Page 29 of Reckless Love

RHODES

Now

It’slike an endless cycle with me and Elle, one that she has no idea she’s on…where I’m about to lay out my feelings for her and I get cockblocked. In college it was Alfie and a few other guys…and for the past few years, it’s been Bernard. When I see him put his hand on Elle’s arm at Bree’s reception, I don’t do the same thing I’ve always done.

I get my ass over there and put my arm around Elle’s shoulder. I can hear her quick intake of breath and the way she stiffens at first, but then she leans into me and it feels so good, so right.

Her red dress hugs her curves like a glove. She looks like a goddess tonight. When her skin and hair brush against my hand, they feel like silk.

Bernard clears his throat and I reluctantly pull my gaze from Elle’s. For a second, I’d forgotten Bernard was here. He stares at me with his bulgy eyes, his nose and lip already curling in distaste at the sight of me. He looks between the two of us like he’s about to be sick.

I see you, motherfucker. I see right fucking through you.

“You couldn’t wait five seconds to get your hands on her, could you?” he says between his teeth.

“Regardless of what you’ve always believed, Elle is not an object.” My voice is level and calm, but inside I’m raging.

He’s a fucking narcissist dressed up in a nice suit, who says all the right things to her parents, while treating Elle like shit. The night she broke up with him was one of the happiest nights of my life.

I’m surprised when Elle’s hand splays across my chest. My hand skims down her back and lands on her waist and she leans deeper into me. We feel like a force staring down Bernard and this is the only way I ever want to face the man again.

“Bernard! I’m surprised to see you here.”

Another surprise is how calm and friendly Elle sounds to Bernard…while her hand moves over mine, her thumb caressing my skin.

“I came as Marissa’s plus one.” He points toward hiscousin across the winery, his eyes never leaving us. “So, what…the two of you are together now?”

My mouth parts, but before I can say anything, Elle does.

“Yes, we are,” she says.

Holy hell.

My insides go on a dancing spree, leaping all over the place, before realizing,Oh right, this is to throw off Bernard. This is not real. Hard-on, abort. Heart elation, dial down.

But I can’t help but go with it in the moment.

I tilt Elle’s chin up and press my lips to hers, and even though it’s only a few seconds long and I don’t go in deep like I’m dying to, fucking butterflies burst out of my chest, and I swear I can hear violins swelling to a huge crescendo even after our lips part. She stares up at me in shock, and I grin at her and then back at Bernard.

The way Bernard looks like he’s been hit in the gut is really fucking satisfying. He smooths back his blond hair and loosens his tie before taking a step closer to Elle.

“You really want to do this, Elle? You know he’s going to get tired of you and move on to the next bed like he always does.”

I reach out to grip his shoulder and Elle puts her hand over mine, pinning me with her gaze.

“Don’t make a scene,” she says, her eyes pleading with me.

I shoot her what I hope is a reassuring look, but when I face Bernard again, it’s through gritted teeth, my hand still on his shoulder.

“I’m not going to even honor your statement with a response. I don’t give a fuck the way you talk about me, but the way you’re putting down this woman that I love while doing so? I’m not okay with that at all.” I squeeze hisshoulder again before letting go. “She doesn’t want us to make a scene, so we won’t.” I look at Elle. “Are you ready for that dance?”

She nods, and when I smile at her, she smiles back, giving my heart another race around the block. We move to the dance floor and her hands loop around my neck, while mine tug her waist close to me. We don’t say anything for a minute, our bodies moving in time with the music.

If all Elle and I ever did was dance together, the world would be a perfect place. I don’t know how, but being near Elle makes my heart rate skyrocket to the heavens, and yet it also calms my entire nervous system. I don’t know how it’s possible, but it’s always been true.

“I’m sorry about that back there,” she finally says, looking up at me.

“You don’t ever need to apologize to me for Bernard’s behavior.”