Page 77 of The Challenge

Evan adjusted his hat. “I never thought of it that way, but you’re right.”

“Boy, do I know how to be a downer at a party, huh?” I sighed.

Evan looked around. “What happened to your boyfriend?”

“I ditched him to go find you before Maura cornered me. Meanwhile, you were chatting up your ex-girlfriend.”

“Kimber? She wasn’t a girlfriend.”

“Ah, but she still got to go to Never Never Land.” I winked, hoping my snarky comment didn’t come off as jealous—even if I’d be perpetually jealous of anyone who got to be with Evan Ricci.

Just then Brendan approached.

“Feel like skipping this joint and heading out for a drink?” he asked.

Evan’s jaw tightened.

Had I implied that I’d for sure be up for going to that bar with him? I hadn’t meant to.

Before I could respond, Evan had his hand on my back. “She has plans.”

Then he took my hand and led me not so gently into the house.

Chapter 29

EVAN

What the hell had come over me? I’d become a possessive, feral caveman. The nerve of that guy to ask her to leave when I was standing right there.

“Where are we going?” Chloe asked.

As I led her through the crowd of people inside Drew’s house, I looked back to make sure my daughter was still outside with her grandmother and not witnessing me basically kidnap Chloe. I tugged her down the hall and into Drew and Maura’s bedroom at the far end of the first level.

I shut the door behind us and locked it, the sounds of the party now muffled in the distance.

Chloe’s chest heaved as she looked up at me, her back against the door. I moved closer and caged her against it with both my arms. She should’ve been scared after the way I’d acted, but there wasn’t an ounce of fear in her eyes—only something that looked an awful lot like excitement and desire. I must’ve had the same look tenfold. Ravenous, I leaned in and took her mouth with mine. She let out the sexiest moan, and I felt the vibration of it deep in the back of my throat. Running my fingers through her long hair, I shoved my tongue not so gently into her mouth to taste her again like I’d been dying to. Chloe whimpered. She opened wider for me, and I kissed her harder, more addicted by the second. My dick grew rigid as I pressed my chest against her soft breasts that had been taunting me from the moment she decided to put on that fucking nurse costume.

“You’re driving me insane,” I muttered over her lips before forcing myself away.

“I’m driving you insane?” She panted.

“Yes.” I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “First you tease me with that titty show earlier this month, causing me to go off the deep end and pull you into your closet. Then you squirt in my face, and it’s all I fucking think about every day. And now tonight, you do the one thing you knew would mess with my head most, dress up like a nurse. Then on top of everything, you taunt me by talking to that guy—”

“Don’t put this on me. You’re the one who’s lost control, both times.”

“How did you expect me to react? It’s like a game to you.”

“That’s what we’re good at, though, right? Playing games with each other but never actually biting the bullet. Well, the truth is, Evan, I’m too old for games.” She put her hands on my chest and pushed. “You’d better go out there. Effie might need you.”

She fucking pushed me. Then she turned, opened the door, and walked away, leaving me alone to deal with this painfully hard dick. I had to hole up in this room for several minutes before it finally went down to baseline. How had things gone from scorching hot to cold so fast?

On my way out, my ex-mother-in-law stopped me. “There you are, Evan.”

Great. “Hey, Lydia,” I said as I searched the room for Chloe. I could see her in the corner again, talking to that jackass dressed as Thor.

“Chloe’s very nice,” she said.

“She is…” I took off my hat and ran a hand through my hair.