Broken Juliet(77)

He laughs, then groans. “That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day. He coming tonight?”

“Yep. Bringing his new boyfriend.”

“Oh, good. I’d really like to put a face to the inappropriate descriptions of his ass.”

“Likewise.”

He sits up and sighs. “I see Connor sent you roses.”

My heart falters. “Uh … you did?”

“Yeah, he was dropping them off at the stage door when I arrived.”

“Uh huh. So … you talked to him?”

“Yeah. He wished us both luck.”

“You seem very calm about it.”

“I am.” I give him a skeptical look, and he waves me off. “Connor was a blip on our radar. Despite my fantasizing about beating the shit out of him on the regular, he’s a nice guy. The only thing he ever did wrong was take a liking to the girl of my dreams. Can’t really blame him for that. You are f*cking spectacular.”

“So you’re okay with him sending me flowers?”

“Yep. He can send you all the flowers he wants. At the end of the night, I’m the one taking you home.”

“Well, you walk me home.”

“Semantics. I take you back to your apartment, then we say good-night at the door and share a marathon hug that ensures I’ll be hard for hours afterward.”

I laugh. “Hours? Really?” He glares, and I drop my smile. “I’m sorry. You must be frustrated.”

“Nope. I’m fine. Because I know that one night, you’re going to invite me in, and on that night, I’m going to make sweet love to you for hours on end, and Connor will be nowhere to be found. At least, I hope he won’t. If he were, that would be creepy.”

I laugh, and when I go over to him, he pulls on my hand until I’m straddling him. I balk for about three seconds before admitting to myself that I need this. I need him. Of all the things to be worried about tonight, he’s not one of them.

He moves beneath me and makes a noise.

“Am I hurting you?” I ask.

“No. What you’re doing is the opposite of hurting. God, you feel good.”

I snuggle into his neck, and he wraps his arms around me. Within two minutes, our breathing is synchronized, and my nerves have calmed.

There’s a brief knock on the door, and I murmur, “Come in.”

I crack my eyes open to see Marco standing in the doorway, staring at us.

“What on earth are you two doing?”

In unison, Ethan and I say, “Focusing.”

Marco blinks and shakes his head. “Erika certainly taught you some interesting techniques at that school. Still, whatever works. I was going to wish you both luck for tonight, but I don’t really need to because I know you’ll be magnificent.”

Ethan says, “Thanks. We know,” and tightens his arms around me. If I weren’t so relaxed, I’d giggle.

“Well, all right then. Have a wonderful show, and I’ll see you afterward.”

“Bye, Marco.”

When he closes the door, we both sigh.

“I pity those reviewers,” Ethan says.

“Why?”

“Because by the time we’re finished with them, they’re going to run out of superlatives for how f*cking awesome we are.”

I smile against his neck. “So true.”



Three Years Earlier

Westchester, New York

The Grove

Night of the Senior Showcase

The after-party is manic. Everyone is decompressing so hard, all sense of being civilized has flown out the window. The air heaves with primal energy. People throw back alcohol amid thick clouds of marijuana smoke, and I see things being done in public that should be kept private.

Ethan’s on the other side of the room talking to Avery and Lucas but glancing at me intermittently. It’s obvious he’s angry about tonight. No problem. So am I.

“Trouble in paradise?” Ruby asks as she drapes her arm around my shoulders.

I roll my eyes. “Men. Why are they so stupid?”

“To make us look smart? I take it Holt didn’t dig your little scene with Connor.”

“Not at all.”

“Well, to be fair, it was pretty steamy. And let’s be honest, Connor is all kinds of easy on the eyes. If I were Holt, I’d be pretty pissed, too.”

“Ruby—”

“Just saying.”

I grab her beer and take a swig. “I’m just glad it’s done. Maybe now he can get over it. I’m so tired of having to defend myself over nothing.”

“I hear you. There’s nothing more draining than having to constantly deflect suspicion. I had an ex-boyfriend who accused me of cheating every time he saw me so much as talk to another guy.”

“Really? How did you deal with him?”

“I cut him some slack. After all, I was f*cking several other dudes.”

I hand her back her beer. “You’re not helping.”

“Oh, honey, lighten up. Go get your man, take him back to our place, and screw his brains out. In the morning he won’t even remember why he was so pissed.”

“You think?”

“Well, it is Holt. He has a talent for holding on to things. Maybe throw in a morning blow job for good measure.”