Page 46 of Bad Reputation

She slips her arm around my waist. “It’s pretty cool down here. The water is so dark, and the rocks too. Then you’ve got this strip of sandy beach down the middle that provides a nice contrast.”

I look down at Emma, taking in her wide green eyes, her dark hair, her angelic facial features. I get hard again, right then and there, without exactly knowing why.

“You know what would be nice?” I ask, brushing her hair away from her ear. I lean down and kiss her earlobe.

She seems a little surprised, but she’s not even a little immune to the feel of my tongue tracing the shell of her ear. “No, what?”

I walk her backward so that she’s pressed against the tall stone bluff. “We should fuck right here. Right now.”

I grind my cock against her belly and groan into her ear. Whatever I’m doing works on her, because she pulls my mouth down to hers, sighing as I kiss her.

“Don’t make me wait,” is all she says, wrapping her arm around my neck.

“Never,” I solemnly promise. “You never have to wait again.”

I kiss her and the sound of us fucking fades into the sound of the sea.

17

Emma

Ilook at my phone, sighing silently. I’m at lunch with my mother, at a ridiculously fancy place… and I’m counting the minutes until we’re done. I look around the dining room, look at the white linen tablecloths and waiters wearing white.

All I want is to not be wearing this tight pink dress and to be off with Jameson, but I had to leave his bed eventually. And my mother made it clear that I was going to attend this luncheon, so here I am.

It doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it though.

“Can you believe that Sarah Perkins?” my mother sniffs, sipping her glass of white wine. “She came right out and made her opinions known. Though no one but her husband took her seriously. All the rest of us know that Nancy is from… well, let’s just say, she didn’tcome upwith wealth. And she still has a whiff of money grubbing poverty on her. It’s plain enough to see.”

I push my salmon around my plate, barely listening. “That’s terrible.”

“Isn’t it? The woman is a harridan, that’s for sure.” She flags down a passing waiter. “Another glass of the pinot gris, please?”

My mother’s disapproving gaze passes over me. “Are you just going to sit there all day moping?”

I straighten up. “What should I be saying?”

She shifts in her seat, smoothing a hand over her white dress. “I would like to know what happened on your date with Rich.”

I flush, looking down. “Mom, Rich is really not a nice guy. He shoved me against a wall. He bruised my arms.”

Her gaze narrows. “I don’t see any bruises.”

“That was a week ago!” I put my fork down and put my napkin on top of the plate. Almost instantly, a waiter steps in and removes the plate.

Another delivers my mother’s fresh glass of wine. She inclines her head, but keeps her focus on me.

“I think you’re being a little exciteable.” She sips her wine.

“About the fact that he got very drunk and violent with me? I don’t think so.”

“Emmaline!” my mother says, looking around as if people heard me. “Keep your voice down. And I highly doubt that is actually what happened.”

“That’s exactly what happened.” I keep my voice even, though I’m starting to seethe inside. “If you need proof, you can find it on the police report. He actually admitted it.”

My mother rolls her eyes at me. “I hope that wasn’t your doing.”

I know my mom is a cold bitch sometimes, but I honestly cannot believe her right now. “The police hauled him away. If they are pressing charges, it’s nothing to do with me. I was the victim, though.”

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