Page 61 of Tempt Thy Neighbor

“So you thought…what? I was going after you for your money?”

“No. I didn’t think it—Iknewyou were. Because your mother turned to her friends and said,The plan is working perfectly. Mark your calendars for a June wedding, ladies.” I shake my head, the anger slipping back in. “I thought about the months leading up to that night, how convenient it was that we ended up seated across from one another at every event. All the times my dates backed out at the last minute. All the knowing looks your mother sent me, like she knew what we were doing when their backs were turned. Then it all made sense: she’d been working to get us together for months.”

“Is that why you…”

She doesn’t finish, but I know what she’s asking.

I nod.

Her tongue darts out to wet her lips. “Sutton, I…I swear to you, I never knew my mom was planning something. I wasn’t part of any scheme. I didn’t…” She shakes her head, unable to finish her sentence.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yes! Frankly, I’m pissed you think I would do something like that.”

“Because I heard what you said. You—”

“I’m telling you, I had no part in it. What I saidwasa joke, something to get my mother off my back. Why didn’t you come to me? Why didn’t you confront me?”

“Everyone always uses me for my name…my money. It made sense to me that you would too. I wanted to use you before you could use me. I wanted to beat you at your own game.”

She grinds her teeth together. “Why is it always a damn competition with you?”

She’s right. It is.

But when you spend your life competing for the love and attention of your parents, it’s a hard habit to break.

“Because I’m messed up.”

She blows out a puff of air, crossing her arms over her chest. “You got that right.”

Her bottom lip is caught tight between her teeth, and I want to pull it free and kiss away the sting I know it’s causing.

And I do just that.

She yelps as I haul her into my lap, gripping her waist tightly so she can’t run from me.

She wiggles, but all it does is cause my dick to stir to life.

“Let me go. I’m mad.”

“No.”

“Sutton…” she warns, trying to get free.

I slap her ass, and her eyes grow warm…and so does her pussy.

“Quit moving,” I instruct. “I want to ask you something.”

“What.” It comes out a statement, not a question, her teeth gnashed together.

“You didn’t know?”

She rolls her eyes. “No.”

“Swear it.”

Her bottle green eyes bore into me…throughme, and before she even speaks, I know what she’s about to say is true.

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