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I shrugged. I didn’t see how that needed further explanation. “It’s what I said. He didn’t take hints. He made up reasons to touch me. He talked about himself to impress me. It was a very long, draining evening I don’t want to repeat.”
I took a quick glance at Trev, and the veins in his neck were standing out. His jaw appeared to be clenched tightly. Was Townes actually his friend? Had I insulted him?
There were no more questions. We entered the ballroom full of extravagant decorations, beautiful dresses, and men in tuxedos. None of them compared to Trev in a tuxedo, but I wouldn’t be appreciating that view tonight. My goal was to not look at him at all.
Garrett was stopped by a group of people, and he began introducing Mom. When he turned to me, Trev released me, stepping away, and I moved to stand beside my mother. Smiling and trying my best to appear happy to be here. I was tempted to look around the room for Trev, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Not while keeping a smile on my face.
Thirty-Two
Trev
My eyes stayed locked on Gypsi as she charmed every damn person my father introduced her to. The smile wasn’t genuine, and it was fucking killing me. I was ninety-nine percent sure I had fucked up. The look of disgust in her eyes when I’d mentioned Townes, that hadn’t fit with what I’d seen in the theater.
If I was wrong and she hadn’t kissed him back …
If I’d walked out of that theater too soon and she’d pushed him away …
Jesus Christ, how was I going to live with myself after what I had done to her that morning with Bea? I’d set it up. Knowing she would come down to breakfast and our parents were gone. I wanted to hurt her like she had hurt me, but when she ran out of the room, I felt fucking sick. I’d taken it too far.
Youngstreet was almost thirty years old! What the hell was he looking at Gypsi like that for? He reached down to whisper something in her ear, and that was it. I couldn’t stand here and watch. I needed to talk to her. Alone. Dad could get the fuck over it.
She wasn’t comfortable. He was too close, and she was tensing up. Did my dad not see this? I reached her just as Youngstreet leaned close to her again and wrapped a hand around her arm. She jumped, startled by the touch, as her eyes swung up to meet mine. Confusion swirled in the honey gold that was in every damn dream I had.
“Excuse us. I need to introduce Gypsi to some friends. If you don’t mind,” I told Youngstreet, then sent my dad a pointed look before leading Gypsi away from that idiot. I kept walking though. I saw several people I knew, but I hadn’t taken her away to introduce her to anyone.
“Trev?”
Just hearing her say my name made my cock twitch.
Glancing back to make sure my father was preoccupied, I pushed Gypsi through a side door down a small hallway, then yanked open the first door I came to. It was a walk-in closet with shelves of linens. Pulling her in with me, I turned and closed the door behind us.
“Why are we in a closet?” she asked softly.
I turned on her and made sure her eyes were locked on mine. I had to see them when I asked her the next few questions.
“Did you kiss Townes in the theater?”
She scrunched her nose. “He kissed me. It was awful.”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “You didn’t make out with him or any other guy my dad has thrown at you?”
“No,” she whispered.
I opened my eyes and saw the pain reflected in hers. I’d hurt her. Maybe beyond what I could repair. Me and my goddamn jealousy.
“Why are you asking me this?”
I ran a hand over my face, feeling like a caged tiger. Ripping something apart right now would help. “Because I came home, wanting to see you. After five fucking days of drinking myself to death, I decided that you loving me wasn’t a bad thing. I care about you. I want you more than I want to fucking breathe. I had freaked at first but then realized if you loved me, then I could keep you. I wouldn’t have to worry about you leaving me. Moving on. But I walked in to see you kissing that dipshit, and it didn’t sit well.”
“You could have asked me,” she said softly.
I spun around and looked at her. “Yeah, but I’m not sane when you’re involved. I lose my damn mind. I can’t think straight. I was so sure you didn’t love me and had moved on. That you weren’t going fucking crazy, missing me like I was you. So, I called Bea.”
