Page 54 of Roar for Me
“What? That’s … that’s what she meant when she said her husband was gone?”
Dave was still in shock. “She said he had cancer three times.”
Britney’s mouth dropped open. “How awful.”
“Why do you guys think I paired them together?” Jen had her hands on her hips, looking around at the others. “Katie told me her mom had been in an awful funk since her dad died. But she didn’t know what to do. Then when I found out who her mom was?” She waved around at the ballroom. “The rest is history.”
“I had thought Duncan was married, too.” Mike said. “But he told me after the hot tub party that he was single.”
“That’s a sad story, too.” Jen’s gaze followed Duncan with his lady in red. “When he left for California, he thought his ex was going to follow him out there once he got established. While he was couch-surfing and getting things started, she slapped him with a nasty divorce. He lost almost everything because she claimed abandonment.”
Pure horror spread across each face. “You’re kidding me!” Mike was particularly aghast.
“Nope,” Jen said. “We kept in touch online after high school. I don’t think he’s seen Ryder since he was three. He took it so hard, and their mutual friends all took her side, so he leaned on me a bit. I thought they’d be good friends for each other, since he’d been down a similar road. But I was not expectingthis!”She motioned to the lovebirds on the dance floor.
Suddenly, what Duncan had told Mike made sense.I don’t know if I can survive having my heart ripped out and stomped on again.He put his hand over his chest. “I need to go hug Emily.”
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“Alright, folks, thanks for having me! This is our final song for the night, so grab that special someone and come out to the dance floor.”
Duncan and Aurora grinned like idiots and sang, “The Time of My Life” to one another. Their affections were on display for all to see. At the end of the song, he dipped her and kissed her breathless. The return of the ballroom’s lights made her vision hazy. “I need a drink.”
“I have some things back in my room,” he cooed in her ear.
“No alcohol, I’ll fall asleep.” She giggled.
He wagged his finger at her. “No sleep for you, remember?”
“You keep saying that.” Her voice dropped to a low purr.
“Let’s get out of here.” He led her by the hand back to their table where her purse was.
Riding in the elevator with other people around was pure torture when all Duncan wanted to do was kiss her senseless. He kept his arms around her, and when at last their floor came, they all but bolted out of the elevator.
He opened the door to his room, and pulled her inside, locking it shut behind them. Duncan pressed Aurora up against the wall, his mouth hot on hers. He loved the little moans she made when he slipped his tongue inside, and the way she clutched at his back. It was as if she hadn’t had a man since … Wait a minute.
“Crap, Roar.” He broke away, his voice husky.
Her eyes tried to open, glazed with arousal.
“I have to ask you something.”
“I didn’t bring protection!” She clapped a hand over her mouth in shock.
“No, that’s okay. I did.” He smiled as a sigh of relief whooshed out of her lungs. “How long has it been?”
“Since what?”
“How long since you were with someone? Like this?”
She licked her lips nervously before answering. “About five years.” Her breathing slowed, her eyes searching his. “Is that a problem?”
That told him everything he needed to know. Slow down, Duncan. Make it count. “No, it’s not a problem at all.”
“Good.” Her eyes widened. “Oh my gosh, you thought—”
“Shh. I wouldn’t care if it had been a week.” He stroked her cheek with one finger, and she relaxed again. Gazing into her eyes, he knew there was no going back to the way things were. “Are you sure about this, Roar?”
