Page 32 of Black Lace

He looks over to grin at me. "We're just going to need to make up for all the missed orgasms over the next fifty years or so."

My heart flips over in my chest as he confirms that he sees us being together for the next fifty years. It's bizarre to think that last Monday I had freshly accepted Ben's proposal and was envisioning a future with a man who wasn't the one sitting beside me in this car right now.

I try to think about what a future with Ben would be like and I find that I don't want to. Dec was right when he said that I was unhappy even if I hadn't admitted it to myself at the time. The thought of that future in a world of gray makes me feel sorry for the me in an alternate universe where Ben doesn't cheat on me. The Tiffany in that world doesn't get this.

I look over at Dec and feel sorry for his alternate universe counterpart as well, allowing his Tiffany to marry Ben and with neither of them every being as truly happy as I am right now. They say you don't know what you've got till it's gone, but I say you don't know what you've got till you have it.

I finally know. After a weekend of turmoil and confusion, this is the moment. This is when it becomes clear for me that I want to spend the rest of my life with Declan McLean and I don't have a single doubt in my mind about that concept. He is the man that I am meant to be with.

CHAPTER 16

HOMECOMING

(TIFFANY)

I openthe door to my penthouse, and Dec follows me inside, carrying my luggage. He drops it by the door and wraps his arms around my waist as I turn to face him. Dec kisses me passionately, and I part my lips, allowing his tongue into my mouth where it intertwines with mine.

I wind my arms around his neck and press my body hard against him. His cock stiffens against me, and I moan softly as he breaks our kiss and lowers his lips to my neck.

“What the fuck is going on?”

Ben’s voice is cold from behind me. It feels like a bucket of ice water being dumped over my head, and I jump as though I’ve been electrocuted.

I don’t mean to do it, but I instinctively push Decaway from me and try to put a respectable distance between us while I spin to look at my ex-fiancé.

“It’s not what you think…” I say quickly.

Fuck. That’s a lie.

“Really?” Ben glares at me. “Because what Ithinkis that you and Declan have been having an affair behind my back.”

Okay. Well, maybe it wasn’t a lie, then.

“No. We haven’t been having an affair behind your back, Ben,” I assure him.

“If it’s not what I think, then, can you please explain the very good reason why the fuck you were practically screwing my best friend in the hallway?” He raises an eyebrow at me.

A wave of shame washes over me. Ben and I only broke up on Saturday. Two days later, and I’m fucking someone else and telling them I love them. It’s too fast.

I open my mouth to tell him that, but Dec speaks before I can, sounding coolly calm. “Given that youactuallycheated on her, Ben, I don’t think you’re really in a position to be demanding explanations from anyone.”

“You’re a fucking traitorous piece of shit. I bet you couldn’t wait to get in her pants. You’ve been trying to get in them for years.” Ben glares at Dec.

Dec growls from behind me, and I’m concerned this might come to blows in a second. So, I spin around toface him and place a hand on his chest as I look into his beautiful eyes.

“You should probably leave, Dec. I need to talk to Ben.”

I watch him crumple before me, and the hurt in his eyes doesn’t go unnoticed by me as I tell him to go. He doesn’t say anything, just nods at me once before he turns and walks out the door.

The silence in the room is eerie after Dec leaves. I’m just staring at the door he closed behind himself and hating myself for asking him to go.

“So, you and Declanarefucking, then?” Ben’s cold voice comes from behind me.

I sigh and turn to face him before admitting, “Yes.”

I pick up my suitcase and carry it to my bedroom, but I can sense Ben trailing behind me. It’s odd because this place is no less full ofusthan when I left, and yet, he feels like a stranger to me.

I drop my suitcase in my closet, then walk back into the living area and sit on the couch. I finally give my attention to Ben, who is standing in front of me and glaring at me.

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