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“Wouldn’t what, Blake? Play the field? Because it sure as hell looked like you were having a blast back there!”
“Damn it, Amanda, I told you we were just talking!” I rake a hand through my hair, trying to calm down. Fuck, I suck at apologies, but she isn’t listening.
“Does your idea of ‘just talking’ always involve someone pawing their hands all over your chest?” Her voice rises, a crescendo of hurt and anger. “Is that your idea of having my back?”
I flinch. “No, I?—”
“Because I have to say, we agreed not to embarrass each other.”
“Trust me,” I start, my voice as steady as possible, “she’s just an old friend. Our families do business together.”
“Oh, I didn’t know friends sit on each other’s laps.”
“No?” I challenge, stepping closer, but it’s a misstep. Her defensiveness, the way she crosses her arms—it’s all too clear. “You’re right. I didn’t consider how it would look. That’s how things have always been between us, but that’s not an excuse. And for that, I am sorry. But I think there’s more bothering you than just her.”
A flicker of surprise flashes in her eyes before she quickly composes herself. But that brief moment is all I need to see the truth—she has deeper feelings for me, just as I had hoped.
“Because maybe,” I lean in, trying to convey the truth in my eyes, “you’re upset because this isn’t all fake.” My voice cracks with the intensity of what I’m feeling, something I haven’t fully admitted to myself until now.
“How would you like it if you came from the bathroom and saw Ryan’s body pressed against me with his hands all over my ass?” Amanda raises her chin in defiance, trying to appear unaffected, but her voice cracks, betraying her.
My heart clenches at the thought as an irrational surge of possessiveness ignites within me. The image Amanda paints with her words makes my blood boil, and I close the distance between us until we’re standing toe-to-toe.
“I’d lose my shit, Amanda,” I admit truthfully, the anger in my voice matching hers. “I’d rip his hands away and make damn sure he knew he crossed a line.”
Her eyes widened at my response, surprise flickering across her face. I take advantage of her momentary vulnerability, gently grasping her shoulders but with a firmness that demands her attention.
“I wouldn’t cheat. My reputation may not be stellar, but once I commit, real or not, I would never disrespect a girl that way. You deserve way better than that, and I’m sorry for upsetting you.” My voice softens as I search her eyes for a glimmer of understanding. “In my world of high society, everyone plays their part. But with you, I want … more.”
“More?” She echoes, her defenses wavering, caught between her emotions and the truth in my words. The tension hangs heavy as we stand there, locked in our private battle of wills.
“Yes, more.” I gently squeeze her shoulders but refrain from pressing her against my chest, no matter how badly I want to. “I want the messy, real, all-consuming blaze of something genuine.”
Amanda’s eyes search mine, looking for the lie, the act. But she finds none, just the raw honesty of my own heart. Her breath catches. “You humiliated me.”
My refrain breaks, and I pull her against my chest, kissing the top of her head. As she leans into my touch, the anger and frustration melt away, replaced by a connection that feels both terrifying and right. I’ve never been more honest than I am at this moment, my gaze locked with hers, communicating a desperation I didn’t know I had.
“Princess, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel that way.”
“Why did you think I’d be okay with another girl pawing you?”
“Because I’m an idiot,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper, “but not so much of one that I can’t see what’s right in front of me.”
She swallows hard, the fight draining out of her like water.
“Blake…” She whispers my name like a surrender. I slide my thumb over her trembling lips, and I fucking cave.
I press my lips against hers, pouring every ounce of sincerity and longing into the kiss. Amanda’s response is immediate and fierce, her hands tangling in my hair as she kisses me back with a hunger that matches mine.
Time stands still as our mouths move together with a newfound tenderness. The world around us fades, leaving only her warmth against me, the softness of her lips beneath mine.
My hands move to caress her head while our tongues continue their intricate dance. I tilt my head to deepen the kiss, and all the pain and confusion that has been festering between us is now consumed by this raw, unbridled passion. Unlike the previous times, this feels real. More right. It’s as if she unlocked my heart and soul.
Amanda’s fingers grip my shirt, pulling me closer. The mewling sound coming from her throat sends shockwaves through my body. My dick is so hard it’s almost painful.
When we finally break apart, breathless and flushed, I rest my forehead against hers, our eyes locked together.
“That was…” Amanda begins, her voice barely more than a whisper as she searches for the right words.
