Page 25 of Princes of Hollywood

My hand trembles as I hit the button.

That’s exactly what I said last time I entered this elevator. A laugh escapes me as the doors shut, and then the tears fall like someone turned them on after all these years.

“Don’t cry over him, poppet. It’s not worth it.” He drops the bags on the floor and pulls me into his arms, wrapping them around me. A sob breaks out.

How long had it been since I was hugged? More tears cascade out as I bury my face in his shirt.

“I’m sure he was a lovely guy, but you’ll get over him.” His hand rubs up and down my back. The tears keep falling, and I can’t stop to tell him it’s not about Chad. It’s about him.

“Poppet, I don’t do well with tears. Do you want me to go rough him up more? How about another orgasm? Can I buy you a new car?”

A giggle breaks through as I try to rein in my emotions, but he’s unlocked a floodgate I didn’t know I’d been holding closed.

“Greer,” he says quietly, and kisses the top of my head.

The elevator stops and he lifts me up against him. I wrap around him and rest my head against his heart as he carries me to my car. His fingers dig into my pocket for my keys, but he never puts me down.

“I hope this isn’t about that asshole, because you can do a lot better,” he mumbles as he opens the trunk and puts my bags in it. “You have four guys willing to do whatever you want done to you for the next year or so. That’s got to make you a little happy, right?”

My fingers wrap into his damp shirt. His hand covers my head as I take in a shuddering breath.

“You want to tell me what this is about?” Roarke leans back against my car with me still clinging to him. “I’m definitely not as good at this stuff as Aiden or Wyatt, but I definitely excel at it compared to Mason.”

I breathe in his sandalwood cologne and begin to box back up my emotions. When I relax my legs, Roarke keeps me up against him.

“Come on. We’re in the creepy dungeon where no truths are allowed to escape.” Roarke tips my chin up and searches my eyes. His thumb rubs through the tears. “I’m sorry if I messed up your chance of reuniting with the fucking asshole.”

“That’s not it.” I wipe at my face with my hands and shake my head. “It’s just…”

“Creepy dungeon, poppet. Spill.”

I search his blue eyes and see that he’s here and being nice. I can be honest about this. “No one has stood up for me in a really, really long time. So thank you.”

I lean in and kiss him on the lips. When I pull back, his brow is still furrowed.

“Can you put me down so we can head back?” I ask softly. He looks confused about something, but that’s just me. People don’t usually know what to do with me.

“Of course.” He lowers my feet to the ground and brushes a stray tear from my cheek. His hand holds my hip, keeping me close to him. “How long?”

I tip my head to the side. “How long what?”

“How long since someone stood up for you?”

I want to reach up and fix the wrinkles in his forehead. I shrug. “Before my dad left, probably.” I blow out a breath. “It’s okay. I have it under control. I’m used to it. You just surprised me. It won’t happen again.”

It shouldn’t have happened this time. He just caught me off guard. I’ll be prepared next time he does something unexpectedly nice and won’t dissolve into tears.

His blue eyes narrow, but he straightens and holds out the keys. “You going to drive this bucket of bolts home or what?”

I take the keys and flash him a grin, thankful he’s letting this go. “She’s a perfectly good car. I don’t need you to buy me a new one.”

We both get in and she starts up, no problem.

“That offer was based on my emotional distress.” He grins and puts his hand on my thigh. “But I’m definitely on board to give you another orgasm.”

A little thrill goes through me. “Maybe we should wait until we know each other better.”

He laughs. “That’s how I get to know women, poppet. One orgasm at a time.”

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