He was frozen in front of me, eyes wide and lips parted. It took everything I had not to swoop in and take his mouth in a kiss. One minute we were locked in a romantic moment and the next he was apologizing.
Maybe Lewis was just as confused by the situation as I was. Every time I thought I’d broken free of the charm of Cupid or the romance that lingered all around me, I saw him again, and it was like a spark ignited inside of me.
It had been like the first time I saw him.
“Something is happening to me,” I murmured.
His gaze searched mine, his sapphire eyes holding me captive. “What’s happening?”
Words weren’t enough. I couldn’t tell him how confused I was, but how much I wanted this. I couldn’t tell him that this town and the magic of it was beginning to grow on me. And I certainly couldn’t tell him that I was actually starting to believe Cupid had some sort of power because it made no sense.
Instead, I leaned in and touched my lips to his. Just a whisper against his mouth, but enough to get a small taste. Enough that I heard his slight intake of breath.
Then he was moving his mouth against mine, warming my lips with his own. His tongue came out to trace the seam. I moaned softly at the feel of it.
Something so simple—just a kiss—and it was shaking me. Making me want things and believe things I never thought I’d want or believe.
“Lewis,” I said, loving the feel of his name on my tongue. “God, I want you.”
His breath caught again, and then suddenly, his body was pressed against mine. Every hard plane fit mine, every bit of muscle sinking into me. And his cock. It was hard as stone, digging into my hip and arousing me like I’d never felt before.
When he didn’t respond, I cupped his face between my palms. “I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t apologize.” His hands ran down my shirt and then back up, desperate and hesitant at the same time. Like he wasn’t sure whether to trust what he was feeling—whether or not he wanted to take this next step. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since you got here.”
His mouth moved against mine when he spoke, and I could barely stand there without trying to rip off his clothes.
It was enough for me to know he was here in the moment, the same as I was, wanting this as badly as I was.
I backed him up against the wall, taking my time to run my lips over his cheek and jaw, loving the brush of stubble against my sensitive skin.
“This is…maybe…” He moaned when I nipped his bottom lip. “Not…a great idea…”
With my dick throbbing in my jeans and his hands running down my arms, I couldn’t process what he was saying, let alone stop. “I think it’s a great idea.”
My hands slid under his shirt in the back, cool against the warmth of his skin. I kneaded the muscles.
“Your hands—” he gasped. “Oh, god, your hands—I want them all over me.”
I chuckled softly at his indecision. It was exactly how I felt. My brain was saying no and my body was saying yes.
His hands fisted in my shirt as I pinned him with my hips. My cock leaked in my underwear, aching to find release. Aching to be inside of him, wrapped tightly as he pulsed around me.
I plunged my tongue into his mouth again, licking deep. His body responded by shuddering against mine, almost sagging against the wall.
Out of nowhere, a ding made me jump. I kept my hold on him but leaned back.
“Your phone?” I asked.
He nodded. “It’s fine.”
His hands delved into my hair and I forgot the phone until it dinged again. Then mine dinged from my pocket and I groaned.
“Someone is trying to get ahold of us,” I murmured, still hazy from his kisses. From his hands still strong against my body.
“Why?” he asked, eyes lifting to the ceiling.
I grinned, then stepped back as he pulled the phone out of his pocket. He peered at the screen. “It’s Jess—towel crisis.”
With a laugh, I pulled out my phone as well. I had to tug it as my cock had tented my pants, making them uncomfortable and tight across my front.
When I saw the text from my sister, I narrowed my eyes. She wrote, Have you seen this!!! Are you okay?
Frowning, I opened the message and froze when I saw the image. It was a picture of a wedding ring. Not just a wedding ring, but a ring on the finger of a man who I used to be in love with. Or thought I was. I was going to propose and then he’d broken my heart.
And now he was getting married.
I swallowed hard, shoving the phone back in my pocket.
“Something wrong?” Lewis asked, eyes concerned.
“No—nothing. It’s fine. It’s…” What the fuck did I say? It was just my ex, and he was clearly moving on after he’d dumped my sorry ass in the middle of a restaurant right before I’d been about to propose.
He’d said he wasn’t ready for a commitment. Then what the hell was this? Only three months later and he was already getting married? That lying piece of shit. At the very least, he could have told me the truth.
“Maybe we should…” Lewis gestured to the door.
“Oh, your window. Right. I can help board it up or—”
“That’s not what I mean.” He touched my arm. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes. Fine. I—I just forgot I have something to do. And I should really get started on the article.”
He dropped his chin briefly. When he looked up again, his smile was forced. “Of course. I’ll take care of the window.”
Part of me demanded I stay and help him—it was only right. But the other part of me knew I was useless right now. I couldn’t give Lewis the attention he deserved when I was still reeling from what I’d just seen.
It wasn’t that I still cared for Court but that he’d clearly misled me. I’d already gotten my heart broken, and now it was like he was making sure it was truly stomped on.
Like he actually wanted me to live a life where I believed love could never happen.
With nothing else to do for Lewis or say to him, I left his house and stepped back out into the cold air to go to the main house. My phone rang on the way. I already knew it was Dessa before I looked at the screen.
“Hi,” I said. I wouldn’t have answered it if it had been anyone else but Dessa knew me too well. She had to know this was killing me right now, and she’d just keep calling until I answered.
“Dallas,” she said, voice going soft.
“Don’t. He was an asshole. I’m better off without him.”
“Doesn’t mean he has to rub it in your face. I mean, putting it all over social media when he knows we’ll see it.”
I stepped inside the warmth of the B&B, heading straight to my room. My fingers and toes felt numb from the cold, but my heart was numb from shock. I told myself it didn’t matter.
It really didn’t. Then why was it bothering me?
Maybe because I’d finally been starting to see beyond the past. Starting to see that maybe love was possible. Now, it seemed as far away as it had been before. Maybe further.
“It’s fine, Dess,” I said, shutting myself inside my room.
I kicked off my boots and flopped back on the bed.
“You sure?” she asked. “I blocked him on Twitter. And Facebook. And Instagram.”
That made me chuckle slightly. “That was sweet of you.”
“He’s a jerk who never deserved you. Now he just confirmed it. Good riddance.”
“Yeah.” I sighed. “Good riddance.”
“Maybe you should stay there longer,” she said. “I know you’re taking time off. Maybe…maybe that town will be good for you after…this.”
I rubbed my hand over my eyes. “I’d considered it.”
“Really?” She sounded surprised. “Even though it’s Romance Town, USA?”
She had a way with words, that was sure. But she was right. She knew I hadn’t wanted to come. But then Lewis had made me want to stay. And his house…it just added that other layer of charm. I could picture myself sitting at the desk by the window, finishing up my novel before we had wine or cocoa on the cold evenings. And when I’d thought that, it should have scared me, but instead it made me like Lewis even more.
“Dallas?” she asked.
“Yeah?”
“Don’t let this get to you. I think you’re a good catch—and there’s probably someone in that town of yours already falling in love with you.”
Again, Lewis’s face flashed in my mind. I’d be a lucky guy if he did fall in love with me. He was everything my ex wasn’t. Hopeful, in love with love, ready to commit. Everything I used to think Court was.
“I’ll try,” I promised her.
“That’s a good boy,” she said with a laugh. “You know Mom wants babies—and another wedding.”
“God, Dess. Didn’t you just get engaged? You have a wedding and have babies—that’s your job now.”
“Jerk. She wants more babies than I’m willing to pop out. So you’d better get on it.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I said, closing my eyes. “I’ll get right on that.”
“Love you,” she said.
“I love you, too.”
I ended the call and set my phone on my stomach. Dessa made everything seem so easy. But I felt like I’d already fucked things up with Lewis. First, I’d told him I didn’t believe in his magical town, then I’d practically attacked him in his house just to walk out on him.
If he was looking for love, he was looking in the wrong direction.
Or was he?