“Yeah?”
He walks toward me, dripping water all over the deck. “There’s a party on the beach tonight. At the Worthington estate.” He rubs his towel over his chest. “I want you to stay home.”
I arch a brow. “You’re in charge of my social calendar now?”
“Tonight I am.” His tone brooks no argument. “I mean it. Stay away from the party.”
After last night, I have no interest in going to another party ever again, but I still don’t appreciate being told what to do. “Maybe.”
“No maybe about it. Stay home.”
He disappears into the house, and not even five minutes later, Easton walks out and looms over my chair. “Brent Worthington is having a—”
“A party,” I finish. “Yeah, I know all about it.”
He rubs a hand over the stubble on his jaw. “You’re not going.”
“You’ve been talking to Gideon, I see.”
His expression reveals that he has, but then he tries a different approach, flashing me that boyish grin of his. “Look, there’s no reason for you to go out, little sis. Take the night off, relax, watch some soap operas—”
“Soap operas? Who do you think I am, a fifty-year-old housewife?”
He snickers. “Fine, then watch some porn. But you’re not coming with us tonight.”
“Us?” I echo. “Is Reed going?”
Easton shrugs, and the way he avoids my gaze raises my hackles. What the hell do they have planned for tonight? Panic tugs at my belly. Is Daniel going to be there? Is that why they want to keep me away?
I don’t get a chance to ask the question, because Easton is already dashing off. Sighing, I pick up my book and try to concentrate on the chapter I’m reading, but it’s no use. I’m worried again.
“Hey.”
I look up and find Reed approaching. For the first time today, he actually meets my eyes.
He lowers his broad body into the chair next to mine. “How you feeling?”
I tuck my book at my side. “Better. My head isn’t pounding anymore, but my body still feels kinda weak.”
He nods. “You should eat something.”
“I did.”
“Then eat more.”
“Trust me, I’m stuffed.” A grin springs to my lips. “Valerie shoved an insane amount of shrimp and crab legs down my throat at lunch.”
His lips twitch.
Smile, I beg silently at him. Smile at me. Touch me. Kiss me. Anything.
The smile doesn’t surface. “Listen, about last night…” He clears his throat. “I need to know something.”
My forehead creases. “Okay.”
“Did you…was it…” He lets out a breath. “Do you feel like I took advantage of you?”
“What? Of course not.”
But the intensity in his eyes doesn’t waver. “You need to be straight with me. If you feel like I took advantage, or did anything you didn’t want me to do…you have to tell me.”
I sit up and lean toward him, cupping his face with both hands. “You didn’t do anything that I didn’t want you to do.”
His relief is obvious. When I sweep my thumbs over his jaw, his breath hitches. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?” I whisper.
“You know what.” Groaning, he moves my hands off his face and rises unsteadily to his feet. “It can’t happen again. I won’t let it.”
Frustration jams inside me. “Why not?”
“Because it’s not right. I’m not…I don’t want you, okay?” A sneer forms. “I was being nice to you last night because you were hopped up on E and you needed some relief. I was just doing you a solid, but that’s all it was. I don’t want you.”
He marches away before I can answer. Or rather, before I can call him a big fat liar. He doesn’t want me? Bullshit. If he didn’t want me, then he wouldn’t have kissed me like he was a starving man and I was his only source of nourishment. If he didn’t want me, he wouldn’t have worshipped my body like it was the greatest gift he’d ever received, or held me in his arms until I fell asleep.
He’s lying to me, and now my concern levels are at an all-time high. Not just concern, but determination, because clearly Reed Royal has secrets I can’t even begin to decode.
But I will. I’m going to find out everything. Why he keeps everyone at a distance, why he feels unworthy, why he’s pretending there isn’t something between us when we both know there is. I’m going to learn all his secrets, dammit.
Which means…I guess I’m going to another party tonight.
26
I need reinforcements or, at the very least, intel. From what Gideon said, the Worthingtons live down the shore and close enough that you must be able to hear some noise at the Royal property. They also must have kids close in age to the Royal brothers. But that’s about it.
Good thing I know someone who’s gossip central.
Valerie answers on the first ring. “You need more seafood? I told you that the best cure for a hangover is food.”
The thought of even one more piece of shellfish in my stomach makes me want to barf. “No thanks. I was wondering if you were done Skyping with Tam and wanted to come over and spy on the Royals with me.”