“Really?” He pulled her flush so she could feel the length of him pressing into her. “You’re willing to have sex outside?”
“I did it in Baja.” But she hadn’t been Victoria Blackwood then. She’d been Tori Dubois, wild and free, with nothing to lose. Still, the urge to make love under the moonlight was too tempting to resist.
“Give me ten minutes.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’m going to wash up in the kitchen.”
“Perfect. I need to take pictures and send them to Missy. She’ll be thrilled.”
While Rafael took the plates and cups into the kitchen, Victoria examined each tree, making sure everything was in place. A feeling of pride swelled through her. Though she hadn’t done it on her own, she’d created the exact setting Missy had asked for. After adjusting a few of the ornaments, she circled the ballroom, photographed the trees in all their glory, and sent Missy the photos.
As she bent down to stack up the empty bins, someone smacked her in the butt. A stinging slap, so sharp and unexpected that she stumbled and fell, hitting her knee on the marble floor. Her pulse raced in a mix of fear and fury. Only one person had the gall to touch in such an intrusive way.
Ben stood over her, a mocking smile on his face. Like he was glad he’d knocked her off her axis. He looked as though he’d come from his office, but his button-down hung loose, his tie was askew, and his face had the reddened appearance of one too many drinks.
Despite the unease coursing through her, she tried to keep her voice steady. “Ben? What are you doing here?”
“Went to the bar after work with some buddies. Gotta enjoy my last few days of freedom.” He offered her his hand.
She took it but regretted her decision when he pulled her closer. The powerful aroma of rum made her wince. “I hope you weren’t driving. You should probably call a ride-share.”
He scanned the room and let out a low whistle. “Damn. That’s a lot of trees. You decorate them all?”
Why couldn’t he have shown up an hour earlier when she’d had Rafael’s family around to protect her? She tugged at her wrist, wishing he’d release his grip. “I had help. But now that I’m done, I’m about to head home.”
He held on tight. “What’s the hurry?”
She bit back the biting retort on the tip of her tongue. Responding in anger would only make him more aggressive. “Ben, please. It’s been a long day.”
Still gripping her wrist, he moved forward, forcing her back against the wall. A surge of pure, unmitigated rage took hold of her. After all the hours she’d spent working onhiswedding, the last thing she wanted to do was to fend off his drunken advances. “Go home. You’re getting married in three days.”
He groaned. “Don’t remind me. It’s all Missy ever talks about day and night. This damn wedding.”
For a fleeting moment, Victoria almost pitied him. It couldn’t be easy, putting up with Missy’s constant demands. Then again, he’d brought it on himself.
“It’s almost over,” she said. “In a few days, you can relax and enjoy married life.”
“With a baby on the way? Hardly. That’s why I need to cut loose tonight.” He leered at her. “You look sexy in those jeans. Like you might be up for a little fun.”
“Nope. I’m still the same cold fish you dumped for Missy.” She threw the words back in his face, still furious at his dismissive insult.
Ben laughed. “That bothered you, huh?”
“What doyouthink? I tried to give you what you wanted in bed. But it obviously wasn’t enough.”
“You didn’t try that hard. Because you didn’t give a shit about me.”
Where had that come from? Even if she desperately wanted him to leave, she couldn’t let his comment stand. “What are you talking about? You’re the one that cheated.”
“Because our whole engagement was bullshit. Just a way for you to impress your father. But when we were alone, you barely made an effort.”
A rush of guilt swelled through her. Had her ambivalence been that obvious? Though she’d tried to be a willing partner, her heart had never been in it. She’d experienced more passion with Rafael in a few short weeks than she’d felt with Ben in a year.
“I…I’m sorry,” she said.
His mouth curved up in a cruel smile. “You should be. But I’m willing to give you another chance.” He leaned in to kiss her, but she kicked out instinctively and made contact with his shin. He released her and rubbed his leg. “What the fuck, Victoria!”
In an instant, her remorse vanished. “I’m notthatsorry. Keep your hands off me.”
Rafael emerged from the kitchen but stopped short at the sight of them. Victoria caught his eye and gave a quick shake of her head, hoping he’d leave them alone. She could handle Ben on her own. If Rafael got involved, the scene was bound to get ugly.
