“One day you’ll see it was always about status and power. She’ll drop you the minute she gets what she wants.”
“And what’s that?” I asked.
“A meal ticket. You better check your condoms, son. She’s probably poked holes in every single one so she can saddle you with child support for the rest of your life.”
“Did you come here just to insult my wife?”
“No, I came here to tell you you can still get out of it. Before it’s too late.”
“I don’t want out of it. I’m all in. Becca is my forever.”He pulled me tighter into his side, then leaned his head down to press a kiss to my temple. “Don’t bother coming home. I’ll tell Mum you got called in for some important meeting. I’m sure she’ll believe it. In fact, maybe you should just never come back.”
“That’s not your decision.”
“You’re right. It’s not. It’s hers. And I hope that one day she makes it. Now if you’ll excuse us, Becca and I have a long day tomorrow. I think we’re gonna call it a night, and Dad? Consider yourself uninvited to the wedding party. We don’t need you there.”
His grip on me was tight as he turned me back toward the stairs. But not before shouting to the bartender, “Send up a bottle of your best Scotch. Mr. McCullough is paying.”
The moment we got through the door to the room, he began pacing and dragging his hands through his hair, muttering under his breath.“Always knew he was a bastard, and the way he talked about you...”
“Taylor, don’t let him get to you.”
“Right. He’s a bastard. But we’ve moved on. He’s out of our lives now. I can’t believe he said those things, that you had to hear them.”
“I’ve heard worse, believe me. I once was a teenage girl, remember? The things we say to each other are horrible.”
“You don’t deserve a single cruel word. Thank you for standing up for me and coming to my rescue.”
“I hate that he treats you that way.”
“He’s right about me... about how we started this and—”
I put my fingertips over his lips. “He’s not right. Even if this might have started one way, it’s turned into something completely different. You and I both know it. It doesn’t matter what he thinks.”
“Becca,” he whispered against my fingers, taking my hand and pulling me into him. “Can we go back?”
“Back where?”
“To where we were before he interrupted our moment.”
“You mean where you were about to kiss me?”
“Aye.”
“I’d like that a lot. I’ve been dying for you to kiss me again.”
“Fuck.”
He threaded his fingers in my hair and brought his lips to mine. Soft and sweet at first, but then I reached up and curled my hands around the back of his neck and moaned against him.
“More, please. I need you.”
He deepened the kiss, parting my lips with his tongue, dancing with me. His slight groan had me aching for more. My fantasies about this man were long and detailed, but the reality was so much better. He broke apart from me, breaths coming in heavy pants as he backed away and braced his arms on the small side table.
“Becca, I don’t know how much longer I can go without being inside you. I don’t want to rush you.”
“God, I want that too. I don’t want to wait any longer. I feel like the way we’ve been toying with each other all this time has just been one long foreplay session. I need it to be you, and I need it now.”
“Yes,” he grunted.