More Than Lies (More Than #1)(95)

Kammy leans down, slides her hand up my chest, and whispers for only me to hear. “Can’t we have some fun together tonight? I’ve missed your cock.” My eyes snap up to hers where she is smiling down at me. Damn it.

I grab her around the shoulders and push gently, making her move backwards as I sit up.

“Sorry, Kam.” I shake my head. “Not going to happen.” Her smile falls. “I’m seeing someone.” Her lips turn into a frown. If this is what it’s going to take to get Tara back in my arms, then it’s what I’ll have to do. Fuck the consequences because I want her far too much to let her go now.

“You don’t have to lie to me, Shawn. If you don’t want to fuck me, just say so.” She stands, turns, and stalks off before I’m able to say anything else.

I do the same, heading in the opposite direction. Tara is walking up the steps, bypassing the back door and making her way across the wrap-around style porch toward the front.

I jog to catch up with her in time to see her stop just before rounding the corner as if something caught her attention.

“Tara, wait!” I call out to her, but she throws up her hand as if she wants me to be quiet. I don’t say anything else and she doesn’t move or turn toward me as I near her. When I’m standing behind her, I place my palm over her hip. It’s not skin-to-skin contact, but it’ll do until I’m able to convince her to give us another chance.

With my other hand I pull her hair away from her cheek, pushing the strands to the other side so I can see her face. She looks a bit shocked or surprised, but sad, too. It’s then I hear a solitary voice close by, and follow the sound with my eyes, focusing in the same direction as Tara’s incredulous gaze.

Preston is sitting on the steps on the front side of the house, talking on his cell phone. I pull Tara an inch closer into my body as we eavesdrop on Preston together.

“Dude, what about she’s Jacob Evans’ daughter did you not understand? She doesn’t have to be my type for me to fuck her, or even marry her. She is exactly what I need to fast track my partnership. I don’t want to wait years. I want it now. Do you think, if I marry his daughter, that he’s going to allow his son-in-law to remain a junior partner in his law firm? Hell no.” He pauses, listening on the other end. “She has a pretty face. All she needs is a personal trainer to tackle that ass, and she’d make the perfect little housewife. I mean, have you seen the rack on her?” After a second, he laughs. My hand tightens around Tara. That motherfucker is about to get the shit beat out of him.

When he ends his call, he stands. I release Tara to go kick his ass, but she knows what I’m about to do and throws her arm out in front of my path. I could easily push through her, but respect for her outweighs my rage, so I don’t. Preston walks into the house without realizing anyone overheard him.

Tara turns to face me. When she looks up, a tear rolls down her face. I want to murder him for hurting her this way. Tara’s always been a little too self-conscious when it comes to her body. Probably has something to do with the evil bitch she’s forced to call mother.

“Is that all you see, too? A chunky girl with a pretty face and big boobs?” Her voice cracks.

“You want to know what I see, baby?” She lowers her face toward the ground, but I lift her chin up, forcing her eyes to look into mine as I say, “I’ll show you. Then, tomorrow, I’ll make that pathetic little bitch of a man wish he never laid eyes on you.” On what’s mine.

I don’t give Tara a fleeting moment to deny me. I grasp her wrist and pull her behind me as I round the corner, heading in the direction of the front door. If Tara didn’t need me more right now, I’d find that pretentious motherfucker and bury his ass.

Walking through the door, I make quick strides through the house until I reach the master bedroom. She may not realize it yet, but she is staying with me tonight.

And every night hereafter.

Pulling her inside, I close and lock the door. My brother and Kylie are supposed to arrive in the morning, and I don’t want him to walk in on us again like he did a few months ago. It’s not because I’m hiding anything this time. I just don’t want anyone seeing her in the same intimate way that I do. That is for me and me alone.

There is a full-length mirror on the backside of the door that leads into the bathroom. I take Tara and stand her in front of the mirror.

“What are you doing?” I step behind her, placing both hands on her hips. She looks at me from over her shoulder.

“I’m going to show you what I see.” I glide my hands up and grasp the hem of her shirt. “Now get naked.”

“What?” She tries to pull away, but I don’t let her.

“Either you can strip, or I’ll strip you myself.” I smile, hoping for the latter.

When she takes too long, I make the decision for her and pull her shirt over her head, tossing it behind me. She’ll cringe if she realizes I did that. I’ll just have to keep her distracted, I hook my thumbs into the waistband of her pants and pull down. She watches me through the mirror, fascinated by what I’m doing. I bend, taking them all the way to the floor.

As I stand back up, I glide my hands up the outsides of her legs, over her hips, and come to a stop at her waist, all the while watching her in the mirror. She’s beautiful standing in front of me in navy panties and a matching bra. The color matches her gorgeous eyes. They are sexy as hell on her. I almost hate to remove them. Almost.