had crappy upbringings and went on to become well-adjusted adults in happy relationships. But he’d become entrenched in his point of view, happy to blame others for his own emotional failings.

Reconnecting with Jayda had made him realise there could be something to this relationship malarkey after all. She grounded him, when all he craved to do was take flight out offear. Fear of allowing her to get too close, fear of failing her, fear of messing up the best thing to happen to him.

Maybe he needed to confront Jayda and tell her half of what he was feeling?

It sounded like a plan. But first, he had to get through this awards night.

22

‘Would you liketo dance?’

Brock’s whispered invitation in her ear made Jayda’s skin pebble. Thank goodness this dress had padded bra inserts otherwise she would’ve given the entire ballroom an eyeful of rigid nipples poking through the satin. Not a good look when she’d already caught some of the older gentlemen peering at her cleavage.

‘I’d love to,’ she said, glancing up at him as he pulled out her chair and she stood, taking his offered hand. ‘You okay?’

‘Yeah, I needed some air.’ He tugged her close to murmur in her ear. ‘Pat’s aftershave smells like rotten seaweed.’

She whacked him playfully on the chest, allowing herself the luxury of letting her hand linger against it. ‘He smells fine and you’re a terrible liar.’

‘Guilty as charged.’ He released her hand and held up his in mock surrender. ‘Let’s take a whirl around the dance floor before I change my mind.’

And miss the chance to be in his arms? Not likely.

As they wound their way through the tables, Jayda noticed the women casting covetous glances at Brock. She didn’t blame them. But she did square her shoulders and stand a little taller,revelling in his hand in the small of her back, proclaiming her as his.

Something had seriously freaked him out ten minutes ago and she’d stifled the urge to go after him when he’d bolted. She’d wanted to, boy, had she wanted to. But Brock had been rattled since she’d met his folks earlier and she didn’t want to push the issue.

Besides, it didn’t take a genius to figure out what had him in a funk. His parents had thought they were a real couple and Brock didn’t want that. It saddened her that the mere mention of it had him in this much of a tailspin, but in a way it was the reality check she needed.

They would never be anything more than a fling.

The sooner her impressionable heart got the message, the better.

As they reached the dance floor the band struck up a ballad from the nineties and Brock grimaced. ‘The music is as corny as the ancient suits most of these dudes are wearing.’

‘I like ballads.’ She stepped into his arms, pressing her breasts against him as she gazed up and batted her eyelashes. ‘Don’t you?’

He grinned and pulled her closer. ‘I’m developing a distinct liking for them.’

He lowered his head to nuzzle her neck. ‘Especially when I get your luscious body up close and personal like this.’

She gave a little wriggle, noting his sharp intake of breath. ‘We’re in a public place. Behave yourself.’

‘I’ll try.’ He pressed his pelvis against hers and she bit back a groan as his semi-hard dick rubbed against her. ‘But you’ll need to back off a bit because this is what you do to me.’

Holding the power to turn him on usually made her feel invincible. Tonight, she couldn’t help but wish he wanted her for more than her body.

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