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“Leaving?” she protested. Before Demi could ask why, her gaze suddenly shifted above my head.
I smelled his cologne a heartbeat before I felt his warmth at my back. My body liked having him so close to me and shivered in pleasure.
Unfortunately, it was all witnessed by Demi, whose gaze was flitting back and forth between us before narrowing on Rowdy.
“Atlas, do you want to go? You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” she assured me while inching closer like she would protect me from Rowdy if need be.
It made my heart clench for two different reasons—overwhelming gratitude and fear for her safety. I knew Rowdy had no limits when pushed, and I was beginning to understand that I was one of those triggers.
It was a reality I was unused to since I hadn’t come first for anyone in a long time.
“Chill, Dem,” Rowdy told her, calmer than I expected. “No one is forcing her hand.”
That wasn’t entirely true, but I chose to let it slide. Iwantedto leave with him, but I also knew I had no choice even if I didn’t.
“What’s the matter, Rowdy?” Kingsley taunted while stepping forward and making herself the center of attention. “You couldn’t find awomanyour own age?”
Instead of rising to her obvious bait, I looked up at Rowdy, watching for his reaction.
He was staring at her like he smelled shit in the air.
“It’s wild that you’re pressing me like I owe you an explanation when I don’t even know you,” he flatly stated.
Kingsley’s jaw dropped as red flooded her high-yellow skin. “Oh, no, negro. Don’t pretend you got amnesia just because your little girlfriend is standing here. She don’t even look legal. I should call the police and tell them you’re dating preschoolers.”
Rowdy placed his hands on my hips as if he were about to push me out of the way, so I spun in his arms and wrapped mine around his neck. I knew what he would do to Kingsley if I let go, so I threw caution to the wind and rose onto my tiptoes, pressing my lips against his.
He didn’t kiss me back right away.
Instead, he stared at Kingsley as if he would actually murder her in a club filled with hundreds of witnesses.
I licked the seam of his lips, and my stomach tightened when his lips parted ever so slightly, granting me access a heartbeat before he took over.
With one kiss, I’d confirmed the rumors.
Panicking a little, I pulled away, and his nasty ass chased me to continue. I pressed my finger against his lips and said, “Take me home so we can finish this in your bed.”
He stared at me like he was debating taking me right here before seeing the light and pecking my lips twice. “Ourbed. And that’s a fucking bet.”
We were standing in front of a hot-air balloon.
After playing hooky from work for the last two days and spending an entire day fucking, Rowdy dragged me out of bed, sore and half-alive, to this empty golf course just before sunset. He whispered to the pilot while I silently mustered the courage to tell him I wasn’t climbing in that damn thing.
But I didn’t want to fight after the peaceful day we’d had.
We didn’t just fuck.
Rowdy and I had talked about everything under the sun and had gotten to know each other in a way we hadn’t been able to before, and well, Ireallydidn’t want to fight.
As if my pushy, not-quite boyfriend could sense my unease, he glanced back at me and frowned when he noticed me still standing there. I chewed on my lip as I watched him shake hands with the pilot before swaggering over to me, the furrow in his brow increasing with each step until he stood in front of me.
“What’s the matter, Dream?” He grabbed my hips and pulled me close while kissing my forehead and cheek. I sighed and leaned into the protection of his body. His chest felt so warm and strong under my hands.
“Oh, nothing. Just…I think I’m afraid of heights. Please don’t be mad.”
His cut brows rose toward his freshly lined-up hairline. I tried not to focus on it, knowing that some bitch had her hands in his hair, and there was nothing I could do about it. Fornow. “You think?”
I gulped and shifted on my feet. “Well, I’ve never been in a position to test the theory before, but…yes.”
