When I watch him reach out to touch her, I’m done. I hear my mom call after me, but I don’t stop. I walk right past my father, who doesn't try to stop me because he fucking gets it. He had been the same way when it came to my mom all those years ago.
She must sense me because Carly looks my way when I get closer to her. Those big blue eyes go wide. I don’t say anything. I only grab her wrist and pull her away.
“What are you doing? Carly,” her mom starts to say. She doesn't scream, though. I had a feeling she wouldn't want to cause a scene. When I glance back, I see my mom rushing in to talk to her. I have no clue what she’s saying, but I have no doubt she’s stalling to give me time.
“What are you doing?”
“We’re leaving,” I inform her.
“Already? But we—”
“Reed and Tinsley slipped out when we were dancing. Wedding is over.”
“I’m not staying at the hotel. My parents are here. I think I should go home. Alone.” We’ve already made it to the hotel lobby. Her words stop me dead in my tracks. Did she just say alone?
Because I could have sworn that word slipped past those pretty lips of hers. I almost want to burst out laughing like a crazy person. There is no fucking way in hell that she’s going anywhere without me. I have said since the moment I met her that I’d do anything to make her happy, but leaving her alone is where I draw the fucking line. I’m done tiptoeing around the fact that I’m obsessed with her.18CarlyI suck in a breath at the expression on James' handsome face. I can feel the air around us change the same way it did the other night in the back of that bar. His hand holding mine tightens. My body lights up with excitement that we are finally getting some sort of reaction from him.
“You want to go home?” His voice is deep, rolling across my skin causing me to break out in goosebumps.
“Carly!” I hear my mom hiss my name. The click of her heels is getting closer.
“Please.”
“Yeah, I’ll take you home.” It almost sounds like a threat. He looks over my head. “Astor. You stay away from my girl or I’ll rip you and your daddy’s world apart. You know I can, motherfucker. Don’t try me. It won’t end well for you.” My mom’s gasp is so loud it echoes through the now quiet lobby. Before I can think too much about her reaction, James is pulling me again. Leading me somewhere besides here.
We exit out the front doors of the hotel. “Town car,” he calls to the valet girl. She rushes over to one opening the back door of a car for us. He ushers me inside, getting in behind me. He says something to the driver that I can’t quite make out because my mind is still stuck on what just happened. I look back to see my mom rushing out of the hotel. She looks both ways but doesn't see us as the car pulls away.
The car is silent as we make the drive home. I’m not sure what to say. Today didn't go how I thought it would. I steal a peek over at James. I can’t read his mood now.
“James, I—”
“Don’t.” He cuts me off. I fold my arms over my chest, making me realize that I don’t have my purse. No phone or keys. I guess James' key that he had made for my place is going to come in handy. Is he going to just drop me off or will he push to stay?
“You’re not staying at my place.” I snip back my own irritation growing. There. I told him. He’s not the only one that can get upset. I’m a bundle of nerves. It doesn't help that I’m getting turned on by whatever it is he’s doing right now. This whole bossy thing he has going on really seems to work for me. Oh no. Do I have a thing for jerks? Because that’s exactly what he’s being right now. No, that can’t be it. Then I would have jumped all over one of the men my mom tried to set me up with before.
“Wasn't planning on it.” My stomach drops. I look away from him out the window as tears sting my eyes. It crushes any of the desire that had been growing. Anger starts to build inside of me instead. “I don’t like when you’re not looking at me.”
What the hell does that mean? Either I’m losing it or he is. “I don’t like that you’ve turned into some kind of jerk but here we are,” I toss back. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, jerkface.