Page 15 of Guarded Love

“We shouldn’t.” I pulled back again as gently yet as firmly as I could. There was no room for doubt or questions.

Her delicate brows pulled together, suddenly looking more like a wounded little girl than the Evelyn I knew. “Why? Am I not… I thought…”

“It wouldn’t be a good idea.” My swollen cock had other ideas, but I had to ignore it as I fought my way to my feet. “You should drink some water, pop two aspirin, and sleep it off.”

She was unsteady, stumbling as she got up, and I knew I made the right choice even if she was obviously pissed. There was no mistake she was getting angrier with every sharp breath she took. “What, am I not good enough for you? Is that the problem? You’ll fuck anything on two legs, but not me. Right?”

“What? Is that what this is about? Do you think I’m just running around fucking anything that moves, so you figured you would take a shot? Jesus.” All I could do was shake my head as I marched to the door. “I was right. This wouldn’t have worked. Get some sleep.”

“Fuck off.” She snarled. “Get out of my room.”

“Already way ahead of you.” Sometimes, there was no being nice to someone. Once she sobered up, she would see I was right. She hated me for it—well, she’d already hated me, so that was nothing new.

For once, I could return to my room and know I did the right thing.

The right thing felt a lot like blue balls.

7

EVELYN

Barrett practically glowed, and Lourde? I knew she would make a beautiful bride. She would have made a beautiful anything. But her radiance was breathtaking.

I hadn’t attended every wedding in history, but I was fairly sure as I watched my brother and his bride have their first dance to the soft music played by a string quartet that there had never been a happier couple. She wore a stunning Vera Wang gown that seemed like it had been created just for her—not exactly possible since there wasn’t nearly enough time for a bespoke creation, but nobody would know the difference as she floated across the dance floor in my brother’s arms.

It would be a relief when all of this was over. I couldn’t pretend otherwise. It was an exhausting week that had only gotten more hectic once family and friends arrived the previous morning. Even that was a relief, though, because all the extra people with the drama and excitement meant there were fewer chances of being caught alone with Magnus after that humiliating disaster in my room.

Thoughts of him consumed me, compelling me to scan the opulent ballroom, my eyes hunting for his signature grin. As usual, his height helped since he was a good head taller than the people around him. What a surprise—no fewer than three eager women were trying to get his attention, though it seemed he was focused on the dancing. His jaw was tight while his eyes followed the happy couple. Considering what we talked about on the deck, I had a feeling I knew what he was thinking.

Finally, a redhead tugged the sleeve of his tuxedo hard enough to draw his attention.Good luck, sweetie.Not that she needed it. He’d want somewhere warm and wet to stick his manhood before the night ended—his very sizable manhood. The memory of it pressing against me made my cheeks flush and my pulse pick up speed. At least I had that memory. The closest I would ever get to him.

He wouldn’t reject her the second he remembered how broken she was. All it had taken was touching the area on my thigh where the bullet had pierced my flesh, and that was it.

Game over.

I should’ve known better. When would I ever learn?

We hadn’t exchanged a single word since then.What was I thinking?Easy. I hadn’t. I’d followed my body’s urges and got burned for it. I mean, what else could I have expected? He would never, ever want to have anything to do with me. Not that way. And there I was, too stupid to understand that a couple of normal conversations and a few shared laughs between bickering weren’t the same as being wanted.

The dance ended, and I applauded politely along with everyone else in attendance. It was nothing less than the wedding of the year, even though it had all been put together virtually at the last minute. But as I had already learned when I attended the gala hosted by Mrs. Diamond, the woman knew how to throw a party, it was obvious she had clearly put everything she had into this one.

The champagne never stopped flowing, the food was excellent, the music was fun and lively, and everybody was looking forward to the fireworks display scheduled to take place after the cutting of a five-tier cake.

I really wanted to go home. Where I was safe.

I didn’t have to hide my limp or force myself to be seen by strangers.

I didn’t have to avoid Magnus there. That was where I belonged. Where nobody could hurt me.

“May I have the pleasure of a dance?” I looked up at the sound of my brother’s voice and smiled at the hand he extended. “Come on. You owe me one.”

“Oh, I do?” I teased, but I was all too happy to oblige because there wasn’t much I wouldn’t do for him. Not after everything he had done for me. Not on a day like this.

He led me to the floor as the band started playing something soft, sweet, and vaguely familiar. “My mother-in-law insisted they stick to big band and oldies,” he explained before placing a hand against the small of my back. “We wouldn’t want to offend anyone by playing anything even slightly questionable.”

“It works, though. It’s classy.”

He chuckled softly as we began to sway in time to the beat. “Can you believe this? Can you believe where we are?”

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