Page 42 of Kiss Me Forever

“Brooklyn,” he whispered.

I looked down at my silver dress, the one with the heart-shaped neckline that accentuated my hips, and swallowed hard.

“I’ve worn it before, but it’s comfortable.”

“We’re going to this gala.”

“I know,” I said with a frown.

“I have to say that because if I don’t, I’m going to take you inside and strip that dress off. You have no idea how hard it is for me not to glide that dress up your thighs and slide my cock right between your legs.”

I pressed my thighs together, my mouth parting. “Reece.”

He shook his head. “I should probably be sorry for saying that. For being so crass, but I don’t fucking care. You know I want you, Brooklyn. And I know you want me.”

“I thought we were doing very good not talking about that.”

“True. But for tonight? Let’s go do this.”

I nearly staggered. “Do what?”

“Show the world that you’re Brooklyn fucking Montgomery and you can do anything.” And then he took my hand, and I was lost.

“Tonight is going to be a long night.”

Reece, his hand on my waist, stood beside me and let out a deep breath. “Honestly, it sounds like it’s going to be an excruciatingly painful night. At least from the speeches so far.”

I looked up at him, wondering once again what we were doing. But this was not the time to be too focused on that. Not when there were at least two hundred people milling around us, and we were waiting on the seventh speech of the evening. One where they would congratulate themselves on how gratuitous and giving they were, and would then do their best to one-up one another when it came to donations.

“Honestly, it hasn’t been this bad before.”

Reece raised a brow at me and looked down at the two flutes of champagne in our hands.

“Are you sure about that? Or were you just infatuated with somebody who was part of this world?”

I wanted to be offended at that, but I looked inward, wondering if he was right. I shook my head. “No. There didn’t use to be so many speeches. And it didn’t use to be this elegant.”

“You have to wonder how much of the donations went to this one hundred dollars a bottle glass of champagne and the tablecloths alone.”

I winced. “These were all donated by different families. Including Duke’s. It’s outside of the foundation itself. They’re going to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars tonight to keep children in the arts, to feed them, and to help any after-school programs so kids don’t go hungry, and parents can work. They do good things, but it’s not always so pretentious.”

“And you were going to marry into this family.”

My stomach hollowed out at that, and Reece lowered his head and cursed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t judge. Especially because the man isn’t here to speak for himself. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Tears didn’t prick my eyes, though I thought perhaps they should.

“I liked coming to these things with him. I felt like a princess. And that we were doing good things. Maybe you’re right. Maybe now I’m on the outside looking in.”

Reece set down his drink and turned me in his arms, cupping my face. “I was wrong. I’m sorry. You always have a good heart. I’m the idiot.”

I looked up at him then, wondering what I was doing once again.

“Reece...” I began.

“Brooklyn. I see you arrived.”

Guiltily, I turned to see Duke’s family standing there, the Rochesters looking gorgeous in their expensive dresses and tuxes and suits with diamonds covering their necks.