Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 106806 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106806 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
“Oliver.”
“You’re about to get soaked. Climb on in.”
I can’t breathe. This mountain road suddenly feels far too small. Too private. It’s too dangerous to be alone in a car with the man who still owns my heart.
While part of me wants to tell him to get the fuck out of here, to insist that I can take care of myself, the logical part of my brain knows that if I refuse a ride with Oliver, Rose will know something’s wrong.
I swallow. “Why are you here?”
“Rose was worried you were going to get swept away in the storm. I was just pulling into town, so she sent me to rescue you.”
“You’re going to take me to the rehearsal dinner?”
His gaze rakes over me. “I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”
His words send warning bells blaring in my head, but I force out a thank you and climb into the SUV. After buckling my seatbelt, I straighten and find him leaning closer—too close—and examining my car with a sardonic twist to his lips.
“What?” I snap.
“I’m surprised my brother lets his woman drive around in something so unreliable.” He says the last word like it means dangerous.
I stiffen. “It’s not Alec’s job to buy me anything.”
He looks me over one more time before moving from my personal bubble. “Isn’t it his job to take care of you? You’re his fiancée. Doesn’t making sure you’re safe come with the territory?”
“I don’t need to be taken care of.”
“Still as stubborn as ever, I see.” He smoothly backs out of the parking spot and turns onto Hunter Drive. “Did you wear that for my brother?” he asks, unapologetically sweeping his eyes over me again before he shifts them back to the road. “Or did you wear it for me?”
“You’re an asshole.”
His chuckle is deep and raspy. Warmth wiggles low in my belly. “I never claimed otherwise, but it’s good to see you’ve finally caught up.”
I stare at his profile—the hard line of his jaw, the coolness in his eyes. “You knew Charles would want to set me up with Alec. Did you plan on sending me on dates with him and then letting him find out we were sleeping together? Is that how you get off? Taking everything you can from the guy who stole your father away before he could walk?”
His expression goes cold. Guarded. “I didn’t take anything from Alec.”
“You took Portentia.”
His grip tightens on the steering wheel. “Don’t bring her into this.”
He’s quiet the rest of the way to town.
By the time he parks in the lot behind the restaurant, the rain has slowed to a light drizzle.
Oliver cuts the engine and reaches for his door.
“Why are you here?” I blurt before he can open it.
His jaw twitches. “My sister wanted me to be at her wedding.”
I nod. “But is that why you agreed to come?”
He scans my face, his expression somber. “How do you want me to answer that question, Savvy? What are you hoping to hear?”
“The truth.”
Oliver’s gaze dips to my mouth. “The truth is I still don’t know if being here is a mistake. The truth is that I can’t stand the idea of watching him touch you. Dance with you. Hearing him talk about his future with you. I can’t stand thinking about you in his bed.”
I swallow hard. His voice sounds too husky. Like he’s trying to hold back anger or tears or both.
“It’s bad enough,” he continues, “that every time I close my eyes I remember how you looked, standing in his house in nothing but his shirt after a night in his bed. I’m making myself fucking crazy, and coming here is the worst kind of masochism, because I know it will make this ache in my chest so much worse.”
I lick my lips, and power zips through me at the way his eyes darken as he watches the movement. “Then why come?”
He pulls his gaze from my mouth and brings it to my hand. The ring. “Because I am an asshole, and if you’re going to spend your life with him, I want you to have to face me first. To remember us first.”
“Oliver . . .” I want to tell him the truth, but I made Alec a promise, and what good would it do, really?
“I thought about it,” he says, softer now. “I thought about just stepping back and letting Alec give you the life you deserve. I have no doubt he would. And he fits in your world, right? He’s, like, the best friend of your best friend’s husband? How fucking perfect.” His sneer falls away and he shakes his head. “But I can’t, Savvy. I fucking can’t do that. Not when . . .” Taking my hand, he skims his fingers over my palm before pressing it to his chest. “Tell me you don’t feel that. Tell me you feel nothing when we touch. Tell me it’s all gone for you. Because if you do, maybe I’ll believe that someday it will go away for me too.”