Chapter 25 #2
“Eddie!” Romy’s voice cuts through the din of the party, and I bite back a groan.
Perfect fucking timing.
The tall blonde is by our side a few seconds later, somehow managing to cross the room with the speed of a gazelle decked out in stilettos and silver sparkle. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Sorry I’m late.” She turns to Kiki, dropping a kiss on her cheek. “You look stunning.”
“You look amazing, Romy. As always.” Kiki returns the compliment with a smile, but it’s not the same one that decorated her lips moments earlier. This one is polite, controlled, and fake as hell.
But if Romy notices, she doesn’t comment as she slides her gaze to me. “Good God. Look at you. You’re an entire vibe.”
“Thanks.”
Look, I appreciate her compliment. Truly, I do, even if I feel ridiculous in this suit.
But when Kiki called me handsome, it was all systems go. With Romy, it’s nothing more than droll flattery. Not that she isn’t an attractive as hell option. She absolutely is, but I’m a one-woman guy, even though that woman has ripped my beating heart from my chest and stomped on it. Repeatedly.
The same woman who’s taking increasingly larger swallows of wine and looking like one cross word will send her bolting for the door.
“God, what a day,” Romy groans theatrically, checking her lipstick in her compact before motioning to the bartender. “Nolan had me running errands for hours. Do you know how huge a tip you have to give to convince a baker to stay open an extra hour for buttercream frosting? Trust me, it’s obscene.”
The bartender steps over and Romy grins up at him. “Can I get an adaptogen mocktail? The one with the passion fruit? Thanks.” Then she turns her attention back to me. “Next time, I am letting you pick me up like you offered, Eddie.”
From my periphery, I see Kiki still, her mouth settling into a thin line. “You offered to pick Romy up?”
Kiki’s tone is light and pleasant, but there is a sinister glower simmering in her eyes.
She is not happy with that informational crumb.
Romy waves a hand, completely oblivious. “He did. Isn’t he the best? And I was stupid enough to say no.”
God damn it, Romy. Please be quiet before you make this conversation any more painful.
Seems Kiki wants a different topic as much as I do. She runs her fingers along the smooth wood of the bar, another forced sunny smile on her lips. “How did your Valentine’s Day turn out? With all those bouquets, you must have had quite the night.”
Of all the questions she had to ask, she chose that one, and I realize the temperature on this amiable chat is about to turn arctic.
Romy lights up, gesturing toward me. “It was the most amazing time. We went to see Theo play hockey and then had pizza afterward to celebrate. His kid is too damn cute.”
It’s like watching an impending car crash, with no choice but to brace for impact.
The words hit Kiki like a stray foul ball. Her jaw tightens, her shoulders tense, and every inch of her petite frame goes rigid.
“A pizza party. With Theo,” she mutters under her breath. “How fucking quaint.”
Then, without further explanation, she turns and stalks from the room, toward the unfinished portion of the house.
Jesus Christ.
“Did I say something wrong?” Romy’s eyes are wide with confusion as I slam the last of my drink.
“Trust me, it’s not you. It’s me.”
I don’t dive into details. There’s no time. Instead, I take off after Kiki, chasing her to the half-finished bedroom that now serves as her office.
She’s pacing the wooden floor, back and forth, back and forth, her fists clenching and unclenching at her sides. “You’re a fucking idiot, you know that? An absolute ridiculous excuse for a human being.”
Then she releases a strangled howl and buries her face in her hands, the agitation wafting off her in waves.
Okay then.
I lean against the doorframe, crossing my arms over my chest. “Is that directed at you or me?”
She whirls around, eyes flashing. “Oh, that? I’m the idiot.” Then she jabs a finger in my direction. “You’re the asshole.”
I blink, completely thrown by the rage in her voice. “What the hell did I do?”
Her sharp, humorless laugh punctuates the air as she yanks the clip from her hair, dragging her hands through the dark strands. “Oh, I don’t know, Eddie. Is this your MO? Every woman you fuck gets a field trip to meet Theo?”
Excuse me? She does not want to go there.
I step toward her, as my temper comes online. “Whoa—”
“Guess Deirdre doesn’t have a problem with her, huh?” she barrels on, the words flying like bullets. “What is it about Romy? The fact that she’s not from here? That she’s twenty-five? Or is it the blonde hair and big tits? They’re fake, by the way.”
God Almighty, she’s so far off the mark.
“Hang on a second.” I hold my hands up as I close the distance between us. “You like Romy. I know you do.”
Kiki presses her fists to her forehead, releasing another frustrated growl. “You’re right. I do like her.” Her hands drop as she fixes me with an icy glare. “But I don’t like you. Not anymore.”
Those words snap the last bit of restraint.
“I am not the bad guy here.”
She lifts her wine glass and takes a hard swallow, covering her mouth with her hand as her breathing turns sharp, uneven. “You know what? Romy has perfect timing. I’m actually thrilled she came over.”
Well, that makes one of us.
“Why?”
“Because I was about to make a fucking fool out of myself.”
“How exactly did you plan to do that?” I continue moving closer, taking careful measured steps. I’m no fool. Any sudden movement and she might chuck the wineglass at my head. “You said you needed to talk to me. I’m here. Talk.”
She scoffs at my demand. “Screw that. I’m not telling you anything now.”
The woman is jumping on my last, rapidly fraying nerve.
“What the fuck changed in the last five minutes?”
Her eyes blaze. “Oh, I don’t know. You and Romy playing happy little family?”
“Will you stop?” I need to rein this in before it goes completely off the rails. “Nothing happened between Romy and me.”
“Bullshit.” She leans against her desk, arms crossed, her foot tapping out a fast, syncopated rhythm. And she won’t look at me.
Fucking perfect.
“Not for nothing,” I fire back, my frustration boiling over, “you’re the one talking about moving to Los Angeles. Why do you care who I’m with? Why do you care if I’m sleeping with her, which I’m not, by the way.”
Well, that garners a reaction. She stomps her foot, another strangled cry flying past her lips. “You should be thrilled I might move away. Maybe Romy and I could trade places. A newer model for the old beat up one. Wouldn’t that make life easier for you?”
Is she totally gone? Does she have any idea how hard my life has been without her in it?
“Of course it wouldn’t make my life easier!” I’m inches from her now, the tension radiating off both of us. “Jesus, Kiki. You dumped me, remember? You don’t get to come back in here and—”
“You think I don’t know that? I just—” She cuts herself off, covering her face with her hands and sagging against the edge of the desk. “Forget it. Leave me alone.”
Hell no. We are not playing by your rules tonight, Kiki. You’ve controlled the game for months. It’s my turn now.
I close the last bit of distance between us and brace my arms on either side of her, boxing her in with no escape.
Not until she tells me all the secrets I know she’s hiding.
I feel the heat rising off her, hear the uneven pull of her breathing, and it only fuels the primal need building in my chest—the need to touch her, the need to never stop.
“Talk to me,” I demand, leaning in. Leaving no room for lies.
“No.” Kiki’s gaze drops to the floor.
Not happening.
I grip her chin and tip her face up, forcing her eyes to meet mine. “We’re done avoiding this, Kiki. I deserve the damn truth.”
Her tongue traces her lower lip in a slow, unhurried drag. Whether it’s a deliberate maneuver, I can’t be sure, but it’s the final blow to my restraint.
“You want the truth? Fine.” She jerks her chin free and fixes me with her dark glare, the passion flaming in her eyes. “I don’t want to be your fucking friend.”
And there it is.
The honest truth, no holds barred. About damn time it showed up to claw through the facade of civility the two of us have worn for months.
I ghost my mouth against hers and taste the hint of red wine on her lips, desire roiling through my body. “Good. Because I don’t want to be your fucking friend either, sweetheart.”
And with that, the dam breaks.
I don’t know who moves first, but in the next moment her lips are fused to mine, her hands fisting my shirt as everything we’ve been holding back explodes.
The kiss isn’t soft. Isn’t gentle. It’s months of torture as our tongues wage a silent war, her taste an aphrodisiac I want to drown in.
And she’s not going anywhere until I’m ready to let her go. My hand slides up around her throat, cupping her face and holding her in place as my mouth ravishes her. But Kiki is right there, her hands yanking me closer as if determined to rip the suit from my body.
She kisses me like she’s still mad at me, and I kiss her back like none of it matters. It’s fucking feral, the feelings coursing through me.
Through us both.
Her fingers work at my belt, loosening it and I realize we’re doing this.
Unless you stop, Eddie.
I should stop. I should walk away. Protect myself. Protect my heart.
She pulls back, panting, her fingers fumbling my pants down, and when that dark gaze meets mine, I know one thing.
I’m not fucking walking away.
With a growl, I shove her dress to her waist, ripping her panties aside as I hoist her onto the desk.
Her legs part and I’m between them in the next moment, wrapping her long stems around me as my fingers find their mark.
Fuck me, she’s soaking wet.
Kiki drops her head back with a moan, her hips writhing against my hand as my thumb slides over her clit.
No way I’m holding back. I can’t.
Grabbing my cock, I slide it through her wetness, her arousal only pushing me further to the edge.
Our gazes catch, the fire in her eyes matching the rabid desire in my own. “If you don’t want this, tell me to stop.”
“Never stop.”
I thrust forward, burying myself in her heat with a low grunt. “Fuck.”
My fingers dig into her ass, holding her in place as I drive into her—every thrust carrying the weight of all the nights I spent without her. Every time I hated myself for loving her.
Kiki braces herself, her legs falling open as she grinds against me, every inch of her messy and breathless and fucking mine.
Burying my face against her neck, I rake my teeth along the sensitive skin, her whimpers driving me to the brink of madness.
“Eddie—”
I seize her mouth, swallowing my name as she begs for more. Our tongues slick together, crashing and colliding as the tempest threatens to devour us whole.
Every muscle tenses as I thrust deeper, faster, chasing the high only Kiki gives me.
And then she breaks beneath me, her body shaking as pleasure tears her in two.
I pound home, damn near drowning in her heat.
So wet. So willing.
“So…fucking… beautiful.”
I fight to the last second, gritting my teeth as I explode inside her.
Dropping my head, I struggle to catch my breath, the feel of her pussy surrounding me, milking every last drop.
Finally, I drag my gaze up to meet hers and don’t have a second to think as her mouth claims me, her hips undulating against my spent cock, sending shockwaves through me.
She nips my lip, still breathless, still reckless, her hands roaming over me. “Told you I didn’t want to be your fucking friend.”