Page 81 of Fumbled Beginning

As if Diego could read my mind, he lifted my chin. “Girl, you need to get out of this slump. Your problems will be waiting for you when you get home tomorrow. Try to have a little fun.”

“I miss him.” I swayed to the side a little as I said it.

Now that I had a little space and time to think, my heart was filling up with a bit of remorse for how I treated him. I don’t know what possessed me to be so cold to him before I left, but I regretted it, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it until I landed back in Atlanta.

“We should go back,” Diego said into my ear as a slow song started playing.

My gaze moved around the dance floor, taking in all the couples swaying to the music. God, I was a mess. I closed my eyes and tried to let the music settle my mind. Despite my best efforts, my thoughts drifted back to JP and how we left things.

“No, let’s just dance,” I said, resting my hand on his shoulder, wishing it belonged to someone else.

He stepped back, causing my hand to fall to the side. “Rylee, I would love to, but I gotta take a piss.”

“Can’t you hold it for five more minutes?”

He gave me a look. “Did you see all those beers I drank?”

“But I love this song. I want to dance to one more. Please, Diego.”

A hand landed on Diego’s shoulder. “I can take it from here.”

My eyes flicked to Diego, and I pleaded with him not to leave me alone with my ex. I didn’t like the way Dom had been watching me tonight.

Diego leaned in and whispered, “I know you’re using me as a buffer, but I really am close to pissing my pants.”

I gave my friend the evil eye and turned to Dom. “That’s okay, I’m ready for a break anyway.”

His stare was unwavering. “You were just begging Diego for one more song. You really can’t spare me one dance?”

He has been trying to give me space and hasn’t done anything terrible. Maybe we could find some middle ground and manage to move forward.

Diego grabbed my arm and leaned in. “I’ll be quick.”

I hesitated before I finally gave in. “Okay.”

“Come on, Rylee. I know how much you love to dance.” Dom wrapped his hand around mine and I tried not to squirm uncomfortably in his grasp. Maybe I was overacting, but this felt like a really bad idea.

Dom slid his hands along my hips while I kept the drink in one hand and the other on his shoulder. That was as close as we were going to get. Our bodies moved in sync with the beat while I kept my gaze everywhere but on him. But oh, how I could feel his eyes rake down my body, doing a slow sweep. Whenever he tried to move in an inch, I would move back. Dom and I have danced many times, but his arms weren’t the ones I wanted touching me. Everything about this felt wrong.

“Dom,” I started backing away, “I can’t, I’m sorry.”

“Wait.” He reached for my hand. “Tell me you didn’t feel anything just now.”

Was he insane?

“The only thing I felt was regret because I never should have danced with you in the first place.”

He grabbed my chin. “I don’t believe you.”

I could smell the whiskey on his breath, and every hair on end stood at attention. “Get your hands off me.”

“Not before I do this.” He slammed his mouth down on mine, catching me completely off guard. It took my brain a minute to realize what was happening. When he tried to part my lips open, I shoved him back.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” My hand went to my lips as I tried to wipe the taste of the kiss away. JP would kill him.

He held his hand up in surrender. “Whoa, calm down, it was just a kiss. Nothing we haven’t done before.”

My eyes burned with tears. I was not an emotional person, but I was in love with someone else, and the thought of another man’s lips on mine made me sick to my stomach. “I have a boyfriend, and even if I didn’t you don’t kiss me without my permission.”

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