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Electric tension sparks between us. Longing laced with irritation vibrates through me. Do I want to punch him in his perfect washboard abs? Or rip off his pants with my teeth? I can’t tell, which only increases my annoyance.
“It doesn’t matter,” I say, clenching my jaw tight, hanging onto my anger and resolve by thin threads.
“It matters,” he growls next to my ear. “Do you have any idea how much effort it’s taking not to flick these buttons open?” He lifts his hand and teases the top one.
My entire body trembles with need but I force a shaky smile. “Too bad for you, they’re only decorative.” I meant it to sound sassy but the quiver in my voice sounds more desperate to have his hands on me than anything.
His lips quirk as if he senses my internal struggle. He drops his hand to my hip, squeezing just hard enough to remind my body of what it’s missing. “That’s fine. I’d rather yank this skirt up around your waist.” He presses close enough for me to feel exactly how ready he is to act on every filthy promise.
“That…that would be very inappropriate,” I whisper.
He sighs and loosens his hold on my hip but doesn’t completely release me. “What are we doing, Emily?”
“Celebrating our friends’ son.” I lift my gaze to his face. “Don’t do this today. Please. I can’t. Not now.”
“When?”
I open my mouth, but no words come out. There’s no good time to schedule a conversation I don’t want to have.
“In two years?” he prods and pokes, searching for an answer I can’t give. “When Libby goes off to college? Is that what you want?”
“I…”
“You need to understand something.” He lifts an eyebrow, searching my face for signs I’m listening. “You’re mine. Today, tomorrow, two years from now. It doesn’t matter. Mine.”
Again, I want to protest. If anyone else spoke those words with such intensity, I’d be terrified.
“No.” I shake my head violently. “I’d never ask you to do that. Wait for me…I can’t.”
“This is ridiculous. You know that, right?” He strokes his knuckles over my cheek. “We can’t help when we fall in love.”
It physically pains me to look at him. My heart thumps faster and harder, as if it’s trying to punish me for denying it what it wants. I squeeze my eyes shut, willing the floor beneath me to swallow me whole. “I think…maybe we just need to be friends,” I offer.
“Emily.” His sigh is full of disappointment and frustration. “Of course, I’m your friend. But we’re much more than that and you know it.”
My heart thuds in agreement. My mouth remains frozen in place.
“Okay.” His body lifts away from mine, and I slowly open my eyes to find his gaze still trained on my face. “If that’s what you need, I’ll give you your two years.” He squints at the wall behind me. “Actually, it’s about eighteen months.”
I blink at him. “And then what?”
Raw desire burns in his eyes. “Your ass is mine.”
DEX
Did I really just tell the woman I love that I’d wait two years to be with her when we both know there’s no good reason for us to be apart?
“I can’t ask you to do that,” she whispers.
As much as I love her, I want to throttle her right now. “You didn’t.”
“Dex!” Libby’s excited voice calls out behind me.
At least one of the Walker sisters is still happy to see me. Yanking a smile from my deeply frustrated soul and pasting it on my face, I turn around to greet her.
“Hey, Libby.” My gaze lands on her casted arm. My stomach clenches. “How’re you feeling?”
Emily uses the distraction to skirt around me. Her breasts briefly brush against my upper arm. Electricity crackles over my skin.
Libby’s eyes widen as Emily appears. Poor Libby has no idea what she interrupted. I reach out, curling my fingers around Emily’s elbow, pausing her escape.
“We’re not done with our conversation,” I warn her in a low voice.
She glares and shakes off my hand.
“I’m fine.” Libby’s happy expression morphs into confusion. “What’s going on? Serena’s looking for you, Em. Everyone’s headed back to the house.”
“Nothing’s going on,” Emily says in a too-chipper tone. “I had to go to the bathroom.”
Libby frowns at her sister, then tilts her head, her curious gaze landing on me again. “Where’ve you been, Dex? You missed my homecoming. You haven’t come over for pizza.” Her shrewd gaze darts between Emily and me. “Or anything.”
I open my mouth to apologize.
“He’s been busy,” Emily says quickly.
Libby’s scowl deepens. She’s too old for lies and clearly sees right through her sister’s bullshit.
I’m not going to accomplish anything else here. I won’t lie to Libby either. Without touching Emily again, I move past her and head for the exit.
Libby’s face contorts into a disappointed pout. The angry little pink slashes scattered over her face shine with some sort of ointment, but otherwise seem to be healing well. “Are you leaving?”
