Louisiana Sky (Love in Belle Pont #2) by Ashleigh Zavarelli Page B

didn’t know that,” he rasped. “God Rox, I had no idea. I knew you were innocent, but I didn’t know I was your second. And as for high school… well, the reason I didn’t talk to you was because you made me so damn nervous.”
    “What do you mean?” I asked.
    “Cause’.” He laughed as though it were simple. “Foxy Roxy makes every red-blooded male in town nervous. Can’t you see that?”
    “Ugh,” I groaned. “I hate that damn nickname.”
    Bentley just shrugged. “Fits you though. You’re a beautiful woman, Roxy Hart.”
    He held me close, his scent washing over me, and I wanted nothing more than to lose myself in that scent again. But Bentley wasn’t done talking.
    “I didn’t realize you’d ever had a crush on me either, truth be told. My mouth would have probably hit the damn floor if you’d ever said anything about it.”
    “Because you always thought I was too good for everybody,” I said quietly. “But I just had my guard up. My life hadn’t been all roses Bentley, and I had my own ways of coping with it too.”
    “I know you did, sweetheart.” He brushed the hair from my face. “I can see that now. I was just too damn stupid then.”
    The way he was staring at me had me feeling all kind of crazy emotions, and before I could let my mind protest, I leaned up and kissed him. Bentley froze for all of two seconds before he groaned and kissed me back with so much passion I thought I was going to explode.
    And for once I let my heart say the words that it so desperately wanted to speak, consequences be damned.
    “Take me to bed Bentley Daniels, and start making it up to me.”

 
     
    Chapter Thirteen
    Bentley
     
    I spent the entirety of the next two weeks making up to Roxy in every way that I could think of. Things were finally good between us, and I felt like I was flying high on a new kind of drug as I stared at her across the dinner table.
    “Why don’t we go down to Murphy’s tonight?” Sharon suggested with a twinkle in her eye. “It’s karaoke night, isn’t it?”
    Roxy shot her a disapproving glance before looking my way. I knew what she was thinkin’ as she worried her lip between her teeth, but I put her fears to rest.
    “We should go,” I told her. “It’ll be fun.”
    “Are you sure?” she asked. “I don’t want you doing anything that you’re uncomfortable with.”
    “It’s fine, Rox. I’ve been into Murphy’s a hundred times since I quit drinkin’, you don’t have to worry about that.”
    She smiled at me apologetically before turning back to her mama. “Okay, but you have to promise me we’re just there to sing.”
    “Yes, Roxy.” Sharon rolled her eyes. “I know.”
     
    ***
     
    Bethany was working back at Murphy’s, and I felt bad for pushing Roxy to come here. I could tell she was uncomfortable, but I did my best to reassure her. I never took my eyes or my hands off of her the entire night, and I made sure to order her drinks at the bar.
    When Bethany did come to our table, I could feel her eyes on me, but I stoically ignored her. I didn’t think there was anything nice I could say to the woman, especially not after the latest stunt she’d pulled with Corey.
    When we finally left around midnight, Bethany chased us out onto the sidewalk.
    “Hey Bentley,” she hollered. “Can I talk to you in private for a minute?”
    I saw the way she was looking at Roxy with an evil little grin on her face, and it only made me hate myself more. Out of all the women I could have screwed up with, it had to be the most vindictive one in town.
    I wrapped my arm around Roxy like a vice grip and shook my head. “I ain’t got nothin’ to say to you, Bethany. So from now on, you stay out of our business, got it?”
    She feigned insult as she clasped her hand over her chest. “All I wanted to say was I’m real happy you two could work things out,” she said softly.
    And with a flip of her hair, she sauntered back inside. But somehow, I knew this wasn’t