Perfect Bastard (Mason Creek)

The way our gazes connected; I could almost believe the lyrics. “‘How do I live,’” I said, and found myself murmuring the lyrics. “‘And tell me, now, how do I live without you? How do I breathe without you…’”

Somehow dancing with a man, I should have hated, became magical with twinkling lights above us and his eyes glued to mine as I softly sang about not being able to live a good life without him.

As the last bar was played, his head descended toward mine and I didn’t stop him. The kiss was barely a touch until I leaned into it and opened myself for more. In all my life, I’d never been kissed like this. Our tongues did a slow dance of their own, slowly, tentatively sliding in his mouth and tasting the whiskey on his tongue.

His hand glided up my back. Our bodies melded against each other so naturally I couldn’t stop my hands from reaching up and cupping his cheek before grabbing onto his hair as if we could get closer.

It was only in the silence that the spell broke. I gasped as I yanked back, wiping my hands down my sides as I glanced around, noticing all eyes on us. I turned completely away from him, unable to meet his eyes, and caught Haley’s shocked stare.

Then, after grabbing my coat, I fled like Cinderella running against time. I couldn’t get far fast enough.

Gulping air like I was going to drown, I fell against the back of my Jeep, hidden from anyone standing in the doorway of the barn.

I couldn’t fall for this man. I had an obligation to bring him down. Revenge should have been my only motivation. Yet I wanted him like the air I couldn’t seem to get enough of.

My knees nearly buckled, and I pressed my back further into the truck to keep from falling. I covered my eyes, not wanting to cry. How could the only man I’d desired for as long as I could remember be the one man I couldn’t have?

“Let’s go.”

I looked up into Haley’s concerned but confused gaze. I wiped my eyes. “What about Agan?”

“It’s us against the world. You and Zoe are my everything. Agan can wait.”

“Haley—”

“Don’t. It’s not like I can blame you. He’s—” She shook her head. “Can you drive?”

I shook my head and fished my keys out of my pocket. I held them out to her. She took them, looking disappointed, and I closed my eyes against a wave of shame. Shakily, I got to my feet and came around to the passenger side. I made the mistake of glancing up, and there he was, a shadowy figure in the doorway. Though I couldn’t see his expression, I felt the weight of his stare on me.

“Get in,” Haley chided.

I tore my eyes away and got in the car. The tires kicked up leftover snow as Haley peeled out of the lot.

We didn’t speak the entire ride to her place. When she closed the door to her room, I sank onto her couch, sure I couldn’t drive home. I was letting everyone down.

Who was this man? Nothing compared to my father and Haley.

As I closed my eyes, I fought against his presence, invading my thoughts as his kiss lingered on my lips. I rubbed gently over them as I tried like hell to block that look he’d given me right before he kissed me. It had been a question. Not the one I asked myself. If I could do it all over again, would I kiss him? The genuine answer was yes…

THIRTEEN

Nate

The woman whose name I’d yet to get fled like Cinderella again. There was no other way to describe it. At first, I followed, but stopped myself at the barn door. Why would l chase a woman who obviously had her reasons for fleeing?

A second woman breezed past, but I didn’t catch a glimpse as I’d been focused on the other woman. But then the second woman found her friend. She said something I couldn’t make out. Then they were in the Jeep tearing away.

“What did you do to her?”

I turned to find Fanboy. “Who, Haley?” I now knew that wasn’t her name. It was a ploy, and it worked.

“Her name’s Avery, not Haley. Haley is her best friend.”

Things were coming together. I patted his shoulder. “Thanks. And tell Avery”—I liked the way the name slipped over my tongue, and it suited her—“I have her glass slipper.”

He looked confused, as he should. I decided it was time to leave. I hadn’t wanted to come here in the first place. There were things I needed to do at the ranch with Dad coming home this week.

As I walked to my car, I fingered the item in my pocket. It wasn’t a glass slipper, as I’d told Fanboy. It was something she’d left behind. Before she’d fled, I’d reached for her wrist and it had slipped through my hand, leaving her bracelet in my palm.