Cruel Fortune (Cruel #2)(33)

Then he leaned down and brought our lips together in a searing kiss that spoke of how much he had missed me the last couple of weeks. Dear god, the man could kiss. His lips were pouty and soft and warm. His tongue an adventure. His fingers dug into flesh.

A groan escaped my mouth, and he smiled against my lips. A smile that said he knew exactly what he was doing and how he was doing it.

“I like that sound,” he murmured against my lips.

“Mmm,” I acknowledged.

A whistle came in our direction, and we broke apart with a laugh as we realized that people had been catcalling our kiss.

“Got a little carried away,” I said.

Then, he dipped down and captured my lips one more time. “Can’t get enough of that.”

I blushed at his comment and dipped my chin.

But Lewis tilted my chin back up to meet his chocolate gaze. “I know that you just got here, Nat, but I want to see more of you. I want more. I want you.”

My throat tightened. I did want to see more of Lewis. I liked being around him. God, I’d loved our conversations the last couple of weeks and this…date and, god, that kiss. But something held my tongue like peanut butter sticking to the roof of my mouth.

His eyes darted across my face as if waiting for an answer. “You want that, too,” he insisted.

“I do,” I got out finally, hesitantly.

“But?”

I shook my head and glanced away. I really didn’t want to talk about this. The reason I was cautious had already moved on. Why was I torturing myself by bringing it up?

“It’s…I don’t know…complicated.”

His thumb stroked my jawline and turned my chin to make me look back at him. “It doesn’t have to be complicated. Talk to me.”

“It’s Penn,” I whispered.

Lewis sighed. “Ah. Competing with Penn Kensington. What else is new?”

“No,” I said quickly. “That’s not what I meant. Not at all. There’s nothing between me and Penn anymore. But he’s your best friend.”

“He is. He’s moved on. Why shouldn’t you? After how he treated you, you should find someone who will treat you like a goddess. And I have every intention of doing just that, Natalie, if you’ll let me.”

“I believe you, but it’s more than just you. I don’t know if I’m ready to fake it till I make it on the Upper East Side. I moved back to Charleston to get away from it.”

“Not everything is galas and club openings. We could start small and easy. We don’t have to do anything overwhelming. You had fun at Tilted Glass with me and Jane.”

I nodded. “I did.”

“I don’t care what we do together. I just want to see you, and I want you to be happy. Everything else is secondary.”

Something in his words struck a chord with me. I’d enjoyed myself with him and Jane. I didn’t have to suddenly start a charity or become a socialite or pander to idiots. I could just be me. Go on dates with the guy who claimed to want to worship me and hang out with my friend who loved dirty martinis and just be me. While those other things happened to coincide with the Upper East Side. I could have one foot in each world.

“All right. Let’s take the social aspect slow. I’d like that.” I stared up at him, raw with emotion. “And…I want this.”

He smiled brightly as if he’d won a grand prize and then pulled me into another fierce kiss.





Penn





14





I passed through security at City Hall and moved like a thunderstorm through the hallways. It had taken me nearly an hour to cut through traffic from Columbia through downtown before ending up in my mother’s building. An hour to stew over that goddamn picture on Crew.

Thankfully, my mother was out for the day. Running into her, even in her own domain, would have been catastrophic for the both of us. When my temper ran hot, it was best to stay out of the way until it blew over. And my mother was like gasoline to my flames.

“Mr. Kensington,” a woman chirped in recognition at my approach. “Lark is with someone right now. I’ll let her know you’re here.”

“I’ll tell her myself.”

Then, I walked right past her desk and into Lark’s office. I recognized the man seated there on sight. Thomas Prichard. An excellent choice when I felt like running my fist into someone’s face. Especially since the person I really wanted to hit happened to be my best friend.

“What the fuck is going on here?” I demanded.

Thomas had both of his hands on Lark’s desk and was leaning over her as if he could smother her existence even more than he already had. When he heard my voice, he whirled around to face me.

“Oh, look, a Kensington to the rescue.”

“Thomas, stop,” Lark said in that weak voice that I hated from her. She was the strongest of us all, except when it came to him.

“We were just having a nice chat,” Thomas said. “No need to get your panties in a twist.”

“I think it would be best if you left Lark alone,” I said, low and menacing. “You might think you’re untouchable, but you’re not.”

Thomas laughed and then winked at Lark. “Think about it. It could work.”