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“Nothing. I’m just thinking I’m an asshole for not taking you anywhere.”
I rear back. “You want to take me somewhere?”
“Well, isn’t that what girls what? To go out?”
“I like what we do just fine.” But I can’t deny the butterflies taking flight in my tummy.
“Don’t look so worried, Princess, I’m not suggesting we go to some stuck-up rich people’s place. But we could hang with Cruz and D.”
“You want to take me to hang out with your friends?”
“Fuck, I don’t know... I’m just saying we don’t always have to do this...” His eyes are wild, clouded with uncertainty, and it’s so cute seeing him like this.
“Is the big bad Ace Jagger asking me out on a date?”
“I don’t date, Princess.”
“Will you pick me up from my house and bring me home at the end of the night?”
He nods, his Adam’s apple bobbing nervously.
“Then,” I grin, “it’s a date.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Ace
I release a long breath as I pull up outside Remi’s house on Friday night. I’m five minutes early because I couldn’t put up with pacing back and forth in the pool house any longer.
I don’t date, so why I’m doing this now fuck only knows. But as I was staring down at her last night, all I could think was that I was doing her a disservice. I already know that she deserves better than me. She should have a guy who treats her right, not who just sneaks into her bedroom at night under the cover of darkness and does wicked things to her body. She deserves the hearts and flowers I’m incapable of giving her.
Shaking my arms out at my sides, I notice some movement at the window. I narrow my eyes trying to see her, to see what she’s chosen to wear, but when there’s no further movement, I figure that it must be Sarah. I wasn’t expecting her to be home, or to be aware of this date. It just proves that she and her daughter are closer than James and I will ever be. There’s no way he’d stand at the window and watch me take off on a date with his precious Remi.
After a few more minutes, the front door opens and she steps out. My breath catches as she floats down toward me.
She’s wearing a black pair of skinny jeans and a loose white blouse.
“Hey,” she sings once she’s close enough that I’ll hear over the rumble of the engine. She stops in front of me and leans forward for a kiss. I hesitate, knowing that Sarah is watching us, and Remi barks out a laugh when my lips connect with her cheek.
“What?” I ask. “Your mom is watching.”
“And? I’m my own person, and I know what I want.” She places her hands on her hips and stares at me. “Plus, if she’s going to stare, then we mig
ht as well give her something to stare at.”
“Well, when you put it like that.” Reaching out, I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and pull her up against me. “Better?”
“Much. I missed you today,” she whispers. I’d stayed out of her way, knowing it would drive her crazy for tonight.
I stare at her, amazed that she’s willing to spend time with me, let alone come back to the Heights without argument. I was kind of joking when I suggested going and hanging out with the guys, but Remi was all in with the idea. I have a suspicion she’s only willing because she’s hoping to get an insight into the kind of guy I am. If that’s the case, then she’s going to be sorely disappointed, because I’ve hidden nothing. My past is my past, and I am who I am. I refuse to pretend that it’s anything else.
My fingers tighten on her neck as I pull her lips to mine. She doesn’t hesitate to open up, and my chest swells, knowing that she’s not at all ashamed to openly stand in her street with me like this. My tongue sweeps into her mouth, but I pull back long before I’m really ready to, knowing that we have at least one person’s attention on us.
“Ready?”
“To grill your friends for all your secrets? Yes.” She grins, and I laugh, my earlier assumption confirmed.
Throwing my leg over my bike, I hand her the helmet. “Come on then, Princess. Time to go to the dark side.”
