Page 18 of It Happened Duo
“You know, Rex. Let’s cut the crap. Both our families want us married off. And people in our position are used to marriages of convenience. I need to marry before I’m thirty to get my trust fund. I don’t know what you need, but if we help each other now, then later we both get what—or who—we want, right?” Marlena side-eyed me.
She was making sense, but I lost my mind altogether when Brooks touched Chelsea’s arm. My jaw clicked, watching them together. Then Chelsea’s eyes locked with mine, and nothing else in the world mattered buther.
Whatever Marlena talked about…ignored.
Remodel my building…what building?
Mom begging me to settle down and marry…Yeah, with therightwoman, I just might.Chelsea?
A commotion on the dance floor stole my eyes away. I squinted, seeing Archer, and growled toward him for being thecause. I vowed to make him pay later. But with his ex coming into view, I realized he had his hands full.
When Chelsea ran after her sister, with Brooks close on her heels, I wasn’t about to lose sight of the redhead who had captivated me. I breezed past Marlena, shoving my drink into her hands, leaving her stunned behind me, and rushed out.
“Is everything okay?” I asked when I finally reached Chelsea. I must have stunned her because she turned right into me, her hands landing on my pecs, causing fireworks to shoot off in my brain. I caught her up, steadying her, gripping her arms. Her face tilted up, and fuck, my lips were inches away from tasting her. My cock twitched in my pants, begging to know every little thing about this woman who made my heart run wild.
“Rex,” she whispered.
“Chelsea,” I whispered back. “What are you doing at my party?”
She blinked a few times, then stepped back, out of my hold. “Yourparty?”
“This is my family home. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to see you, just unexpected. Did you come with Brooks?” I smirked, still irritated.
Technically, she’s mine. I saw and talked to Chelsea first. Hell, we even had a speed date, an entire five minutes of her all to myself, before Brooks came along. Surely, he would understand and back off.
Or wait—did Chelsea have a thing for Brooks?
“No. We came as guests of the DJ. I had no idea you or Brooks would even be here.”
Thank fuck. “Can we talk?”
“Maybe later. Maisy’s run off. She’s upset at Archer’s ex showing up. If you don’t mind, I need to find her and make sure she’s okay. I think she headed down to the beach.” Her forehead lined with worry and concern for her sister—and that took precedence over anything else. I wasn’t such a jerk that I couldn’t put my needs aside for one minute, at least.
“Come on, I know a shortcut.” Whatever possessed me, I grabbed her hand and led her through the gardens and out a path I’d traversed since a boy every summer vacation visiting the property. She didn’t pull away, as if acknowledging to herself the hum of electricity sparking between our grip.
Something had been there with her since the beginning, teasing me to notice her, messing with me. Fuck, making me question my entire existence. I knew my reputation for being a billionaire playboy, and so did everyone else, as I’d lived it to the hilt for some time. But something about her made me want to slow down, take a long ride, and enjoy the view. My willpower to fight it wore thin.
Once we hit the beach, by the light of the moon, we stopped and looked up and down the shoreline, but no other shadowy figures were around. She pulled her hand away and texted someone. Damn, I wanted it back, but I peeked at the screen, where first the name of her sister lit up, then the name of Brooks last.
“Oh, where could she be?” she sighed. “Her face was soshocked. I can only imagine she’s hurting. If your friend hadn’t been leading her on when all this time he’s been pining away for his ex?—”
“Hey, I’ve known Archer for a long time. He’s a good man. As far as I know, he was ready to get back out there and find someone new. He had no way of knowing his ex would show up tonight.”
“If he’s such a good friend of yours, then please tell him to back off. Maisy is much too smart and has a big future ahead of her. She doesn’t need a man holding her back.”
“Wow. Overprotective much?” I regretted the tease when she rolled her eyes.
“Only because I know the pain of having your dreams interrupted.” She heaved a sigh and trudged away in the sand, carrying her heels in her hand.
“Where are you going?”
“For a walk on the beach. At least that’sonething I’ll get out of this trip to the Hamptons,” she yelled.
“Wait up. You shouldn’t walk alone.” I kept pace with her.
“Nowyou want to stay with me? You left abruptly from the speed date, from the opera, and, yesterday, from the deli. That woman you were talking with at the party—is she your girlfriend?”
“I don’t have a girlfriend.”
