She gave me a few pointers during our chats last week, but I have free rein with the overall design. I’m so immersed in drawing up different styles I’ve completely forgotten about the drama of the weekend. . . until someone knocks on my front door.
After setting down a stick of charcoal, I jump up from my drawing desk and pace to the entranceway. My head is a little dizzy. I want to pretend it's because of my sudden movements, but that isn’t true. Part of me is panicked my unexpected visitor is Nick. The other part is stupidly praying it is.
When I swing open the door, disappointment smacks into me. Christian is standing behind it, holding two paper bags brimming with groceries in his arms.
“I heard you were back in town early.” Not waiting to be invited in, he plants a kiss on my cheek before heading into my kitchen. I close my door and follow after him. My already sluggish pace slows even more when he asks, “Curry chicken or sweet and sour?”
My stomach churns. I’ve been living off graham crackers and lemonade because they’re the only things that stay down. When I remain quiet, Christian spins around to face me. “Have you already eaten?”
His eyes flick to the clock on the wall so fast, he misses me shaking my head. Noticing it's only 5 PM, he shifts his eyes back to me, then asks again. I choose curry chicken with the hope I can keep down the plain rice it’s served with. Smiling, he begins prepping everything. While he cuts up an onion, I move back to my drawing board to pack away my pencils and sketches. I have three designs ready to show Emily. With her body type, she can wear any style of dress, but I want to give her a good selection. She's only getting married once, so I want her to have a dress she’ll love.
When curry filters into the living room, I’m surprised my stomach doesn’t protest about the smell. It actually grumbles. I follow the delicious aroma into the kitchen. Christian is moving around the small space with ease. It's nice experiencing all the different sides of him no one else gets to see. He’s funny and a good cook; he cares deeply for his friends, and he’ll always have your back if you need him.
He just also happens to be one of the world’s biggest players. It's his duty to pleasure as many women as possible with his “gift.” No, I'm not the one who thinks that. Christian has quoted that exact phrase to me many times before.
Feeling the heat of my watchful eye, Christian spins around to face me. My brows stitch together when he laughs. I shoot my eyes down to my clothing, seeking anything he could find funny. I’m wearing a button-up cotton dress and a pair of boots. All my buttons are fastened, and I don’t have anything spilled down the front of me, so I have no clue what he finds so amusing.
When my confused eyes lift to Christian, he bridges the small distance between us. My nose screws up when he runs his thumb down it. “You have charcoal smeared on your face.” He chuckles while wiping my cheek and lip with his thumb.
A ghost of a smile cracks onto my lips. I did get a little excited while sketching Noah standing next to Emily in a black suit. I wanted Emily to see the complete picture, and focusing on something other than my heartbreak gave me a nice escape from reality.
“There you go. Perfect.”
He keeps his hand cupped over my cheek as his eyes appraise my face. My gaze darts between his, confused and feeling another sensation I can’t explain. When he leans down to press his lips to mine, I freeze. I don’t want this, but I don’tnotwant it either. His tongue licks the seam of my mouth, requesting that I open up for him. I’m shocked when my body chooses its own reply to his boldness by parting my lips.
The instant my lips open, his tongue slides between them. Within seconds, his kiss shifts from innocent to needy. He rakes his fingers through my hair, securing my mouth firmly to his before doubling the strength of his tongue. The minty freshness of his breath eases my swirling stomach, but it slams me with a shit load of guilt. Images of Nick kissing me the past year play in my mind. The needy, the loving, the ones that made me forget everyone but him.The ones that solidified my love for him.
I yank back. I can’t do this. Even though I’m hurting, two wrongs won’t make a right.
Just as my lips break away from Christian, smashing glass booms through my apartment. Cool water splashes my overheated face as the flowers that usually sit on my entrance table collide with the wall near Christian’s head. My breath snags halfway to my lungs when my eyes stray to the entranceway. Nick is standing just inside my door. His jaw is ticking, and his fists are clenched in tight balls. He looks prepared to charge at any moment.
I move off the barstool to place myself between Christian and Nick. My change in position frustrates Nick. His fists clench tighter as his hurt eyes scorch my soul.
“I’m sorry.” I don’t know why I’m apologizing. He hurt me first; I just returned the favor.
After shaking his head, Nick storms out of my apartment. He slams my front door so hard, the photo frames on my mantel topple over.
Flustered by my tears, Christian rubs them off my face with a sense of urgency. I yank away from his touch. “Please go.”
“Jen. . .” He sounds as tormented as I feel.
“Leave, Christian!”
Hoping to give him the hint our night is over, I dump his half-cooked food into the waste bin next to the fridge before throwing the saucepans into the kitchen sink. I’m not even concerned when I break a glass. I should be happy Nick experienced the hurt I was slapped with three days ago, but I’m not. I feel terrible and spiteful. I’m also ashamed. The look on his face is going to haunt me for the rest of my life. . . way longer than his child’s eyes will.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Nick
Don’t ever fall in love. If you do, your heart will be ripped out of your chest and fucking stomped on. Trust me, the pain isn’t worth it. I'd rather stay alone the rest of my life than feel what I felt when I saw Jenni kissing Christian. The first thing I did when I was granted bail was catch the next available flight to New York. Curry was filtering in the air when I entered Jenni’s apartment. I was pleased she was well enough to eat real food again.
My happiness vanished when I rounded the corner. Christian’s lips were attached to Jenni’s.
I froze, confident she’d pull away. When she accepted his kiss, my heart broke.
Enraged, I grabbed the first thing I could get ahold of and sent it hurtling across the room. The vase shattered on impact when it hit the wall just to the side of Christian’s head. Jenni was surprised to see me standing in her entrance way. Christian was more arrogant than anything. He smirked and winked, like he was pleased about my timing.
That’s when my anger reached breaking point. I was going to kill him, and I was going to love every second of it. Just as I was about to charge for him, Jenni placed herself in front of him, like she was protecting him.
