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He sends a cursory glance down my body, lust igniting his gaze, but an instant later, it’s gone.
I imagined it. He arrived with Lilith, for heaven’s sake, and if that doesn’t say “stay away,” I’m not sure what does. Earlobes burning, acid roiling in my belly, I steel myself for inevitable rejection.
But instead of wrecking me with a public display of humiliation, he grabs my hand, and we go from loitering on the threshold of the ball to staking our claim on the middle of the dance floor.
“Say what you need to say.” With his clipped demand, he pulls me against his solid chest, trapping me in an eternity of breathless, heart-pounding shock.
Why isn’t he yelling, snarling, or running in the other direction?
“Is this….us dancing…is this allowed?” I gesture at our mismatched masks.
“It’s just a dance, princess. It’s not like I have you naked on a secluded island.”
His derision is so much worse than anger. Shame heats my cheeks, and though my first urge is to avert my eyes to hide the guilt in them, I hold his stare. I couldn’t look away if I tried.
“I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry?” He raises a brow. “What are you apologizing for?”
“Everything.”
“That’s a cop-out answer. Everything could mean anything.”
“It doesn’t mean what you think it does.”
“You have no idea what I’m thinking.” He clenches his teeth, but despite his hard-headed stubbornness, he pulls me closer, his possessive hold betraying the desire kept just below the surface.
I grip his shoulders, afraid he’ll back out of this moment and leave me bereft. “I’ve missed you so much,” I say, my tone a plea for absolution.
“That’s hard to believe, considering you had your lips on Castle not even five minutes ago.”
He’s jealous…and that gives me hope. Jealousy means feeling. It means he still cares.
“The kiss was goodbye.”
“I can’t be your second choice, Novalee.”
“Is that what I was to you when you screwed Lilith goodbye?”
His jaw clenches. “That was different. You and I weren’t in a committed relationship yet. After that night, I chose you over her, and I haven’t gone back on that decision once.”
“You’re here with her tonight.”
“Jesus, Novalee. She’s Landon’s sister. She’s here with them.” His furious gaze settles over my shoulder. “Despite everything we’ve been through, I’ve given you no reason to doubt me.”
“You’re right.” Averting my gaze, I swallow hard. “I’m sorry.”
“Sharing your body with the Brotherhood is hard enough—on both of us. I can’t share your heart too.”
With a shaky inhale, I slide my hand along his rough cheek. “You could never be my second choice.”
The tempo shifts, and he whirls me around before embracing me from behind. “What about on that island?” His front is flush with my body, his hands on my hips, the pads of his fingers hot on my lace-covered skin. “Was I front and center in your mind?”
“Always.”
“So he forced you to take your clothes off?” Sarcasm drips from his veiled accusation.
“The situation was…complicated.” It’s not what he wants to hear, or even how I want to explain, but uttering that simple fact is all I’m capable of right now.
