Page 88 of The Wallflower

Her breath rasps out, and I catch sight of her nipples poking through the thin fabric of her dress. I guess that answers my question.

"Why don't we get a drink?" This time, I take her hand in mine and interlace our fingers. She lets me drag her along my side to the bar. The bartender approaches, and I order a double whiskey and a glass of wine.

We stand and sip our beverages for a moment while watching everyone else mingle. After a minute, she turns to me. "How is school going? Your little club?"

I grit my teeth and stare down at her. "Fine. It's all fine, of course."

She smiles back, tentatively. "Oh, I’m so happy to hear it.” Her hand lands against my chest and climbs upward. When I don't remove it, she seems encouraged and leans into my side. She’s a snake, slithering her way up my body. Across the room, my father stares at us, his gaze penetrating with the weight of ten concrete blocks. With his face growing redder by the second, I unclench my fist and force myself to wrap an arm around her body, clutching her tight to my side. Turning, she beams up at me with this awestruck look.

My stomach churns, the contents threatening to climb out of my throat and spill across the floor. I want to shove her away. I want to tell my father he can fuck off and that whatever he has planned will never happen, but I can’t. There’s too much hanging in limbo. My mom, Bel, any chance I might have at a future. Spencer reaches up to tug my hand into hers, then places her drink on a passing tray and pulls me toward the corner of the room to an alcove of curtains and privacy. I don’t bother trying to stop her, not with my father’s pensive gaze on us. Once we’re out of sight, I pause, stopping her from pulling me any farther. I have no doubt what's on her mind, but if she really does want it, she'll have to start it herself, in the plain light of the room.

"What do you want, Spencer?"

She gulps. "Obviously you, silly.”

It's nothing like Bel says, and I hate that I have to hear those words from another woman's fake-ass mouth. She doesn't want me. She wants my dick and what it will give her, not me.Bel wants you. Bel gives a shit about you when she shouldn’t.I grit my teeth at the reminder of how shitty I’ve been to her. If I could, I’d leave her life for good, but I’m consumed by her. Her presence, scent, the way she looks at me, and those sexy glasses she wears.

Spencer seems to be encouraged by my lack of words, and she stretches up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to my lips. It's a gentle graze, and I hold tense, tight, not pulling her in, not kissing her back in any way. Her eyes are closed, sparkle coating the lids, but I keep mine open watching her. I don’t want this. I don’t want her. My stomach turns at the thought of her tongue in my mouth, and I have to clench my jaw as she goes for a second deeper kiss.

I can't stand the plastic taste of her mouth on mine or the way she whimpers like this tiny contact is turning her on, making her lose it. When I know damn well it won't.

Someone cuts in. "Oh, looks like you two are having fun."

Sebastian, the fucker, stands with a smile on his face. It's a soft, almost sweet one, something I've never seen on him. It’s more unsettling than anything else tonight, by far. What is going on? "And who is this little dove?"

Little dove?I can't help it. I gape at him as she sinks back to her feet and stares at him. Of the two of us, he's the more classically good looking. Silky tan curls, bright green eyes. He's also the more brutal, not that she would know it.

He leans in and kisses her hand. "I'm Sebastian. Who are you?"

She giggles. Fucking giggles. "Spencer, uh, Spencer, yeah."

Well, shit. I guess if he's going to rescue me, I can't be a dick to him. He glances at me and smiles that stupid grin again, andI can't help but smile back with how dumb he fucking looks. In a flash, he turns his attention back to her.

"And what are you doing dancing with this reprobate, Spencer? Didn't they tell you that if you're going to date a guy from The Mill, it should be me, or maybe…” He taps his chin like he’s thinking. “Only Lee is prettier."

She giggles again, and he points out Lee, who is still pouting in the corner.

"Should we go cheer him up, do you think? He looks like he could use a drink or two."

She turns her attention back to me, her body more relaxed. "Is he your friend?"

My smile is more real than fake now. "Yeah, I guess he is."

She follows Sebastian over to the other side of the room, and for the first time so far tonight, I feel like I can breathe.

Lee tenses when they approach but relaxes under Sebastian's pointed teasing of both him and the girl. I turn, intent on another damn drink, but the ground beneath my feet disappears. My eyes collide with another pair of pretty green eyes.

Bel.

She’s standing behind the bar, her eyes wide, face as white as a ghost. There's no doubt by the heartbroken expression she wears that she hasn’t missed a minute of what happened, including that kiss.

CHAPTER 32

BEL

It'slike my body completely froze from the inside out. The tray in my hand shakes and threatens to topple, so I slide it behind the bar on instinct alone while the rest of me stays locked in place, staring at Drew over the high-top bar.

He whispers my name, and it breaks the spell, allowing me to move my legs and take one stumble backward.

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