A smile forms on his lips. “Oh, Skye,” he says. “You don’t want me to let it out.”
“Of course I do. Be happy!”
“I am happy. You know that. I’m happier than I’ve ever been with you.”
His words warm me. Make me feel all cuddly like a teddy bear. “That’s not what I mean, though I’m really glad about that. What I mean is that life sucks sometimes. We’ve had a few rough times. But we’re back together. Tessa’s going to be okay. Life is good, Braden. Enjoy it.”
Braden’s eyes smolder. “You really want me to let myself go?”
“Yes. I really do.”
“Are you sure? Because I’m not sure you know what you’re asking for.”
My legs weaken, and I quiver all over. He’s turning this into something sexual, and my body is all in already. Has he truly never let himself go sexually?
And if so, what does that mean for me?
“Maybe I don’t know what I’m asking for,” I tell him. “Most of what you’ve shown me has been new to me. But I love you, Braden, and I’m willing to go wherever you want.”
His gaze burns into mine. “We’ll see about that when we get to New York.”
I’m so ripe from his words and gaze alone I’m ready to pounce on him again.
But I need to see Tessa.
“I’ll be back,” I say.
“Give Tessa and her folks my best.”
“I will. Thanks for being there with me last night.”
“Skye, where else on earth would I be other than with the woman I love?”
I nearly swoon. Nearly melt into a puddle right there on the floor. How is it possible that I got so lucky to have Braden Black fall in love with me?
I don’t understand it half the time.
Right now, though, I need to see Tessa. I smile at Braden and turn to leave his office.
…
“I remember all of it,” Tessa says to me, lying on her couch in bright red—so very Tessa—flannel pajamas. “And no, I didn’t take any drugs last night. Certainly not ketamine.”
“It’s good that you remember. You didn’t get enough to cause any amnesia.”
“Do you really think Garrett drugged me?”
I shake my head. “I honestly don’t know, but last night, while you were going through all this, I started thinking. That night when we went clubbing, and it was Betsy’s first date with Peter, she seemed to get friendly with him really quickly. I mean, more quickly than I’d have thought she would.”
“You and I have only known her for a little while.”
“True,” I say, “but I thought I had a pretty good feel for who she is.”
“In other words, I might sleep with a guy I just met but Betsy wouldn’t?”
“Well…yeah. You’re Tessa, and she’s Betsy. What made me think something might be going on with you was that you were so distraught over Garrett leaving last night. That’s not you, Tess. You’re usually a ‘whatever’ kind of girl, you know?”
She inhales. “I’ve been doing some thinking of my own.”
“And…?”
“You’re right. I haven’t been myself the last couple times with Garrett. When he started calling me after I caught him with Lolita, I told him to fuck off. It wasn’t until he showed up at yoga that I even considered giving him another chance. Then last night… I’m sorry, Skye.”
“For what?”
“For blaming you. Laying a guilt trip on you for not going to dinner with us. I made my own choice to sleep with him.”
“Are you sure it was your choice? It may have been the drugs.”
“It felt like my choice,” she says, “but at this point, I just don’t know. I mean, I’m not going to cry rape. I don’t have any regrets. My only regret is getting all teary-eyed over him leaving. I must have been a complete flake.”
“No, not at all. But I just kept thinking that it wasn’t like you.”
“You’re right. It wasn’t. Thinking about it now, I kind of want to hurl.”
“You’ve hurled enough.”
She shakes her head. “Ketamine. I can’t even believe it.”
“Tess…”
“Yeah?”
“What about the ecstasy you took? The last time?”
“Not my finest moment.”
“Where’d you get it?”
“One guess.”
“Garrett?”
“Peter, actually. He had it at the club that night. Betsy wouldn’t touch it. I took it but just put it in my purse. Then, after the whole Garrett thing, I said what the hell?”
I’m not sure what to say, so I say nothing.
“I know,” she says. “You’re thinking that isn’t like me.”
“No, but you weren’t on ketamine that night.”
“I wasn’t. Or I don’t think I was. Who the fuck knows anymore? Ketamine isn’t the only date rape drug. I’m more than a little freaked out by this.”
“So am I.”
“It’ll be a long time before I accept a drink from anyone that I haven’t had analyzed first,” she says. “I’m thinking my days of clubbing are over.”
I clamp my hand to my mouth in mock shock.
“I know, I know. I like the club scene. But seriously, Skye, this is fucked up.”