Chapter 22 #2
“First, he is a distraction. You need to pick one of us or figure out how to keep your promise, not get caught up in a romance with a man unwilling to fight for you. Second, if one of my compatriots was meant for you, my hope was that my flirtation would spur them to act. Jealousy can be quite the motivator. Though it appears that was for not. Neither of them wanted you either.” A serpentine grin tugs at his lips. “Third, I hate to lose.”
Will. Acidic bile crawls up my throat, choking my ability to speak. Charming. Competitive. Manipulative. It’s all Will, wrapped up in my duke. Just like Will, I had no idea who James truly was.
Green eyes locked on me, his arms bracket me, caging me in. “Fourth, I had hoped that while I was trapped here, we could have a little fun. You may never be Cecily, but there is nothing that says you would not be an enjoyable substitute.”
“I am nobody’s fucking substitute.” I slam my hands against his chest and push him away.
“Now, now, my lady, do not be crass.” He tsks .
“She’s not your lady!”
We both spin to find Davis striding down the hall. His gaze is stormy, and his hands are balled into tight fists at his sides.
“You came back.” Blinking, I swallow thickly.
“Yeah.” Reaching me, he pulls me against him and glowers at James. “And I heard what you said and you’re fucking wrong about her. She doesn’t pale in comparison to anyone, she’s the goddamn sun.”
Palms up, James steps back, a dismissive expression etched on his features. “Perhaps, I misjudged you, after all.”
“Not as much as Lady Cecily misjudged you.” Letting go of me, he steps up to James, his face inches from his.
“You’re not the misunderstood rake, but a selfish bastard.
You don’t deserve Lady Cecily, and you certainly do not deserve a woman like Georgia, who assessed your unworthiness and didn’t choose you.
In fact, I doubt you deserve anyone, you wannabe Mr. Darcy chucklefuck.
You used Lady Cecily, and you tried to use Georgia, but she saw through your bullshit. ”
“I never used Cecily.”
“You did. Let’s not pretend otherwise.” He jabs his index finger into James’s chest. “You claim to love her, but you used her for your revenge and didn’t even have the kindness to allow her to marry someone who actually cared for her.
Who doesn’t just see her as a means to an end, but their actual endgame.
Women like Cecily and Georgia deserve men who know that. Who think of them first.”
“I…” Mouth dragged down, James’s indignant expression falls.
“Davis,” I say softly, placing my hand on his arm.
With a slow nod, he steps back. His arm comes around me and tucks me against him. “Are you okay?” he whispers, placing a soft kiss on my temple.
“Yeah.”
“Georgia, I am?—”
“Don’t speak to her,” Davis snarls.
Closing his mouth, James steps back.
“What’s going on?” Jackson asks as he and Lars emerge from the court entrance down the hall, confusion contorting their expressions.
“I’m going to take Georgia home, if you could ensure that Discount Darcy stays away from her.” Davis takes my hand.
“What the fuck did you do?” Jackson’s forward movement is halted by Lars’s paw gripping his shoulder.
“Easy.” Lars juts his chin toward me. “Should I let your brother at him or…”
“Don’t hurt him, please.” I face James. “As much as I’d enjoy Jackson and Lars ripping you limb from limb, you don’t deserve that.
Just as you don’t deserve Lady Cecily. You call this a curse, but maybe it’s a blessing for Lady Cecily.
I should know because I once loved a man who cared more about someone else than he did me…
himself.” I huff a dismissive laugh. “And it appears I based you on that man.”
James opens and then closes his mouth. Emotion dulls his expression. Whether it’s remorse, regret, or self-pity, I don’t care. At this moment, his feelings aren’t mine to care for.
“Fuck, he is Will.” Jackson’s mouth drops open. “No wonder I didn’t trust him with you.”
“Don’t worry, rabbit. I’ll make sure my bruiser doesn’t kill Lord Dickwad. You two, head out.” Lars gestures at me and Davis.
“Let’s go.” I squeeze Davis’s hand.
Attention forward, we move down the hall.
Well, at least mine is forward. Davis looks behind us from time to time.
I suspect it’s less about checking if James is following us and more about shooting him death glares.
Once outside, Davis leads me behind the building where his vehicle is parked beside some shady maple trees.
“Why did you come back?” I ask, once we’re in his car.
“Because I don’t want to be your friend.” He shifts in the driver’s seat to face me.
“I don’t understand.”
“I want to be more,” he rasps, lifting his hands and bracketing my face.
“But you said?—”
“I know what I said, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry I said it. I’m sorry I doubted you. Doubted us.”
“There’s no guarantee,” I whisper.
“I know. You may wake up tomorrow and decide you don’t want me.
I could decide I don’t want you, though, that seems very unlikely.
Any number of things could happen. You could break my heart in a million ways, and I could break yours…
” He clicks his tongue twice. “But we could also make each other’s hearts in a million ways.
I don’t know what the future has in store, but the further I walked away from you, the more I knew I was making a mistake.
You said you choose me, well, I choose you… I choose us.”
“Davis, you need to kiss me or I’m going to start crying.”
A boyish grin curls his lips before he leans in, taking my mouth with his. My entire body melts into this moment. The press of his lips. The nibble of mine until I open fully for him.
“This is for real, right?” My question is breathless.
“Very much so.” He traces the outline of my lips.
“Just checking.” I grin. “More kissing, please.”
Laughing, he leans in, his smile meeting mine. The gentle current of our kisses turns desperate and hungrier as if we’re both starving for one another. Fingers threading into my hair, he kisses along my jawline. His mouth coasts down my neck in languid nips and sucks.
A pleased, greedy sound falls from him.
Back arched, I gasp with the gentle scrape of his teeth along my collarbone. He trails his mouth down to the not-so-subtle hint of cleavage in my tank top. The heat of his kisses cause wildfire to explode within me.
“Davis,” I moan.
His hands slip beneath my top, and his rough palms skate up my spine.
“Peach,” he murmurs against my skin, his hot mouth dragging back up to meet mine. “We should stop.”
“Yeah… Totally…” I pant between our deepening kisses.
“Fuck,” he groans with my gentle tug of his hair. “We need to stop.”
“Do we?” I breathe.
“Yes.” He nips at my ear, “Because the first time I fuck you can’t be in my car.”
“Oh god.” My vagina clenches at the idea of sinking fully onto Davis in his front seat, his hands gripped tight around my ass, urging me on with playful slaps of each globe. “That doesn’t sound that bad.”
Chuckling, he pulls back. “Oh, I plan to fuck you in this car and a number of other places I’ve fantasized about since meeting you, but I want our first time to be someplace I can take my time with you.
Not something frenzied where someone—including your brother who may or may not still be here—could observe. ”
“Good call.” I scrunch my nose. “You know I have an apartment with a bedroom and a door?”
“Do you now?” He nuzzles my nose with his.
“Does my not friend want to come over for a playdate?”