Page 615 of The Tempted

Not tonight.

Please not tonight.

I slowly opened my eyes, blinking rapidly as I continued to stare at him.

He looked ragged, like he was wearing himself thin and had the weight of the world on his shoulders as he leaned against the wall and continued to stare at me. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. My ears fell deaf to whatever it was Brandon was saying and I struggled to stop myself from standing up and running to him.

I was pathetic.

I saw his chest rise and fall as he took a deep breath before he finally turned his head and walked straight toward the bar, ignoring me as he passed our table.

“Are you okay?” Brandon asked, jarring me from my thoughts and away from Blackie who turned his back to me as he took a seat at the bar.

“Fine,” I croaked, turning to look at him. “I wasn’t expecting to see him is all,” I explained as I reached for my beer bottle and pushed it aside because it was empty. I snatched Brandon’s and tipped my head back, guzzling the ale hoping I’d forget Blackie ever walked into the bar or into my life.

“Easy,” Brandon murmured against my ear. “Don’t let him get to you,” he whispered, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as he continued to speak against my ear.

Riggs walked up next to Blackie, and I watched as they downed a couple of shots. Riggs turned around, waved at me and I returned the gesture with a glare.

I bet he called him when he realized Mack wasn’t here.

For someone who is always bitching about me and Blackie and whatever the hell you call this thing between us, he’s always throwing himself in the middle.

Blackie glanced over his shoulder at me or maybe at Brandon but quickly turned back around and shook his head.

“Hey,” Brandon said, placing his index finger under my chin and forced my eyes to his. “Let’s dance,” he suggested.

Dance.

I remember the first time I heard Stevie Nick’s song Leather and Lace and how certain I was that the song was written for me and Blackie. At the time I never thought him and I would ever dance to it but I’d listen to it every now and then and hoped one day we would.

And then that day came.

“Listen to the words.”

You’re saying I’m fragile I try not to be.

I search for something only I can’t see.

“Will you dance with me?”

He wrapped his arms around me without question and danced with me, to my favorite song. A love song about a girl who is fragile yet tries not to be and a man who never thought he was good enough.

Go on and tell me that song wasn’t written for us.

Lovers forever, face to face.

Stay with me, stay.

I need you to love me.

Give me to your leather.

Take from me my lace.

You can’t, can you?”

I looked back to the bar and watched him push back the stool and make his way through the bar towards the restrooms. I diverted my eyes back to Brandon.

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