Page 64 of Bourbon Truths
I froze and my hand instantly retreated from Pepper’s back as if she’d burned me. Not taking my aviators off, I looked up to see Lyla standing in front of us with a fake smile on her face. Even though I told myself not to check her out, my eyes betrayed me as I took in white shorts that showcased her gorgeous legs and a mint green T-shirt that dipped too fucking low in the front. She wore a pair of brown sandals that matched the belt she was wearing. Her hair was up in a ponytail, exposing her neck, her silky, caramel-colored neck, which enticed the fuck out of me.
She was breathtaking.
“Hey, Lyla,” Pepper said with a little too much cheer in her voice. She gave Lyla a hug. While Lyla wrapped her arms around Pepper, she maintained eye contact with me, searing me with her green eyes. From the way her jaw twitched and the hard set of her brow, I saw she was not happy. I didn’t blame her.
“Hey, Pepper,” Lyla practically whispered. “What are you two doing here?”
“Shopping,” Pepper answered innocently, not knowing the history between Lyla and me. “What are you up to, girl? We haven’t seen you in a while. Are you not working out with us anymore?”
Interesting. Lyla had stopped working out with the other girls, even though she still had access to all the amenities. Was that because of me?
Of course it was because of me. She was best friends with Goldie. The only reason Lyla wouldn’t be working out was because she was worried I would be in the vicinity.
Lyla shrugged. “I like to do my own thing.”
As Lyla and Pepper continued their small talk, I left their conversation and considered Lyla’s pink glossed lips glistening in the sun. Images of them sliding over my cock, over my rock hard body, over my own lips, ran through my mind. Yearning took up a place inside the pit of my stomach, and I itched to reach out to her. I not only wanted this woman, but I needed her.
Standing a few feet away from her, I felt the pull of our souls, the heady urge to claim her as mine. It was undeniable. Lyla was my other half. I’d known it from the moment I met her. I’d known she was supposed to challenge me, understand me, and give me everything I ever wanted. That was why I couldn’t love her, why I couldn’t be with her. There was no place on this earth for my happiness.
“How are you, Kace,” Lyla asked, taking me out of my thoughts.
“Fine,” I responded, not elaborating.
“Doing some shopping?”
“Looking for a present,” I answered.
She nodded. “Well, I guess I will leave you two to your date.”
Date? Oh hell.
“Not a date,” Pepper and I said at the same time.
Lyla smiled. “Could have fooled me.”
And then she walked away. I watched her retreat, her short shorts dancing dangerously with her ass cheeks. I wanted to rip her out of the crowd and block her from view of all the other men in the vicinity. I hated that she flaunted her body for the whole world to see. I hated that she worked at a fucking strip club, where men could see what belonged to me.
Fuck, what should belong to me. A tidal wave of torment attacked me as I tried to steady my beating heart.
“Hey, you okay?” Pepper asked, gripping my hand.
“No,” I replied, looking after Lyla.
Before I could stop myself, I moved forward until I stood right behind Lyla. “Lyla….”
She turned slowly, gripping her purse with one hand and putting the other in her pocket, striking a casual pose even though the tension between us was palpable.
“Can I help you?” she asked.
Fuck, what did I want to say? Many thoughts ran through my mind.
Forgive me.
Be with me.
Fucking save me.
But I couldn’t speak any of those truths.
