I was grateful I didn’t have to get out and walk to the door, because quite honestly, I’d completely lost the use of my legs. In fact, I couldn’t even feel them right now. Everything else on my body had pretty much gone numb as well.

My arms lay slack against my sides as I glimpsed down to double-check that I’d put the car in park. Deep breaths. I decided to concentrate on breathing, since lack of oxygen was probably pretty bad for your body.

So was finding out that the woman you were falling for was banging some asinine, imbecilic moron. My heart nearly beat out of my chest just thinking of him with his hands all over my woman. My woman. Yeah, right. Who knew that when he climbed into my car tonight, I’d find out we were sharing.

Just the thought of them together made me want to barf. I closed my eyes, concentrating on breathing and slowing down my heart rate. Somehow, someway, my lungs began to inflate on demand, but it took a hell of a lot of work. Part of me wanted to hightail it out of here. Another part of me wanted to confront Vivienne for her deception.

How could she do this to me? To us? I thought we were starting something here, but the whole time she was sleeping around with a flaky, sophomoric asshole. Honestly, I thought we had a connection, something special. The way she looked at me…

Now who was flaky? Why couldn’t I see it? She handed me a few muffins and I was ready to propose. What a bloody idiot. My eager imagination must have made the whole thing up. I was nothing but a time-filler for her.

I might be a romantic fool, but I was no chump. No way was I sticking around to play second fiddle to this dimwit. A very rich dimwit, but a dimwit all the same.

Even though I’d only known Vivienne a short time, I never would have pegged her for settling down with an asswipe like him. Money talked, I guessed, and some chicks went for that. She just seemed too independent and down-to-earth to fall for that kind of senseless bullshit.

But whatever. She wanted him—she could have him.

Something made me turn my head to look at her door. Once again, my entire body froze. She was in his arms and they were kissing. Really going at it. Jesus. I twisted my head back around and stared out the opposite window, completely winded like someone punched me hard right in the gut.

Why the fuck was I staying here torturing myself? Perhaps I just needed to see it with my own eyes and I’d definitely done that. I should go. Turning the key, I prepared to shift the car out of park when the passenger door suddenly swung open.

“Wait, you weren’t going to leave without us, right?” The annoying dude laughed as he held open the door for Vivienne. Fuck, but she was a sight in her red dress with her gorgeous blonde curls spilling down her back. One roving lock escaped, trailing perfectly down her dazzling face, teasing me to tuck it back into place for her.

That face now registered what was going on and filled with shock. Yeah, join the club, baby. The guy you just lied your marvelous ass off to was now sitting here right in front of you.

Douche spoke again. I was amazed that I could still hear him through the roaring sound of the blood rushing in my ears. “Get in. What are you waiting for?” he said impatiently.

Vivienne continued to stare at me, still unable to speak. A beautiful blush replaced the stark white daze.

“Uh, maybe we should just take my car.” She swung her head toward him and more of her curls fell forward.

“You hear that, man? She wants to be alone with me already.” The big dufus laughed and winked at me as he pushed her in first. After she hesitantly got in, I took off as soon as her boyfriend/lover closed his door. We drove in silence for a few minutes. The woman refused to make eye contact with me, constantly fixing her dress or pretending to look in her purse.

“So? What’d I tell you? She’s gorgeous, right?” the idiot hollered, breaking the awkward silence. He wasn’t buckled in, so he leaned over the seat like a restless golden retriever needing a pat on the head for the excellent job he did returning with his large-breasted prey.

Believe me, he did a great job landing this woman, but I wasn’t about to reward him. He already had his prize. Nobody knew that more than me. I responded in as general terms as I could. “You guys look great together.” And I left it at that.

He went on and on about his day and how important he was. It took everything I had in me to stop myself from punching the stupid ass in the face.

Deep breaths. In and out. Vivienne finally caught my eye in the rearview mirror. I held her gaze for as long as safety would allow. She was gorgeous. Nothing in the world I’d love to do more than pull over, rip her away from that asshole, and kiss the shit out of her. Fuck was I ever going to miss kissing her, touching her.

The idiot’s phone rang during one of his speeches about bonds versus equity—like I gave one fuck either way. “Yeah,” he answered, sitting his lucky ass back against the seat. While he spoke way too boisterously into his cell, Vivienne placed her delicate hand on the seat.

“Jason, look, I…” was all I let her get out.

“It doesn’t matter.” I swiveled my head around for a brief moment.

“Would you let me…”

“Just don’t, okay?” I said as the dufus finished his conversation, then proceeded to tell us how wonderful he was. Again.

Thank God it didn’t take me much longer to get them to their destination. I parked right in front of the doors to the Bennett Center for the Arts. The Bennetts were a well-known, high-class family who had more money than God. They seemed to spread around an awful lot of it in our city, so for that we were all grateful. They built this particular building a few years ago, buying up a shit-load of unsightly properties in order to do it.

Plenty of people were more than happy they got rid of the eyesores, replacing them with a huge auditorium theater and two convention halls. The main theater alone had three balconies and seated thousands.

All around us, beautiful women were walking past in lavish evening gowns and the men in smart, stylish suits. I guess Vivienne wasn’t lying about an awards dinner, just the part about going stag—oh, and having a boyfriend/lover. She’d managed to leave out that part as well.

The ignoramus paid me, then jumped out first, waiting for Vivienne to walk around to him. I sucked up my pride and got out so I could get past this awful, awkward moment and move on with our lives. Without each other.

I dove out, then opened her door. She was still gathering up her long dress, probably so she wouldn’t step on it. Her eyes found mine, likely surprised I was the one holding open the door. After I offered my hand, she hesitated, but grabbed it anyway. I helped her out before shutting the door.

“You look fantastic, Vivienne,” I whispered to her. She smiled up at me.

“Jason, I…” she started, but I refused to let her make any stupid excuses.

How badly I wished I could lean over and taste her full red lips. “I had a great time with you. The absolute best.” I gazed deeply into her stunned eyes. “I just wanted you to know that. Have a great life,” I said, squeezing her hand one last time before I hightailed it out of there.

Oh. My. God. What the hell just happened? Did he just break up with me? I stood aghast on the sidewalk where Jason left me, staring after his car, hoping with everything in me that he’d turn back around and take me away from this horrible nightmare.

“What’s the holdup? We’ve got to get inside and grab a seat before all the good ones are taken,” Jared said, jerking on my hand. I nearly toppled over in these heels, the dumbass.

“Watch it, Speedy. I’m wearing heels, not jogging shoes,” I retorted back, angrily yanking my hand out of his grasp. I took a minute to breathe. “Look, who the hell cares what seats we get? This thing is stupid anyway,” I yelled a bit too loudly. People started turning around to stare. Shit.

“Okay, honey. Settle down,” Jared said as he grabbed my hand again, attempting to placate me, but I wouldn’t be silenced.

“And would you stop calling me honey? It’s driving me nuts. We broke up like a million years ago. You don’t call your ex honey after you’re broken up. Even a jerk like you knows that.”

He dropped my hand, leering at the people now stopped and staring at the spectacle before them. Then without a word, he spun around and paraded into the doors without me.

Guess he finally got the hint.

On the verge of tears after my emotional breakdown, I gave up and began searching desperately for a mode of transportation home.