Page 60 of Tangled in Temptation

I swallowed hard, leaning against the wall for support. The room suddenly felt too warm. I briefly closed my eyes, struggling to keep my emotions under wraps. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

Timothy sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, Catherine. I wanted to protect you from all this.”

“Protect me? Or protect yourself?” I retorted; my voice laced with bitterness. “You’ve only made things worse by keeping me in the dark.”

He looked remorseful but didn’t say anything. He just stood there, looking lost and alone. For once in his life, Timothy looked vulnerable, stripped of the confident veneer he usually wore so well. The sight tugged at my heartstrings, but I forced those feelings down. He didn’t deserve my sympathy.

“I’m leaving,” I finally managed to say, pushing myself off the wall. “Don’t stop me.”

“I won’t stop you, but I ask you to please believe me,” he said quietly. “You know me, Kitcat. I didn’t tell you about Regina’s terms because I knew you would think it was crazy. That, and she made it clear no one could know. I wanted to tell you. I was going to as soon as it was over.”

I shook my head. “You don’t trust me.”

“I do trust you,” he said.

“You should have told me. I wouldn’t have shown up here and made a fool of myself.”

“I’ve been wishing I were here with you all night,” Timothy confessed. “When I first saw you, I thought I was just imagining things. You are the only one I want. I don’t want this to be casual, Catherine. I want you. I want you every night and every morning when I wake up. I want us to come home to each other and be—be together. I want you. I’ve wanted you since the moment you dropped over my fence into the garden.”

His sincerity washed over me like a tidal wave, overwhelming my defenses and leaving me breathless in its wake. This was how it always happened. I had to keep my guard up.

But dammit, how could I resist him? His words sounded heartfelt. Without hesitation, I reached for him, pulling him close until our lips met in a desperate, searing kiss. In that moment, everything else faded into insignificance, lost in the intensity of our shared longing. He kissed me back, pushing me up against the wall. As usual, things went from zero to scorching hot in a matter of seconds.

“What is Regina going to do if she catches us?” I murmured between kisses. “Is she going to go back on her deal?”

“I don’t care.”

“You went through a lot of trouble to make this happen,” I reminded him. “I don’t want to risk ruining your plans. I should go. I’ll go home. You can call me when you’re back in town.”

“Fuck that,” he hissed. “I’m taking you back to my apartment, right now.”

I laughed, the sound tinged with a hint of disbelief. “I can’t just go back to your apartment. I’m wearing a dress that cost more than my truck. Three times what my truck is worth. You paid too much money for this dress not to be seen. I don’t want to waste it by going home before I got a chance to show it off.”

“It’ll look just as good on my bedroom floor,” he said in a husky voice. “Let’s go.”

“Timothy!” I gasped when he grabbed my hand and started to pull me down the back hallway. “What about Regina? Won’t she wonder where you went?”

“I don’t care,” he said. “She’s probably sinking her claws into fresh meat already. I did my part. I brought her here. Paisley is mine for the school year. That’s all I care about.”

“And what if she ruins your reputation?” I asked, my tone laced with concern. “She has contacts in high places. She could destroy you.”

His grip on my hand tightened and he stopped, pulling me towards him. “Let her try,” he whispered, his voice filled with menace that sent chills down my spine. “My reputation is not worth losing you.”

“But Timothy...”

“Stop, Catherine,” he interrupted. “I’ve made up my mind.”

Without another word, he led me out of the ballroom and into the cool night air. The valet looked at us curiously as Timothy threw him the keys to his car. I couldn’t deny the connection we shared.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Catherine

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WE BARELY MADE IT TO the elevator before his mouth was on mine once again. With his hands on either side of my face, he kissed me deeply, his fingers reaching up and undoing the clip I had used to twist my hair up. The world spun as he kissed me silly. I was lost in him—his taste, his touch, the feel of his body against mine.

“Timothy,” I murmured against his lips, my hands finding their way to his broad shoulders. “This is crazy.”