Page 47 of One Night Only
“Goldie,” he begins, his voice low and gravelly. “You are fucking delusional if you think I’m just gonna let you walk out of here and watch you go.” The hint of a smirk curls the corner of his lips. “You got away once. I ain’t lettin’ you go again.”
I grip the edge of the bathroom counter behind me in the hope that it stops me from caving.
“I’ll give you whatever time you need, baby.” He shrugs a broad shoulder. “But just know this—” He lowers his voice, his smirk blowing out into a full-watt grin, dimples and all. “It’sonly a matter of time before you come to your senses and realize that nothing else matters because I’m the one for you.”
I bite down on the inside of my cheek. Hard. To the point where I’m sure I can taste the metallic tang of blood. But right now, I would chomp my tongue right off to stop myself from saying something I know I will live to regret.
“And when you do,” Dallas continues, his grin turning smug. “I’ll still be here.”
Letting go of the doorframe, he stalks slowly back into the bathroom, closing the distance in three long, determined strides until he’s right there, resting his hands against the counter on either side of me, effectively caging me and looming over me, his presence all consuming.
“Like I told you,” he whispers so closely to me, his breath fanning over my skin, eliciting goosebumps to flare all over. “I ain’t goin’ nowhere, Goldie…”
Closing my eyes, I feel his lips ghost against my skin with a whisper soft kiss before he pulls away. I look up in time to see him walk out of the bathroom, pulling the door closed behind him, and I release the breath I’ve been holding.
Turning, I meet my reflection in the mirror, and I can’t help but glower at the woman staring back at me, muttering, “You fucking idiot…”
CHAPTER 20
DALLAS
Isit on the end of my bed, staring out the windows at the miserable day that now matches my mood. Earlier, I’d looked outside and smiled. I’d been imagining a cozy morning, chilling with my girl, feeding her and then taking her back to bed to worship her a little more before finally dropping her home and heading for PT.
But now, the rain is depressing, breakfast is cold, and my girl is getting dressed so she can leave. Leave me. I can act cocky and smug all I want, but after last night and what we shared, I can’t lie—it fucking stings.
I drag a hand down my face, heaving a sigh. When I hear the bathroom door open, I can’t help but flinch. I don’t want to look at her. I’m scared if I look at her, she’ll see straight through my act.
Rising to my feet, I force a smile, but as I turn, I’m taken aback, my fake ass smile falling when I see her standing there, still wearing my jersey. And nothing else. My brows dip in confusion.
Emily chews on her bottom lip, looking around the room and wringing her hands together, nervously shifting her weight from foot to foot.
“Are you okay?” I take one step forward. “Do you need something?”
She looks at me then, and I catch the briefest flash of what resembles guilt in her eyes.
I take another step closer. “Goldie?”
“So…” she begins on an exhale, dragging the word out. “I might’ve been a little hasty.” She holds up her hand, pinching her thumb and forefinger together with this adorable expression on her face.
I bite back a smile and decide to play along. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.” She tucks her hair behind her ear, something I’ve realized is a nervous trait she does when she’s uncomfortable. Looking down at her feet covered in my socks, she sighs again.
I take another step, stopping right in front of her, and when she doesn’t look up, I reach out, tucking my finger under her chin, forcing her eyes to me. “Talk to me, Goldie.”
“I don’t know what to do—” She takes a breath and then swallows hard, shaking her head like she’s at a loss for words.
I cup her face, ducking down so I’m eye to eye with her. “Whatever you want to do, baby. You just tell me, and I’ll make it happen.” I dip my chin, raising my eyebrows in a way that I hope tells her that it’s me, that she can trust me, because I’ve got her.
“I want to see what happens with this,” she says quietly. “Us.”
Act cool, Dallas. Act fucking cool.
“But… I need to be careful.” She clamps her bottom lip between her teeth, looking between my eyes, searching, and I can’t mistake the fear in her gaze. Like she’s momentarily scared how I might react. “You were right. I am scared.”
“It’s okay to be scared,” I assure her, caressing her cheeks gently with my thumbs. “We can take this as slow as you want. There’s no rush… I’m not going anywhere, remember?”
She shudders a breath, and it actually kills me a little to see just how much this affects her.
