Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 61953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
Why had he ever thought he would be?
Was this another plea from his father to make amends?
My curiosity got the better of me, and like a shadow, I slunk through the ballroom, following him as he pushed roughly out a door that led to the elevator bank. His hands were in his hair as he cursed and then reared back and kicked the wall.
“Don’t think that’s going to do anything,” I told him, giving away my position.
He whipped around to find me standing in my black taffeta dress. I hadn’t meant to say anything. I was going to leave him to his own devices. After all, the last time I’d seen him, I’d told him to leave. And here he was, doing it before I had to say anything.
Except last time, I’d gotten drunk with worry at his appearance and maybe been a wee bit harsh. And this time, I hadn’t even finished my first glass of wine. My heart ached at the sight of him. At his anger and frustration and bruised ego. I shouldn’t want to alleviate his pain, and yet I could want nothing else.
“Hey,” he said, straightening and slipping his hands into his pants. “What are you doing out here?”
“Saw you get kicked out.”
“I wasn’t kicked out,” he grumbled.
“Oh, was it not Austin and Landon pushing you toward the exit? Or did I miss that?”
“Sinclairs are apparently no longer welcome.”
“That shouldn’t surprise you.”
He shrugged. “Did you need something, Harley? Or are you just here to laugh at me with the rest of them?”
I soured at those words. “No, I just didn’t know why you’d even risk it after what your dad did.”
“I wanted to apologize. To let Jensen know that we weren’t all like him.”
“Did your dad ask you to do that?”
His lips turned down at the words. “No. There is mutual enmity on that front.”
“He brought that on himself.”
“Yes. Well, we can’t all be as perfect as the Wrights,” he said. “And if you’re done reminding me of how terrible my family is, I’ll do as every Wright here clearly prefers and leave.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t take your anger out on me.”
“I’m not.” Then, he blew out a breath. “I didn’t mean to. Only that you didn’t want to see me the last time we were in a room together. I was planning to not see you, and now, you’re talking to me. So, what is it, Harley? Should I stay, or should I go?”
“I was just checking on you,” I snapped, giving it right back. “Sorry for caring. I’ll remember not to do that again.”
Then, I turned and pushed the door back open to the ballroom. But I couldn’t go back in there and deal with my family. I was hot and frustrated and embarrassed. I should have let him wallow in his pain. Just let him get kicked out by my cousins and been happy about it, like the rest of my family. I shouldn’t have let my traitorous heart feel a single thing for him.
So, I turned left as soon as I entered and headed toward the bathrooms. I needed a moment to collect myself before anyone could see me.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Chase called behind me.
I whipped around, ready to give him a piece of my mind again, but he just grabbed me by my elbow and tugged me into the little alcove. Our chests nearly pressed together. Our mouths an inch apart. I could smell the sweet scent of his cologne. I could practically taste the whiskey on his lips. My heart stuttered back to life, and I forgot everything that was about to come out of my mouth.
“You cut your hair.” His finger twirled a lock of my short platinum-blonde bob. The dramatic fringe falling nearly into my eyes as I looked up at him.
“For my birthday,” I whispered.
“It suits you.”
I swallowed. “What are you doing?”
“I have no idea,” he admitted. “I never know what I’m going to do around you.”
“We’re…we’re very close,” I whispered.
“Should I move?”
“Yes,” I said as I shook my head.
He laughed softly as he pushed the lock behind my ear. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I was frustrated, and you were right; I took it out on you.”
“I know.”
“Then you were there, and you told me not to see you again, and…”
“And you should go,” I told him.
But still, neither of us moved.
“I should…I should go,” I said when he didn’t move.
I was going to move.
I had to move.
For my own sanity.
So, I took a step backward. This had gone far enough. Chase was the one who had said we couldn’t be together. We were dangerously close to reliving our first experience. In a place surrounded by Wrights, who despised him and his family. If anyone saw us, I wasn’t sure if he’d make it out alive. With my cousin as the new mayor, they could even get away with it.