Page 8 of Four Money (Ever and Always 1)

Holly didn’t usually knock them back, but she figured the evening—and the discussion they were about to have—might call for one, or three. “Do you think they have beer? Or is that too tame for this crowd?”

Trent’s smile lit up his whole face and turned his eyes from overcast to a clear summer day. “At a soiree like this, I’m pretty sure they’d brew it for you if they didn’t already have a dozen on tap to choose from. I’ll be right back. And I’ll grab some dessert too.”

As he strode toward the open bar by way of a tower of chocolate heaven, she wondered how Trent suddenly came off as the world’s most perfect man. Tight ass in those jeans included. Maybe they should change the saying toWhat happened on the strip…”

Because she had a feeling she was about to take a walk even further on the wild side than she already had that evening. And suddenly she was looking forward to the journey.

4

Trent scrubbed his hand through his hair. Holly fucking Hendricks. Of all the women he hadn’t expected to see that night, it had to be her. The sweet girl he had known better than to touch, no matter how desperately he’d wanted to, when he was too busy fooling around to be committed to anyone.

And now?

What about now?

He had even less to offer someone than he had a few years ago, before he’d discovered the darker part of himself and had been banished from his father’s house, life, and trust fund for embracing it.

Hell, look at how scandalized Holly had been peeping on him fucking that beautiful girl who’d been his lab partner and whose name he should definitely be able to think of, but couldn’t. How fast would she run if she knew the truth about his desires?

Then again…she was here with Andi and Kari, wasn’t she?

She had to have some idea what they were into.

Maybe the classy woman she’d grown into didn’t bat an eye when it came to liaisons that included more than one lover. Somehow he didn’t quite believe that, no matter how desperately he wished it was true and that someone like her could accept someone like him for more than a single night of pleasure.

Trent held the necks of two beers easily in one hand so he could snag a slice of chocolate raspberry cake with the other, then headed back to where she waited, her eyes closed as she savored a taste of the lush dinner they’d scored.

While he’d forsaken most of the things he’d grown up with, he had to admit, he’d missed a few extravagances, like the grub here tonight. And he planned to enjoy it, with Holly. As long as he could convince her that he wasn’t the scum she’d always assumed.

Fuck him, he was going to have to try to remember how to be charming. Or at least reveal a tiny bit of how much he desired her. It had been a while since he’d allowed himself to be vulnerable, but with Holly, that was probably his only shot.

And suddenly, he didn’t want to go home alone that night.

Or with a woman one of his friends scored for him.

But would Lorenzo and Owen be into her even if she wasn’t one of the party girls they were used to? And would she let them rock her world like he knew they could?

That was a whole lot of getting ahead of himself.

Trent returned to the table, flashing her a lopsided smile as he set their drinks and dessert down. “Look, Holly. Can I cut to the chase? I meant what I said before. Yeah, I got off on you watching that night, mostly because I wished it was you in those bushes with me.”

“Me?” Instead of being outraged or shocked, she laughed. If she wasn’t so gorgeous that it nearly stunned him stupid, he might have cringed.

His brows knit as he realized she honestly thought he was joking. “Quit it. I’m serious.”

He took such a long draw from his beer that he downed nearly half the thing in one pull. He wasn’t sure he could handle another epic failure. This was his shot to make at least one of his past mistakes right, even if it was only for a single, incredible evening.

Holly looked like she might choke on her next bite of scallop. Her eyes widened as she studied the artfully arranged plate, avoiding his gaze. So he dropped his hand to her knee and squeezed. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you then how attractive you always were to me, not only for your looks, but because of the way you dedicated yourself to studying and how passionately you talked about your goals with Andi on the back deck while you two were sunbathing on Sunday afternoons…”

She frowned at that and stabbed something on her plate. Because he’d paid too much attention to her sexy body laid out to catch the sun’s rays or because she might not have achieved all she’d dreamed of just yet?

Shit, he had never been very good at this heart-to-heart bullshit. That’s why he’d stuck to seduction, which he excelled at. He smiled as he remembered another gift she’d given him, even if she didn’t know it. “And how fierce and protective you were the night just before graduation when you came to our place with that lost puppy you’d found, refusing to quit until you’d knocked on every door in the neighborhood, looking for its home.”

Holly did look up at him from beneath thick lashes and golden eyes he’d never properly appreciated until that instant. Maybe because of the shimmery makeup highlighting them, but probably because he hadn’t taken the opportunity to really look before. He’d been so stupid.

“You wouldn’t let me go by myself.”

He nodded. “It was late and there were young, stupid, drunk frat guys around.”

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