bed, he shot her a
narrow look. “Want some breakfast before I take you home?”
“No. I don’t think you should waste time on breakfast
either.”
He saw her slim reflection in the mirror over his dresser,
watched as she gathered her clothes. “And that means…?”
“Men. You are so clueless at times.” She pulled her black
dress on before she turned to meet his gaze in the reflection. “Last night wasn’t
about me. You didn’t even want me.”
He opened his mouth but she shook her head, holding up her
hand. “You called me by her name in the middle of the night. While you slept.
Now, I don’t need to hear your excuses and shit. I know how you feel
about her—I’ve known for a while, and I still keep chasing after you. Screw me.
I’m selfish.” She shrugged but there was an odd glint in her eyes as she
continued to watch him. “Normally I wouldn’t give a damn, but I like you. We’ve
been friends a good, long while and as your friend…”
“We’re not friends,” he growled.
She cocked a brow at him and continued as if he hadn’t
spoken. “As your friend, I have to tell you this. You’re losing her. I know
that look in her eye—I’ve seen it. It was the look in my eye for years before I
finally gave up on my husband and divorced him. You’re losing her. Is that what
you want ?”
Brogan swore. Skimming his hand back over his naked scalp,
he shook his head. “I can’t lose what isn’t mine. She’s not mine. Lacey and I
don’t have anything…”
“Isn’t she?” She lifted a brow. “If that’s your story, fine.”
She paused and then said softly, “But I saw her face last night. If you hadn’t
called me by her name, I wouldn’t worry about it. But you did. You care for
her—and you’re losing her.”
Those words were like a punch to his heart. Was she…
No. Shit. “Grace, this doesn’t concern you.” Lacey and he
had an arrangement, just as he and Grace did. They fit each other sexually. Sometimes.
But that was it.
“You’ve hidden from life long enough, don’t you think?” For
the longest time, she stared at him. “Not everybody is out to screw you over.”
Chapter Two
“You’re really moving?”
Lacey bit back a smile. It was only the tenth time Rocki had
asked. “It’s the right thing to do.”
She gathered up the neat rolls of corsets that lined one
shelf of her closet. She’d be helping a friend with his bar in Lexington,
mixing drinks at her new job, and although she wasn’t about to wear her really
nice corsets, she had plenty of casual ones that would do the trick just fine.
Cotton and canvas would hold up to spilled alcohol a lot better than silk and
lace would.
“Not permanently, right?”
“Baby, she isn’t doing this just to torment you, ya know.” Rocki’s
fiancé, Cole Stanton, hugged her, rubbing his cheek against her hair.
“Of course not. I’ve got better ways of doing that.” Lacey
forced a smile. It faded fast, though, leaving her staring at Rocki with solemn
eyes. “I’ve gotta get away for a while, sweetie. I have to.”
Brogan had called three times. She had ignored the first
two. The third one, he’d invited her to the cabin.
The cabin—a month ago, that would have delighted her. He
went to his little place in the mountains every other weekend, and he rarely
wanted company.
But it was too late. Finally, the anger had worked its way
through the pain, through the humiliation, and it was going to take a hell of a
lot more than a trip to his cabin to get through to her. She already knew that
wasn’t going to happen, either. If he wanted her back, he’d actually have to give her something and she wasn’t talking gifts. She wanted him .
Brogan didn’t believe in sharing pieces of himself.
Instead of telling him off as she wanted, though, she’d
lied.
Taking the coward’s way burned a little, but if she’d given
him any indication she was leaving, he’d have come over there and she felt too
raw to face him
narrow look. “Want some breakfast before I take you home?”
“No. I don’t think you should waste time on breakfast
either.”
He saw her slim reflection in the mirror over his dresser,
watched as she gathered her clothes. “And that means…?”
“Men. You are so clueless at times.” She pulled her black
dress on before she turned to meet his gaze in the reflection. “Last night wasn’t
about me. You didn’t even want me.”
He opened his mouth but she shook her head, holding up her
hand. “You called me by her name in the middle of the night. While you slept.
Now, I don’t need to hear your excuses and shit. I know how you feel
about her—I’ve known for a while, and I still keep chasing after you. Screw me.
I’m selfish.” She shrugged but there was an odd glint in her eyes as she
continued to watch him. “Normally I wouldn’t give a damn, but I like you. We’ve
been friends a good, long while and as your friend…”
“We’re not friends,” he growled.
She cocked a brow at him and continued as if he hadn’t
spoken. “As your friend, I have to tell you this. You’re losing her. I know
that look in her eye—I’ve seen it. It was the look in my eye for years before I
finally gave up on my husband and divorced him. You’re losing her. Is that what
you want ?”
Brogan swore. Skimming his hand back over his naked scalp,
he shook his head. “I can’t lose what isn’t mine. She’s not mine. Lacey and I
don’t have anything…”
“Isn’t she?” She lifted a brow. “If that’s your story, fine.”
She paused and then said softly, “But I saw her face last night. If you hadn’t
called me by her name, I wouldn’t worry about it. But you did. You care for
her—and you’re losing her.”
Those words were like a punch to his heart. Was she…
No. Shit. “Grace, this doesn’t concern you.” Lacey and he
had an arrangement, just as he and Grace did. They fit each other sexually. Sometimes.
But that was it.
“You’ve hidden from life long enough, don’t you think?” For
the longest time, she stared at him. “Not everybody is out to screw you over.”
Chapter Two
“You’re really moving?”
Lacey bit back a smile. It was only the tenth time Rocki had
asked. “It’s the right thing to do.”
She gathered up the neat rolls of corsets that lined one
shelf of her closet. She’d be helping a friend with his bar in Lexington,
mixing drinks at her new job, and although she wasn’t about to wear her really
nice corsets, she had plenty of casual ones that would do the trick just fine.
Cotton and canvas would hold up to spilled alcohol a lot better than silk and
lace would.
“Not permanently, right?”
“Baby, she isn’t doing this just to torment you, ya know.” Rocki’s
fiancé, Cole Stanton, hugged her, rubbing his cheek against her hair.
“Of course not. I’ve got better ways of doing that.” Lacey
forced a smile. It faded fast, though, leaving her staring at Rocki with solemn
eyes. “I’ve gotta get away for a while, sweetie. I have to.”
Brogan had called three times. She had ignored the first
two. The third one, he’d invited her to the cabin.
The cabin—a month ago, that would have delighted her. He
went to his little place in the mountains every other weekend, and he rarely
wanted company.
But it was too late. Finally, the anger had worked its way
through the pain, through the humiliation, and it was going to take a hell of a
lot more than a trip to his cabin to get through to her. She already knew that
wasn’t going to happen, either. If he wanted her back, he’d actually have to give her something and she wasn’t talking gifts. She wanted him .
Brogan didn’t believe in sharing pieces of himself.
Instead of telling him off as she wanted, though, she’d
lied.
Taking the coward’s way burned a little, but if she’d given
him any indication she was leaving, he’d have come over there and she felt too
raw to face him
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