Edge(35)
Landis put a hand on Dell’s elbow to steer her away. “Let’s go get some air.”
“No, we weren’t done.” She handed him her glass, her eyes never leaving me. “Let’s go finish this.”
She moved through the ballroom purposefully and even though we were arguing, I couldn’t help but notice the way her hair swished behind her and admire the view of her tight ass. The things I wanted to do to that ass. Right now I felt like spanking it, which I’d never done to any woman.
Dell walked out to a large balcony, where a couple was leaning on the railing and talking. She led me to the other side and spun to face me. Her cheeks were pink and her emerald eyes were dark. I was seeing angry Dell for the first time.
“You’re so beautiful,” I said before she could get any words out. “Absolutely breathtaking. If I’m being an ass, it’s only because I’m so jealous of Landis. Every time he touches you I want to pound him.”
Her expression softened from anger into uncertainty.
“Where were you last night?” she asked, her tone soft.
“At a bar. I wanted you to meet up with me, remember?”
“After that. Where did you sleep last night?”
“At a hotel downtown.”
“Alone?” Her eyes held a mixture of hope and hurt. What the hell was this? She obviously had the wrong impression.
“No, but—”
She slapped me. Full and hard across the face, and the surprise stung more than the hit.
“Asshole!” she cried. “You’re an asshole, Luke, and you’ve got no right judging me for coming here with Landis. You led me on and I followed like an obedient puppy. God, why was I so stupid? Do you know how I feel about you? Do you care?”
“I—”
“I left my comfort zone for you, dammit!” She poked a finger against my chest. “You’ve seen me naked. And even though you’ve never touched me, I thought what we had was … intimate. You were special to me. And I thought I was special to you. Do have any idea how crushed I was when V told me you never came home last night? When I realized that after we texted, you found some cheap unknown woman to screw? I don’t do that, Luke. I’d never run out every time you asked me just so I could keep an eye on you. You’re not mine, but I thought … I didn’t think you were fucking other women. And I’m pissed, but I guess you can tell that. I’m pissed – and hurt that you made me want you enough to take chances, and I’m just a mindless distraction for you.”
“You are not a mindless distraction for me.”
The wind blew a strand of auburn hair across her face, and when she moved it I saw the trail a tear had left on her cheek. I’d never wanted to touch her as much as I wanted to right now. This wasn’t about desire, but something … else. Something more.
“Niko stayed at the hotel with me last night,” I said. “No one else. I got us a suite because V drives me fucking nuts and I wanted a good night of sleep. And Niko has some stripper after him, so he stayed too. Dinner, drinking and sleeping. That was my whole night, Dell.”
Her hurt expression transformed into a horrified one. A flush crept up her chest to her face, which she buried in her hands.
“Shit,” she muttered. “God, I’m so embarrassed. And sorry. I can’t believe I slapped you and you didn’t even deserve it.”
I smiled and glanced out at the night skyline. “Don’t worry about it. I take worse hits than that every day.”
She leaned on the balcony railing and stared at the city lights with me. “I’m so inept.”
“It turns me on when you use words like that,” I admitted. “Your intelligence is sexy. And you aren’t inept.”
“I never even go on dates. Ever. This is why. Well, it’s one of the reasons. I’m just … awkward with men.”
“If you’re awkward, I like awkward.”
She smiled and leaned her head against my shoulder for a second. I had to grip the railing to keep from pulling her against me. She smelled like the beach on a sunny day. And she looked … perfect. Her hair danced over the creamy, bare skin of her shoulders. The black dress she wore was fitted around her breasts, and I recalled watching water flow over them in the shower.
The night air was cold – it was winter, after all – and Dell wrapped her arms around herself.
“Sorry,” I said quickly, reaching for my jacket to take it off. “Take this.”
“I shouldn’t.” She looked up at me. “We shouldn’t even be out here.”
I nodded and sighed. It wasn’t a risk for me – Jean had my back, but it was for Dell. She and Kyler had a life here, and I didn’t want her risking her job for me.