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My gaze traces over her face, taking in every detail. Vibrant green eyes. Slender nose. Full lips I’ve had the pleasure of feeling on nearly every inch of my body.
What I wouldn’t give to erase the last bit of space separating us and feel them again. Mark her again. Claim her as mine, for once and for all.
But she’s not mine. She can’t be. Not anymore.
The full weight of what I’m on the brink of doing slams into me, and I hastily back away, refusing to repeat the same mistake I made all those years ago. When I was too selfish to put my family first.
“You should go back inside,” I bark, my words coming out harsher than I intended. “Everyone’s probably wondering where you are. Including your boyfriend.”
She stares at me, her mouth opened slightly, gaze wide and searching. She blinks a few times before squeezing her eyes shut, as if being hit by the same realization I just had.
“I… I’m sorry. I just…”
“Forgot,” I finish for her.
She laughs nervously. “Yeah. I mean, I didn’t forget. But—”
“No need to explain. Or apologize.” I bow slightly. “Enjoy the rest of the opera, ma’am.”
She doesn’t immediately move. Just studies me, as if deciding what to do. But what choice is there? She made hers. I made mine. There’s nothing either one of us can do to change that now.
On a long sigh, she nods, shrugging my jacket off her shoulders.
“Here.” She extends it toward me. “I probably shouldn’t walk in wearing this.”
“Probably not.” I take it from her and slide it on, re-securing the buttons.
She meets my gaze once more, then continues toward the door. Just before she’s about to turn the knob, she glances over her shoulder, her eyes locking with mine. She opens her mouth, as if about to say something. But instead, she shakes her head, disappearing inside without saying a word.
ChapterTwelve
Creed
“You okay, mate?”Anderson asks from the back seat of the SUV as I drive him to his estate later that evening.
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? How are you feeling after tonight?”
“We’re not talking about me. We’re talking about you. How areyoufeeling after tonight?”
“I’m fine,” I reply dismissively, ignoring his insinuation.
“Come off it, Creed. It’s me. You may be my CPO, but I all but demanded you be assigned to me because of how well you know me. How much Itrustyou. You may think we’re not supposed to be friends, or whatever bullshit your father force-fed you throughout your life, but I still consider you a friend. My best friend. And I’d like to think you still consider me a friend, too.”
“I do.” I briefly meet his eyes through the rearview mirror before returning my attention to the road, the streets of the city still filled with activity, even after midnight.
“Right. Then tell me what’s really going on.”
“I don’t—”
“I noticed you changed positions with Archie halfway through the night.”
“Just needed a break from being inside. A change of scenery.”
“I noticed Esme also disappeared for a good ten minutes during the second half.”
I grip the steering wheel tighter. “She just needed a break from being inside, too. A change of scenery.”
Thankfully, he can’t see my face. Can’t hear my pulse kick up from the mere mention of her name. It takes all of my willpower to keep my breathing steady. But it’s no use. Every thought leads me back to Esme and the desire still filling me from the memory of being so close to her.
