11. She Isn’t You
11
SHE ISN’T YOU
REX
Marlena Tomason ended up an absolute bore, and much too similar to Mom for my tastes. Sure, she was satisfying to look at; a blonde bombshell wrapped up in expensive designer clothing, but not enough to keep my attention. For my mother’s sake, though, I stayed the course.
My only goal for the night was simple: put on a show with Marlena to appease my mother enough that she would approve of my building renovations. And it was working, if the glow of approval from Mom’s face was an indication—until my eyes happened to land on Chelsea.
How the hell did she get here?
Across the party, standing with Brooks, her satin dress the color of butterscotch and silken red locks begged a touch. Her laughter rang out, and the air carried it to my ears like a song sung by angels. I should not want to know what he said that made her laugh, and for me to want to be the only one making her laugh again, but I did. Why was I having this reaction to her every single time I saw her?
My brain went insane, fighting between keeping her away versus marching right over there, and convincing her she belonged with me. I had my plan, which didn’t involve more complications with her.
“Hm. She’s pretty.” Marlena followed my stare. “Who is she?”
“No one of consequence.” I finished off my drink, but couldn’t help glancing back at Chelsea again. Brooks whispered something in her ear and my knuckles turned white on my glass.
“You know, Rex. Let’s cut the crap. Both our families want us married off. And people in our position are used to marriages of convenience. I need to marry before I’m thirty to get my trust fund. I don’t know what you need, but if we help each other now, then later we both get what—or who—we want, right?” Marlena side-eyed me.
She was making sense, but I lost my mind altogether when Brooks touched Chelsea’s arm. My jaw clicked, watching them together. Then Chelsea’s eyes locked with mine, and nothing else in the world mattered but her.
Whatever Marlena talked about… ignored.
Remodel my building… what building?
Mom begging me to settle down and marry…Yeah, with the right woman, I just might. Chelsea?
A commotion on the dance floor stole my eyes away. I squinted, seeing Archer, and growled toward him for being the cause. I vowed to make him pay later. But with his ex coming into view, I realized he had his hands full.
When Chelsea ran after her sister, with Brooks close on her heels, I wasn’t about to lose sight of the redhead who had captivated me. I breezed past Marlena, shoving my drink into her hands, leaving her stunned behind me, and rushed out.
“Is everything okay?” I asked when I finally reached Chelsea. I must have stunned her because she turned right into me, her hands landing on my pecs, causing fireworks to shoot off in my brain. I caught her up, steadying her, gripping her arms. Her face tilted up, and fuck, my lips were inches away from tasting her. My cock twitched in my pants, begging to know every little thing about this woman who made my heart run wild.
“Rex,” she whispered.
“Chelsea,” I whispered back. “What are you doing at my party?”
She blinked a few times, then stepped back, out of my hold. “ Your party?”
“This is my family home. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to see you, just unexpected. Did you come with Brooks?” I smirked, still irritated.
Technically, she’s mine. I saw and talked to Chelsea first. Hell, we even had a speed date, an entire five minutes of her all to myself, before Brooks came along. Surely, he would understand and back off.
Or wait—did Chelsea have a thing for Brooks?
“No. We came as guests of the DJ. I had no idea you or Brooks would even be here.”
Thank fuck. “Can we talk?”
“Maybe later. Maisy’s run off. She’s upset at Archer’s ex showing up. If you don’t mind, I need to find her and make sure she’s okay. I think she headed down to the beach.” Her forehead lined with worry and concern for her sister—and that took precedence over anything else. I wasn’t such a jerk that I couldn’t put my needs aside for one minute, at least.
“Come on, I know a shortcut.” Whatever possessed me, I grabbed her hand and led her through the gardens and out a path I’d traversed since a boy every summer vacation visiting the property. She didn’t pull away, as if acknowledging to herself the hum of electricity sparking between our grip.
Something had been there with her since the beginning, teasing me to notice her, messing with me. Fuck, making me question my entire existence. I knew my reputation for being a billionaire playboy, and so did everyone else, as I’d lived it to the hilt for some time. But something about her made me want to slow down, take a long ride, and enjoy the view. My willpower to fight it wore thin.
Once we hit the beach, by the light of the moon, we stopped and looked up and down the shoreline, but no other shadowy figures were around. She pulled her hand away and texted someone. Damn, I wanted it back, but I peeked at the screen, where first the name of her sister lit up, then the name of Brooks last.
“Oh, where could she be?” she sighed. “Her face was so shocked. I can only imagine she’s hurting. If your friend hadn’t been leading her on when all this time he’s been pining away for his ex?—”
“Hey, I’ve known Archer for a long time. He’s a good man. As far as I know, he was ready to get back out there and find someone new. He had no way of knowing his ex would show up tonight.”
“If he’s such a good friend of yours, then please tell him to back off. Maisy is much too smart and has a big future ahead of her. She doesn’t need a man holding her back.”
“Wow. Overprotective much?” I regretted the tease when she rolled her eyes.
“Only because I know the pain of having your dreams interrupted.” She heaved a sigh and trudged away in the sand, carrying her heels in her hand.
“Where are you going?”
“For a walk on the beach. At least that’s one thing I’ll get out of this trip to the Hamptons,” she yelled.
“Wait up. You shouldn’t walk alone.” I kept pace with her.
“ Now you want to stay with me? You left abruptly from the speed date, from the opera, and, yesterday, from the deli. That woman you were talking with at the party—is she your girlfriend?”
“I don’t have a girlfriend.”
“Your date then? Go on, run back to her.”
“No. Not this time, because…”
“Because what, Rex?”
“Because she isn’t you. ” I captured her arm and brought her close to me. My hand cupped the back of her neck, pulling her in, and my lips landed on hers. Possessed by something happening between us, or the stars or the moon, whatever the hell it was, I acted without thinking, taking what I’d wanted all along.
Warm, soft, so welcoming. Her lips swelled from my attention. I pressed her closer to me, feeling every contour of her body touching mine. Her hands landed on my chest, cupping my pecs. As an ocean wave crashed onto the shore, my heart thundered in my ears. I grazed on the taste of her, sucking and kissing…until she pulled slightly away.
“You kissed me,” she whispered.
“I did.”
“I liked it.”
“You did?”
“Yes.” Her eyes shone like diamonds in the dark night, framed by fiery locks of hair. Never had a woman so captivated me before her.
“There’s more where that came from,” I assured. Our lips melted together, burned by the flames between us. I craved all of her. From the beginning, I should have known better, thinking I could keep away. Forbidden by me and my greed, I wouldn’t allow myself the pleasure of complicating things with her.
Now? The complications were only beginning.