Page 4 of Can't Take My Eyes Off You

‘I fully support any words that leave your lips. Especially when they’re less than stellar and directed at my brother,’ he says with a sly smile. ‘Berx—’ He stops me from walking away, pulling me back to him by my hand. He kisses me softly, his hand on the side of my neck, forcing me to melt into him the same way I always do. ‘I love you. You know this, right?’

‘Yeah…’

‘No matter what’s said or how ugly things get in there, I absolutely love you. I need to know you understand this?’

He seems serious as he says the words, sending a pang of worry through my chest. What the hell does he mean? No matter what’s said or how ugly things get?

As he awaits my answer, he slides his thumb along my jawline, stopping at my chin, kissing me again, making my brain fizz, not to mention my loins burn. Bye, worry. Lust is taking over, and I need to rein it in before I do him on the driveway and really make a name for myself in this neighborhood. Instead of the poor peasant dating Will, I’d become the hussy who fucked him in front of the house. I feel like the former is a little less damaging to my reputation.

‘I knowyoulove me,’ I confirm. ‘But for your family, it was hate at first sight. I’ll never fit in with your world.’ I sigh, frustrated by all of it. ‘I can hold my own; I’m just saying I’ll be fighting this battle until the end of time.’

‘No you won’t, because as your Prince Charming, I will fight it for you. Besides, you fit in withme, Berx. That’s all that matters.’ He kisses my forehead sweetly. ‘Come on. Let’s act like we want to be here, put on a show, then go back to my place and pretend they don’t exist. Alright?’

I nod, forcing a smile that feels sadder than anything else. Will we ever be able to just live our lives without the Adlers interfering and demanding he play by their stupid rules? I don’t know anymore.

2

BERKLEY

Will laces his fingers through mine, squeezing my hand tightly as a silent reminder that my ‘Prince Charming’ is right by my side and not afraid to talk back to his family, as he leads me into the house. We stop in the formal dining room, everyone already seated and only two chairs left. The two furthest apart and on opposite sides of the table. Subtle.

‘Berkley, you’re sitting by Finn, and William, you’re next to Felicity. Doesn’t she look pretty this evening?’ Melinda pats Felicity’s shoulder. I can’t remember a single time she’s called me pretty.

Before we part ways, Will stops, pecking a soft kiss onto my lips, possibly just to piss off his parents, though I don’t hate it.

‘I love you,’ he whispers into my ear, squeezing my hand tightly before finally walking away, allowing our hands to drop only when our fingers can no longer touch.

Truthfully, I may put on a hell of afuck the worldexterior, but inside, I’m not as secure as I pretend and Will knows this. I mean, who really is? We’ve all got insecurities, and mine seem to shine the brightest when I’m around his picture-perfect, never-suffered-a-day-in-their-life family.

I walk to my chair at the end of the table, all alone in Timbuktu, sitting between Jacob at the head to my right and Finn to my left. One of these men scares the hell out of me, and the other I’ve never met. Finn’s an unusual-looking guy, tall, messy black hair like he just rolled out of bed to join us, with a hook of a nose and eyebrows that meet in the middle.

My gaze wanders back to Felicity. She’s chattering to Will in a hushed voice, leaning into him, looking smitten as a kitten. Her gestures, the way she speaks, the way she looks at me like I’m trash. She’s so clearly one of them. She continues talking to Will – quiet enough I can’t overhear her words, but she makes sure her giggle at whatever he’s just said is audible and I catch her glancing my way.

Will, however, looks like he’s at a job interview and already knows he’s not interested – he’s humoring her and his parents by being nice. That’s Will,nice. And so,sohandsome. Six-one, strong shoulders, dark brown hair that’s a tad too long on top right now so it’s swept to one side, clean-shaven, and his eyes – wow. Big golden-flecked whiskey-colored eyes that could convince me of absolutely anything.

‘Hellooo.’ Finn drags out the word, somehow making the two syllables sound dirty as I reach for my water glass.

‘Hi?’

He leans into me, our shoulders brushing against one another. ‘In twenty, you should meet me in the bathroom upstairs, end of the hall.’ He says the words into my ear like a sweet nothing that makes my skin crawl. The way he waggles his eyebrow sends a creepy shiver down my spine.

‘Choked the can and don’t know how to use the plunger?’ I ask.

‘They never use that bathroom so it would give us an opportunity to get to know one another, intimately.’

I grimace, leaning away from him. ‘I uh, think your parents’ money is giving you too much confidence.’

‘Berkley.’ Jacob coughs my name as he clears his throat. Apparently, that was rude?

Will glances over, worry on his face. I shrug.Just disappointing your parents, once again.

‘Let’s get this evening started, shall we?’ Jacob stands, tapping his fork on the fancy-schmancy crystal I better not drop or they’ll surely bill me for it. ‘First, a toast,’ he says. ‘To the future of the Adler family, the Harper family and Portland. We’ve got exciting things coming our way.’ He lifts his glass, the table following suit.

Considering neither of those are my last name, it’s abundantly clear that Will was right. This isn’t a graduation party.

‘AndBerkley,’ Will says.

I bite back a proud grin as he stands from his chair, his eyes on me as he lifts his glass.

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