The Sterling Boys(38)

***

DANE



I'm going to fire Vanessa the first chance I get. Fucking shit.

Everything was fine—better than fine. It was the best time I've ever had at Silk until Vanessa ruined it. I was about to have Rain in my arms, and I was going to take advantage of the seduction my club dishes out.

Gallbladder surgery... I don't even know what the limitations are. I've been checking her incision regularly to see how she's healing, because I don't know what questions to ask.

I'm scared to attempt anything too physical, simply because it could hurt her.

Right this second I'm thinking of getting very physical. I want to throw her stubborn ass over my shoulder and haul her out of here. We shouldn't have come out.

As pathetic as it sounds, I like having her alone at her house or my house. There aren't any interruptions from the outside world. It's just us, and we're back in the bubble we were in so long ago. I'd love to be back in that bubble right now instead of watching Rain enjoy herself while I sit up here and observe.

"She looks to be having the time of her life," Dale says, startling the fuck out of me. He was just on the dance floor.

"Yeah," I mutter dryly. "She should be having fun."

"Yet watching her have fun is making you miserable. Any reason you're not joining in?"

His tone is knowing, which isn't surprising. He figured out Kode's affections for Rain. I'm twice as transparent.

"Just waiting for the right moment. Rain seemed pretty adamant about not dancing with me."

Dale laughs, and it's possibly the most condescending laugh I've ever heard.

"Don't be an idiot, Dane. You're too smart to play dumb. You have a girl like Vanessa pawing all over you right in front of Rain, and she's going to back away every time. If you want her, or any other woman for that matter, you always make it a point to make them the most important person every time you're around them. The good ones appreciate it. The bad ones can fuck off."

His bitter tone toward the end makes me realize he's talking about Fiona. I wish I could have seen Rain kicking her ass.

"Didn't realize I was making Rain feel like she wasn't important."

He smirks, his eyes still just as condescending as his earlier laugh.

"No woman ever says what she means. They're weird like that. The Vanessa girl talked about you taking her home. Here's what she was telling Rain, 'Dane knows where I live.' Given her very... seductive behavior and comfort level around you, Rain took it to mean the two of you have something physical going on."

Women really are from another fucking planet.

"I've taken her home numerous times because it's on my way to my house, and her car breaks down pretty regularly. It really does break down. I've tried cranking it myself when it's messed up. It's not like she's tricking me."

Dale's laughter isn't very comforting, but I follow his eyes to Rain. She whips her head away, which lets me know I just caught her looking up here again.

I'm about sick of these games.

"Go get her," Dale says as I stand.

I don't respond as I drop down from the platform and head straight toward the girl who is downing another shot. With a quick grip on her hips, I tug her to me, forcing her to gasp in surprise, while bringing her back flush with my front.

If I can't stay away, then I'm going to find a way to make her mine.

Corbin and Maverick shuffle off into the crowd to find their prey for the night, while I lock my jaws around mine—figuratively speaking. She pushes back against me, and I'm damn sure she feels just how hard I am right now.

I turn her around, and her arms go around my neck as our bodies writhe together to the sound of the seductive beat. Everything around me fades as my leg goes between Rain's and she pushes against it. She stills when her heated center finds friction against my leg, and I almost roar in frustration.

Dancing was a fucking stupid idea.

Grabbing her ass, I pull her to me, and my lips brush hers when I lean down and get as close as possible. She can push me away or pull me to her. Something has to give. Now. Tonight.





***

RAIN



No. No. No.

Dane has been taking shots, flirting with a damn waitress, and now he's grinding against me like a madman. He's obviously not himself right now, because he hasn't even attempted this sort of intimacy since he started staying with me. Is this some sort of game? A game of frigging torture, perhaps?

And I can't have sex. Not for another few weeks. It's not like I can tell him that, either. Shit.

"Dane," I murmur when his lips start moving to my neck.

"Mm?" His wicked tongue does shiver-worthy things, and I begin imagining it somewhere other than my neck as he suckles and makes it hard to think. We can do so many things, but how would I explain not being able to have sex? A quick google search would tell him I don't have to wait long to have sex after gallbladder surgery—if at all.