Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 108124 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108124 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
When she started to cry, I couldn’t stand it any longer. I took her into my arms and held her so tightly. Surprisingly, she didn’t resist. All of the feelings I’d tried to control since arriving back in Denver pummeled me at once.
I kissed the top of her head and whispered, “I’m so fucking sorry.”
When she looked up at me with tears in her eyes, I lost all control, lowering my mouth to hers. A hungry groan escaped me as I savored her taste. My dick hardened as I yearned to be inside of her again. Wrapping my hands around her cheeks, I kissed her even harder. Fuck, I missed this. I missed us. In my mind, she was mine. Despite this time that had passed, there was no part of me that was okay with losing her to Tanner—or anyone else, for that matter.
We got lost in our kiss until she suddenly pulled back.
Panting, we stared at each other. We’d always had a hard time resisting the physical pull between us, and tonight was no different.
What she said next nearly undid me.
“It doesn’t matter how much I love you,” she said. “I’d rather never see you again than have to see you with someone else or be reminded constantly of the fact that I can’t ever be with you.”
My chest constricted. Love?
She’s in love with me?
I’d known I was in love with Presley. But to hear her use that powerful word came as a shock.
I examined her eyes. “You love me?”
Presley blinked repeatedly, looking as if she hadn’t meant to utter it aloud. But it was too late. She’d said it. Instead of addressing my question, though, she shook her head. “Does it matter? If I say yes, will it change things between us?”
When I took too long to answer, she looked away.
“That’s what I thought.” She frowned. “I have to get back to Alex. Goodnight, Levi.”
That was the last thing she said before running away and disappearing into the hotel.
She left me in a daze, trying to process how I could continue to abandon someone I loved—who loved me back. I hated that she’d seemed almost ashamed to admit her feelings for me. I looked up at the dark sky and prayed for an answer. Something had to give. I couldn’t go on like this. Not only was I going to ruin my career because my lack of focus had rendered me useless to the team, but more importantly, I didn’t know how to live without her.
But could I betray my brother? That was the only question left to answer. Was I willing to do that in order to be with the woman I loved?
It took me a full ten minutes of pacing before I made my way back toward my car in the lot at the front of the hotel. I noticed a man stumbling out of a vehicle at the curb. It wasn’t until I heard his laugh that I realized it was Tanner.
What the fuck?
I looked inside the car and noticed the person driving. It was the redhead he’d brought to the dinner table earlier. I couldn’t even remember her freaking name.
He muttered something to her before slamming the door. My stomach sank. She took off, leaving him on the curb.
My blood boiled. He didn’t notice me standing there, so he hadn’t seen it coming when I grabbed onto his collar and dragged him a few feet.
“Hey! What the hell are you—”
“What the fuck are you doing?” I spat, keeping my hold on him.
“Levi? What are you doing here?”
“Tell me what the fuck is going on, Tanner.”
His eyes were glassy. “What do you mean?”
“What were you doing with that girl tonight?”
“It was no big deal,” he slurred.
Pulling on his collar tighter, I shouted, “Answer my question.”
The alcohol on his breath was pungent. “I was just out having some fun. I needed it.”
“Define fun.” I roughly let him go. He nearly toppled to the ground before his back hit the hedges in front of the hotel.
He wouldn’t make eye contact. “What do you want me to say?”
“I want you to tell me exactly what you were doing with her,” I demanded.
When he continued to remain silent, I rephrased my question. “Did you fuck that girl or not, Tanner?”
His silence told me everything I needed to know. But I still wanted to hear him say it.
“Answer me!” I yelled.
“Yes!” he finally admitted. “Okay? Yes. I…went back to her place, and one thing led to another.” He hesitated. “We had sex.”
My head fell back as I looked up at the sky, feeling ready to blow. God, give me the strength not to kill him right now.
I somehow managed to refrain from punching him, instead balling my hands into fists. “How could you do that?”
“You act like it’s not something you do every goddamn day of your life.”