Page 51 of Between Never and Forever

“He thinks I’m at his damn beck-and-call because he agreed to this with me. And yet he hasn’t been around ever since we—” I stopped myself. I hadn’t told a soul about us sleeping together.

Olive’s honey-colored eyes widened. “Ever since you what?”

“Nothing.”

“You’re blushing.” She pointed to my cheeks. “Did you— Are you still—?”

“Don’t talk about it!” I shook my head at her. And then I knew—because she was such a close friend and I needed someone to confide in—that I was going to blurt out everything. So, I said, “If we talk about this—”

“Oh my fucking God, you lost your virginity to Dex Hardy and you didn’t tell me. Spill it right now.”

So, we drank champagne. Too much. And I told her all about that night.

“He’s still in love with you.”

“If that’s true, why isn’t he taking the opportunity to sleep with me and teach me everything he knows?”

“Because he’s protecting you from yourself.” She threw up her hands when I squinted in confusion. “Hello. He said he wouldn’t help you turn into a sex symbol, that your voice was better than that.”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s not what he meant.” And why did that make my heart ache? “Anyway, he barely talks to me. It’s just us figuring out how to exorcise each other, I think.”

“If you say so,” she singsonged. “Let’s get you back to your suite.”

I’d lost the concern I normally had when it came to people watching me. I’d had too much champagne and let go of my worries since I was with my friend. We giggled all the way up to the penthouse, and she squealed when I swiped my watch into the elevator.

“Fancy.”

“Silly.” I shrugged.

“Honestly, it’s probably necessary. You’re both big names. Take the privacy and enjoy it.” She nudged me and then wrapped her arm around my waist. “I’m happy we got here, Kee. This is going to be good for you.”

Somehow, even if Olive didn’t know everything, she knew enough to know a weight was lifting from me. “Yeah, I think so.”

“You might not share everything with me, but I know you’re struggling. You’re strong enough to get through it. You got this. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re not strong enough. They don’t know the strength of a woman.”

I tried not to turn into a blubbering mess as I hugged her. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I waved her on and was about to use my fingerprint to let myself into the penthouse but the door swung open before I even tried.

“You intend not to answer your fiancé when he texts you about when you’re going to be home?”

ChapterNineteen

DEX

She’d been gonefor hours. I knew she’d gone to dinner with friends. Or at least that’s what she’d said. How people were supposed to blindly trust the person they were with was beyond me. Funny thing was, I’d never cared before.

I only did with her.

And I knew I was spiraling, because I’d considered calling every restaurant of mine to see which one she was at. I’d already informed them all that she wasn’t to be paying for anything but now I wanted them to keep damn tabs on her? I hated to feel my control slipping, hated that I wanted to pull up the damn cameras and check. And I’d almost done so more than once. Instead, I’d been mature. I’d texted. Then, I’d threatened.

And she’d ignored me.

Thankfully, I got an alert for her spending over ten thousand dollars on my tab at one restaurant and I knew then where she was. It still didn’t stop me from watching the hallway cameras while waiting for her ass to show.

It had taken hours.

“Have you been waiting up for me?” She stepped past me in her little black dress. The fabric was so thin I could see her nipples raised underneath it immediately. When I followed her to the kitchen where she set down her little clutch, her ass swayed so fluidly. It was like she didn’t have a damn dress on at all.