Broken Ex-Bully by Victoria Pinder

4

Renzo

Sunshine shone in my suite, so I knew it was morning. During the night, I’d kept replaying Chloe’s kiss. She tasted better than any other woman I’d ever tasted, and I wanted more.

I sneezed once as my mind sorted through the thoughts and told me exactly what it was I wanted. Chloe. She’d been the one I couldn’t have. That kiss had only been a taste test for her, but I needed to devour every inch of her.

I jumped up and got dressed for breakfast downstairs. It was my brother’s wedding day.

In high school, Chloe had been one of the first to get to homeroom or run fast in the halls between classes, while I strolled in at the last second. If she was still the same early bird, I’d get a chance to see her again at breakfast.

Five minutes later, I went down the elevator alone and headed to the buffet. If I was too early, I planned to stay and wait for her. However, the second I strolled inside, I spotted her near the window. I made myself a plate and headed straight toward her.

As I neared her, my skin grew alive. I stood above her. “Good morning.”

She put her coffee cup down and smiled at me. “I didn’t think I’d see you till the wedding.”

I held my tray up. “I was hungry. Can I sit?”

“Of course,” she said, and I took the seat opposite her. In the morning sun, her skin had a glow to it. Being near her made my entire body hard and ready. I sat and sliced into my eggs.

She buttered her bread. “Did you do anything after I went to bed?”

I winked at her. “Nope, just think and dream of you.”

We ate a few bites in silence. Breakfast was a start, but I needed to figure out how to get her to come to my hotel room.

When she finished her Hawaiian bread, she ate a piece of pineapple. “To be honest, I dreamed of you too.”

I finished my bite and put my silverware down. “So why didn’t we—”

“I’m a virgin.” She gazed at her plate, blushing. I swallowed, unsure how to respond. Then she took a deep breath and said, “I hadn’t kissed anyone till yesterday, and I want… to wait… till I’m in love.”

Fuck.In high school and in college, I’d been active, though no one special came to mind. I picked up my coffee and sipped. Once the bitter taste was in my mouth, I asked, “Seriously?”

She bounced to her feet and brushed my hand. “Yeah. Look it’s time to dress for the wedding. See you there?”

Her being a virgin who wanted to wait made her different. I smiled. “Of course.”

But as she walked away, I had the urge to rip her shorts off and slide inside her. I didn’t care who saw us. Once she left, I finished my coffee and wondered if I could stay away from her. I had nothing to offer her but a good time, which wasn’t what she wanted, so I returned to my room and decided not to pursue her. She would be too dangerous.

I showered, cleaned up, and put on my black tuxedo. A noon wedding with an all-day open bar and Hawaiian luau in the evening meant a long day spent near Chloe. I would stay near my family to keep my lust in check.

I headed into the ballroom, which had a balcony that had been transitioned to a chapel overlooking the ocean, with a wedding gazebo decorated with pink silk. Seats adorned with orchids formed an aisle for the bride and groom to walk down.

At the back, on the bride’s side, sat Chloe. Her blue dress clung to her. Instead of heading to the front, I scooted to her row and took a seat next to her.

The air around me was tinged with desire. I said, “You look amazing.”

She shrugged and smiled. The pink gloss on her lips made her even more beautiful. “I’m excited to see my best friend and the man she loves say their vows.” More guests came in and found seats. She pointed to the other side. “Don’t you need to sit up front with family?”

I put my hand behind her chair and inched closer to her. She was magnetic. “The Dawes family is all fucked-up anyhow, and I want to be with you.”

She sucked on her bottom lip, and some of the gloss lessened. Then she sighed. “Sounds hard. I’m glad I know more about you now, as it makes high school easier to forgive.”

My heart raced. I wanted to taste her coconut-vanilla lotion on my tongue. “Yeah. You’ve driven me completely wild. All I want is to have a do-over of every class and interaction we had together for those four years.”

Her face turned bright red.

Damn, she drives me fucking crazy.Maybe we were a bad idea. I’d convinced myself she was the one I’d risk anything to possess, including my heart, but my resolve was shrinking.

She swallowed and moved closer. “We can’t. Can I ask you a question?”

I needed to taste her again. My stomach fluttered. “Sure.”

Her knees pressed into mine. “How come you and your brothers all have very Italian names but your last name is Dawes?”

Our dark hair and long noses didn’t match the last name either. I winked at her. “My mother’s Italian. It was her way of keeping us connected to her family, and her father showed my father how to run a business.”

She stared up at me. I was hard and needed her. She only said, “Interesting.”

I leaned closer, and her eyelashes fluttered closed. Then our lips met, and I didn’t care if that gloss stayed on me all day. She was mine.

As the kiss ended, I guessed there were more guests coming in to get a seat. We had time to be alone for a few minutes. I whispered in Chloe’s ear, “Come.”

We stood up and headed out the door. She said, “The wedding is going to start soon.”

“We’ll come right back.” I needed to be inside her. I’d never wanted anyone like her, and it was time to find out why.