Page 23

JORDAN

“ J ealousy?” I repeated, my voice raising two octaves. My pulse spiked, like I sprinted up the stairs without breathing. Every part of my body tingled with anger. I wanted to punch him in the gut, then cry over how he’d brought a date. How dare he bring a date to my event?

Not even a day after he asked to take me out on a date. “I’m not jealous, you asshole. I’m fucking pissed.”

“And why is that?” He crossed his arms, his face open and amused. His stupid eyes sparkled at me, like he enjoyed this. It made me want to tackle him.

“How dare you be happy right now?” I yelled, my voice betraying me.

I couldn’t describe the shattering feeling at seeing him with someone else.

How he held her back, gave her his jacket, laughed with her…

every time he touched her, I saw red. I wanted to burn the event down, say to hell with it.

He wasn’t supposed to touch other women.

Just me.

“Uh, because I’m proud of you? You look beautiful and did an incredible job tonight.

I’m happy for you.” His eyes warmed, and he placed his hands in his pockets.

He wore a tux so fucking well. The material clung to his thick muscles, and he loosened his tie, looking more like he should be on the cover of a magazine.

My gut swooped at how delicious he was. I wanted to lick him then and there, consequences be damned. He stared at me, expecting an answer, but my mouth wouldn’t work.

“No response? The first time ever, I’ve left you speechless.” He licked his bottom lip as he stepped toward me. “Explain it to me. Explain why you’re fucking pissed.”

“I-I…” I stopped. If I admitted I was jealous, then he’d want more of an explanation. I wasn’t sure I had one. “You promised to help me tonight, and instead, you brought a date.”

“I did promise to help you, and I did.” He smirked and stepped closer. “Was there anything I didn’t do that you needed? If I recall, you wouldn’t take my help a few times.”

“Yeah, because it would be rude to your date. ”

“You seem to have a problem with Emery. She was nice,” he said, his voice light.

Emery.

My eye twitched as images of the two of them laughing took root in my brain.

She’d learn Preston’s favorite foods and games, and she’d come over and share meals with him.

She’d be at our house, sleeping with him in his room.

My chest broke open in pain. Imagining them together hurt my soul.

Physically felt like someone stabbed my heart. “I-I don’t have a problem with her.”

“Little liar.” Preston stepped even closer to me, his hazel eyes swirling with something deep. “Tell me the truth, Jordan.”

“I am! I don’t have a problem with Emery or whatever. I don’t!” I stomped off, hating the way my body betrayed me. I didn’t get far before Preston gripped my elbow, spinning me around.

He stared down at me with so much warmth that it took everything in me not to lean into him. “You’re not running from me. I will catch you. Now I can do this all night, play a game with you, or you can tell me the fucking truth.”

“Yes! Okay? I was jealous of Emery because you just asked to date me, and all of sudden you showed up to my huge event with another woman? I assumed you’d be my right-hand man the whole night and yet you showed up with a beautiful woman.

You gave her your jacket, and she made you laugh.

” I pulled at my hair, my eyes prickling from the exhaustion and event-hangover.

My body always shut down after stressful events.

“I never said no to your question, by the way. I said I can’t. I didn’t say no or yes.”

“So you’re saying that I should’ve understood your I can’t as you haven’t answered me yet?

And that you expect me to just wait for you?

Because that’s bullshit, Jordan. I’m listening to your words .

You say you can’t date me yet gave me the cold shoulder the entire night because you saw me with Emery. ”

“Why did you bring her?” There. I asked the question. If I was going down, I wanted the pain.

Preston smiled. He wasn’t happy, per se, but he grinned as he barked out a laugh. “That’s the thing, I didn’t. Price brought her for me to help me get over you. ”

“Wait. What?”

“Price encouraged me to ask you out, give us a chance. He saw how I felt about you, so I tried. You turned me down. You said you wanted guys to have dates to make it look more crowded, so Price thought he was doing both you and me a favor. I didn’t invite Emery.

I don’t like her that way. But she was put in the middle of something and felt awkward, so I made sure to be a polite, decent guy.

So, it’s interesting that you’re so upset about her when I didn’t bring her.

I had no plans to bring a date because despite all your shit, I still want to date you. ”

“All my shit?” I whispered, my nerves twisting.

“Yes. You’re a mess. Have a shit ton of baggage.

But you’re passionate and amazing and so smart and fun.

You’re a caretaker and messy, but you’re the only fucking person I want to be around.

I search for you in every room I’m in, and when I’m not with you, I want to be.

” He gulped, and his chest heaved. “You’re petty as fuck and refuse to see the truth and are so goddamn stubborn it makes my eyes twitch. ”

He paced, like he had the same uncontrollable adrenaline bursting through his veins like I did. When I gasped, he whipped his head toward me, eyes blazing.

“I know you. I want you. I can’t possibly be more explicit. Now, no word games. No hidden meanings. Just the goddamn fucking truth. Do you want to try this?” His voice was low, gravely, and intense.

This was it. The moment. Whatever I said would shift the entire trajectory of our relationship.

Before my mind could even catch up with my worries, I nodded.

His jaw flexed, and he closed the distance between us, gently tilting my chin up with his thumb. My skin flushed from his touch. “No, I need your words. Tell me.”

“Y-yes,” I whispered, my body feeling like I was falling through the ice. Like admitting the truth would cause the ice to break beneath me. My throat closed up, but my heart practically hummed. Yes, this is him. “I want to…try.”

“That’s a good answer, Jordan.” Preston cupped my face, his eyes dancing with nothing but elation. “Now I’m gonna kiss your sassy mouth.”

That was the only warning I got before he dipped his head and brushed his lips against mine.

It was an explosion everywhere, all at the same time.

The cool, damp air from the rink coated my face and skin, the smell of coldness mixing with Preston’s musky cologne.

Air trapped in my lungs as he kissed me soft, then hard, like he couldn’t get enough of me.

A throaty groan left him as his hand pressed against my lower back, and he gripped my dress as he slid his tongue against mine.

I ran my fingers through his hair, arching into him to be closer.

I wanted more. Needed more. The kiss brought me life and soothed every worry or concern I had.

I was lighting up. My DNA rearranged itself to fit him, and I knew, deep in my gut, this moment changed everything.

This was so different than what we’d done in the hotel. This was explosive.

My skin tingled from head to toe. My heart rammed against my ribs, each beat harder than the last. My vision danced with spots as my knees gave out. “What the?—”

“Jordan, whoa.” Preston caught me, his worried gaze searching mine. “Are you alright? What was that?”

“I think my knees gave out.”

He smirked, like he was proud of himself. “Don’t want that happening. Now, can you stand?”

I put weight on my legs again, my nipples tightening with want against the fabric of my dress. My body was overheated. Stimulated. Overwhelmed. “Yeah, I can stand. Uh, let’s go home right now. We should, uh, change.” I ran a hand over my face, trying to pull myself together.

It was a damn kiss. I shouldn’t be acting like a fangirl over Preston Charming. He was hot and kind and perfect but not… I shook my head, stepping back to put some distance between us. There was a reason I rarely kissed like that—it was personal. It made things more intense.

Yet Preston just chuckled and grabbed my hand in his. “Already pulling away from me?”

“What? No. No way. Uh huh.” I blushed, my stomach bottoming out. How did he know? Was I that obvious?

“Jordan,” he said my name softly, not doing anything but staring at the back of my hand. “I just kissed you so well that you almost fell. I legit made your knees weak. There is no escaping me after that, so you can try, but I’m gonna keep coming for you.”

Fuck.

That was reassuring and hot.

“Hey, you two need help down there?”

I snapped my gaze toward the entrance of the rink where a stadium worker stood.

I’m still at the event. Pull it together.

I shoved Preston away from me and focused on the employee.

“Hi, no, we were just heading out. The crew said they’d roll up the carpets.

Do you need us to clear anything else out? ”

“Nope. Just wanted to make sure. It’s getting windy outside. You two should head out before it gets worse.”

“You got it. Thank you for your help tonight.”

The older man smiled. “It was a great event. Nice job.”

Pride burst through me. Now that I’d escaped Preston’s bubble, I let myself enjoy the moment.

Tonight was amazing. It surpassed every goal I had, and I was fucking proud of myself.

I did it. I owned the event, made it something memorable, and adjusted with the weather.

We’d raised a shit ton of money, brought together the sporting community, and had a great-ass time.