Page 71 of Cherry Beats

“When you’re effortlessly pretty, it’s infuriating as shit to those who have to work for it.”

I blushed immediately but raised my chin in defiance, and a little bit of pride.

Dex chuckled as he guided us to the left of the room—a room that was at least ten times bigger than my entire home. “Come on, let’s get you to the real party.”

I looked back over my shoulder at the people we were walking away from. “Aren’t they with the band?”

“They wish they were.”

Just when I thought there was nowhere else to go, Dex took another left. The room opened up again. More tables, sofas, and wasted carpeted floor space. My mouth dropped open as I looked around me, lost in the luxury of it all.

“This place is…”

“Wild, right?” Dexter faltered, his hand falling from mine so he could hold it out to whoever was in front of him. “Hey, man, how’s it going?”

I blinked and faced forward again only to seetheRhett Ryan standing in front of me.

A breath caught in my throat as soon as I saw him. Rhett Ryan, the lead singer of the band, wasn’t just handsome. He was fucking gorgeous. There was a twinkle in his eye that told you he’d destroy you and your body within an hour if you let him. I could see why all the girls flocked to him. He was open to it—accepting of their attention, unlike Presley who was the more brooding member of the band.

“Uncle Dex!” Rhett cried, shaking his hand and pulling Dex to him in a manly embrace. They slapped each other on the back three times before they pulled away. “Fuck, it’s good to see you, dude.”

“Missed me, you little shit bag?” Dexter smirked.

“Hell, yeah, we all have. Travels have been shit without you. You here to see Elvis?”

“Sure am. Know where he is?”

Rhett’s eyes drifted to me as if he’d only just realised there was someone else in front of him. His lips parted to answer Dexter before they slowly closed again, and his eyes narrowed while his knowing smile grew.

“Maybe I do,” Rhett answered slowly, dragging out each and every word.

“Hey,” I squeaked, clearing my throat and holding my hand out.

Rhett’s hand rose, his whole persona changing from how he’d been with Dexter. He was going in for the kill, turning on his charm as he raised a brow and pushed his lips out, already tasting something he wanted on the tip of his tongue. When his palm met mine, he curled his fingers around and squeezed with just the right amount of pressure.

“And you are?” he purred.

“Uh… Tess,” I said as confidently as I could, trying hard to ignore the knot of nerves that were dancing in my stomach.

“You can call herCherry,” Dexter said when he leaned in.

Rhett’s eyes popped wide open, his mouth falling the same way too as he looked at me. “Shit! Really?”

I glanced between them both, my brows creasing as I tried to read the look Dexter was giving Rhett.

“Well, fuck me,” Rhett said on a laugh, lifting the back of my hand to his lips to gift it with a kiss.

“Put her down, Rhett,” a familiar voice ordered.

I looked up over Rhett’s shoulder and saw the one thing that really could make me speechless.

Presley.

His blonde hair was tucked behind his ears, his bright blue eyes alive as he stared at me like he would die if he so much as blinked.

Those nerves in my stomach turned to a thousand butterflies that dipped straight into my intimate parts. My nipples hardened, the wind knocked from my lungs as I forgot how to breathe. Rhett may have been good-looking, but Presley was breathtaking.

His hands were tucked into the pockets of his jeans, his signature black leather jacket hanging open to reveal a strip of his bare torso I’d once spent the night trailing my tongue over.

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