Page 92 of A Forever Love

“Sorry. I’ll make sure the next time I call you babe or darling or gorgeous or sunshine—”

“Stop!” She places her palm over my lips and her eyes blaze. “Don’t you forget any of those names, because later you’re going to repeat each one of them to me.”

I place a kiss on her palm before bringing it down from my face. “You got it. I can do that while I kiss every bit of you. A new name for every kiss.”

Merida’s cheeks flush crimson, but she does a good job at keeping her face straight. “Yeah, you do that.”

I gently tuck one of the red curls that has escaped her braid behind her ear, and my lips hover just above hers. “But for now, I can manage with just one…kiss.”

Her lips yield softly beneath mine. I savor the taste of her pink strawberry lip gloss, a newfound personal favorite. Merida’s fingers trace my cheeks, skimming over my spiked stubble. Ever since I realized she likes it, I’ve made sure to keep it.

A car pulls into the parking spot next to us, and Merida jumps in her seat. “Crap! It’s my workplace, Carter. You can’t kiss me like that here.”

“I don’t give a shit.” I smirk. “Especially when you’re enjoying every moment of it.”

“You’re insane.” She runs a hand through her hair and checks her lips and face in the passenger-side mirror.

“Let’s go on a dinner date tonight, mittens. I’ll make the reservations.”

Her eyes sparkle. “I’d love to go on a date with you. But can I please have a rain check? Clem’s planning a girls’ night since Dad and the other Kingsmen are having a daddy-daughter slumber party.”

Merida hops out of the passenger seat, and the wide smile fades from my face when I spot Brandon standing not far away. The coffee cup he’s holding is nothing but crushed paper now, the hot liquid spilling onto his hand and the ground.

I shift my car into drive and head toward the exit. His gaze meets mine. No smiles are exchanged, no pleasantries, just a lingering stare between us for several long moments before I turn away.

Yeah, I know you’re in love with my girl, asshole.

* * *

The day drags on, with Uncle Connor’s words replaying in my mind. Why the heck is he so fixated on the reason behind Merida’s leaving?

I find myself at a bar, revisiting her emails and texts from the past. Just as he mentioned, there’s a glaring four-year gap between the time Merida told me she had found the perfect prom dress and our next communication—the text I sent her about waiting in the garden on the day she returned back to town. I signal the waiter for another drink, briefly lifting my gaze to spot Brandon on the other side of the bar, hidden behind a book.

What’s going on lately? Have I become some sort of magnet for assholes? First, there’s Shawn Hades, who seems to appear everywhere like mushrooms after the rain, and now this guy.

I’m on the verge of ignoring him and looking away when our eyes lock. Instantly, his head swivels, scanning the surroundings. He can’t even pretend he’s not searching for her—my Merida—and that gesture ignites the flames of my agitation like kerosene.

I rise from my seat and stride toward him. “You and I need to talk.”

“No, thank you. As you can see, I’m busy right now.”

Fury simmers inside me, ready to erupt like a volcano. “Do you know what kind of men bring a book to a bar?”

That captures his attention. I can see his carotid artery pulsating with anger, but Brandon possesses the restraint of a monk. I’m not usually a jerk, but his calmness triggers something inside me, and the worst version of myself emerges.

“The kind who already know they won’t be able to pick up a girl at the bar.” I regret the words the moment they leave my mouth, but there’s no turning back now.

“Is that why you’re here, to pick up a girl? I knew it would happen eventually, but I guess I gave you too much credit. I thought now that you have Mere in your bed, you’d at least make her feel special for a few months. But boy was I wrong.”

“You son of a bitch.” Before my hands can find his collar, Brandon springs up from his seat.

Coward.

But he isn’t finished.

“You’re like a parasite, Carter. You drain all the life out of her, and when she has nothing left to give, you discard her like an old toy. But the moment she regains her strength, you’re back, ready to pounce. I hate that she needs you like you’re her oxygen. I despise that she relies on you, knowing you’re going to shatter her beyond repair once again.”

The anger hidden within his cryptic words momentarily stuns me, and it takes a moment to regain my voice. “What the fuck are you talking about?”