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“I don’t want to watch you break into a million pieces again after you picked every last shard and put it in its place.” Her voice came out rougher, her words laden with emotions that I was surprised were coming out. Selena was more of the “don’t show any emotion” person. She wasn’t the mushy gushy person that bears her heart and soul. “You are deserving of a kind and healing love. I won’t say I support your decision to try things with him, but I want you to know that I’m behind you, and regardless of the outcome, I will always be here.”
She pulled me into a hug.
I wanted to tell her that her fears were all vain and that I was terrific. I tried telling her I wouldn’t fall in love with Nathaniel Cane. But the only problem was that I was already falling for him, and it was only a matter of time before my back hit the ground.
22
AMELIA
The house party was in full swing. Everyone was milling about Selena’s new house, talking amongst each other.
The house was beautiful and everything you would expect from Selena Montgomery.
Lavish. Chic. Expensive looking.
She had purchased a beautiful townhouse in the middle of the city. It was a nice, quiet neighborhood, unlike my area. Not to say my neighborhood was terrible, but it was more of a downtown vibe than uptown.
Hardwood floors and vaulted ceilings. Black marble kitchen and open plan living and dining room. The house was modern yet very tasteful. And the neutral color scheme Selena had chosen throughout the house only added to the expensive feel of the home. She even had a little backyard. It wasn’t massive but good enough to have a small garden with the flowers she loved to plant.
I knew I was far from affording something like this, but I hoped to move into something like this once my photography took off like I wanted it to.
All these dreams I had harbored for years had been pushed to the back burner for years because of Jacob. I had made him the center of my universe for so long, and now I was finally living for me. And it felt so good.
When I moved to Chicago, the last thing I had expected was to get entangled with his brother. But here I was in whatever Nate and I were. I knew I wasn’t far from loving the man, which scared me. I couldn't risk it, either. I had already allowed one Cane brother to ruin me. But Nate set something inside of me alight.
But the fire was also warm before it burned you, and I knew that would be Nate for me at some point, but I didn’t want to think about it. I didn’t want to think about the possibility of an end for us.
“What are you doing here looking all sexy and alone?” His hot breath fanned the nape of my neck, causing the hairs on my back to stand up. I whirled around on my heels to stare at him.
My goodness, this man was pure perfection.
The dress code had been dressy casual, and the man had delivered on that. He wore tailored pants, a clean white button-down, and two undone top buttons. This man seemed to be from another world. That was the only way I could describe what I was seeing. And he smelled like temptation and sin all wrapped up into one.
“Checking me out, Lia?” His husky voice tickled the little button in my core that automatically switched on when he was around. His eyes ravaged my body in a heated stare. I could feel his touch simply from how his eyes focused on my skin. “I like the dress.”
The tips of my lips tilted upward. “You did say I should wear it.”
The red dress had been a casual buy, and I had forgotten I had it until Selena told me she wanted to do a housewarming. It was an off-the-shoulder cocktail dress that hugged my body like a second skin. There was a slit that ran down the side of the dress, adding to that va va voom factor.
“I did, but now I have to pull myself back from punching all the idiots eyeing you like their last meal.” His eyes darkened, the electricity between us shooting out at all angles. “I didn’t envision myself spending the night in a jail cell for aggravated assault.”
The air left my lips in a breathless gasp. “Oh really?”
He stepped in closer, leaning close to my ear so he could whisper. Immediately I was invaded by his scent. Leather, pine, and spice. It was intoxicating, and I could simply get drunk off of this alone. His hand found its place on my hip. “You drive me crazy, Amelia.”
The shiver that went down my spine reminded me of just how much of an effect this man had on me. He could turn my body on with one look, one touch, one gaze.
People surrounded us, but they all faded into the distance, and all I could see was him.
I looked back into his eyes. “Do you want to know something, Mr. Cane?”
“Tell me, Lia.” Oh, how he said my name was like sweet honey to my ears.
I stepped beside him, my heels making it so I could reach his ear without straining too much. I leaned close to mimic what he had just done to me a few seconds ago.
“I’m not wearing any underwear.” When I pulled away, I was satisfied with the tortured and hungry expression in his eyes. “Do with that information what you will. As for me, I need to go and help my friend hand out little tiny hotdogs.”
I scurried away with a triumphant smile on my face.
