Page 33 of Should've Been Us
It was crazy. She was crazy. She couldn’t want Connor, couldn’t ache to feel his hands on her again, couldn’t yearn for his taste. She couldn’t actually be considering letting him be right and going to him tonight but God, hewasright.
She wantedConnor.
“Well that’s afirst.”
“What?” Lulu’s voice came out shrill again and she had to fight down a surge ofpanic.
Had Derek read her mind? Did he know? Could he tell that things between her and Connor hadchanged?
“If you and Con weren’t fighting, that’s a first.” Derek only smiled easily and perfectly executed a complicated turn in the dance they were learning. “Usually you two are at each other’sthroats.”
“Oh, that… yeah.” She tried to steady herself andfocus.
“I’m glad you two seem to be getting along a little better. I’ve always wished you two were better friends. That’s why, when he asked to be paired with you this week, I went ahead and said yes even though I worried you’d end up killing eachother.”
Her eyebrows shot skyward, “Wait, what? He asked to be paired withme?”
“For all the buddy games, yeah. He wanted you two to be partners. It’s why you’re roomed together in the bungalows too. He thought maybe you two could find a way to be friends if you were in forced proximity.” Derek laughed, completely missing her shocked expression, “I thought you’d ask for a room change within the first eight hours but… I guess he wasright.”
Lulu gaped at the things she was hearing. Connor had asked to be paired with her. He’d wanted to be near her. He hadn’t been lying. He had been working an angle but it wasn’t at all the one she’d thought he was working. Even when she’d said she was going to murder Derek for putting them together, Connor had let her believe that he had no say in the matter but he had. He’d wanted this. He’d wanted her. Just like he said hedid.
“…and it was nice knowing he would look out for you while I was busy with my grooms duties and making sure Aubrey was taken care of.” Derek was still talking and Lulu caught back up to what he was saying when he smiled, “You two have always been like oil and water but if I can’t look after you, I’m glad that Connor is there to do it. He’s a goodguy.”
“He’s a pain in the ass.” Lulu retorted automatically, her eyes drifting to the man they werediscussing.
“Well, yeah, he’s that too.” Derek laughed, “But he means well. He’s probably the most honest person I’ve ever met. He doesn’t beat around the bush. He’ll tell you the truth even if you don’t want to hear it. He can be rough around the edges but ultimately, he’s only ever doing what he thinks isright.”
Jesus, Lulu bit into her bottom lip. She remembered at dinner the previous night when Aubrey had called Connor laid-back and Lulu had wondered if the woman knew him at all. Now, just a day later, she couldn’t help but wonder if shedid.
It was like, all this time, he’d been wearing a mask, or rather, maybe she had. Maybe she’d been wearing blinders when it came to him. They’d been ripped off today and now, for the first time, she truly sawConnor.
She’d hated him for so long just because he told her things she didn’t want to face. But he’d been right. She just hated to admit when he was right. She didn’t hate him. She hated what he’d represented to her. Letting go of Derek, admitting she was wrong, accepting that everything she’d wanted would never behers.
Connor turned suddenly with his new dance partner, as if he could sense her gaze on him. He caught her staring and his smile widened knowingly. He shot her a quick wink and she rolled her eyes before lookingaway.
Cocky bastard. She shouldn’t want him even more knowing he’d been looking after her all this time but she did. God help her, she thought she really might prove him right once and for all and go to himtonight.
The way he’d kissed her, the way he’d touched her, the way he’d looked at her ever since… she felt wanted for the first time in so long and that was something she feared could become really, really addicting if she gave him half achance.
