Page 76 of The Pact

That’s it—I’ve pushed her over the edge. Thea’s head falls back as pleasure racks her body. I pull one nipple into my mouth, intensifying the feeling of her release. My other hand clamps over her lips as her moans become louder.

Her body shudders against me. It’s the most satisfying thing I’ve felt in a long time.

I give her a few seconds after falling limp before I release my hand from her mouth. “That’s it, baby. You did so good for me.”

She whimpers at the words. I smile, realizing that she must like the praise.

“Hello.” A voice calls out. Shit.

Pushing up the sleeves of her dress, I stare deeply into her eyes. “I really don’t want to go.”

Thea brushes her hand over my jaw and leans down to kiss me. “I know.” She rests her forehead on mine, her dark hair shielding our faces from the world. I hate this. I hate that I have to leave her. She says she understands, but what if she feels hurt that I can’t stay?

There’s no time to think about all of this. I need to get downstairs.

I lift us both off of the couch and turn to lay her down on it. My eyes run over the sight of her, glowing and spent. “You look so God damn gorgeous like this,” I tell her.

My hand has a mind of its own and runs over the bulge in my pants. Damn, I feel her wetness over the spot she was grinding against. Her eyes lock in on my hand. She bites her lip as she watches me touch myself.

I suck in a breath and leave. If I stay one more second, I’m going to fuck her and I don’t care who sees us or what the consequences are.

I’m taking the steps two at a time when the euphoria of what just happens fades and a new feeling takes its place. Cole is going to kill me for crossing the line.

26

THEA

I triple check the schedule for today. Back-to-back clients—not mine, though. Cassie asked me to fill in for her when she got offered a gig for a week long music festival in Atlanta.

I happily agreed, anything to smooth things over after the bad reviews we received. Plus, her clients are paying me, so that’s a bonus, considering my bookings are practically non-existent for the next few days.

Everything has to go perfectly. Cass is trusting me to show up and do as good, if not better, of a job than her. And I will. I’ve even told the guys that I need the weekend to focus on this.

The more time I spend with them, the more I find I’m consumed by them. I need some space to concentrate, although I have a feeling that missing them might be as distracting as being around them.

My afternoon in the reading room with Sutton four days ago left me wanting more. I certainly tried, however, he said he wants to take things slowly. For some reason, I’m not buying it. There’s something else going on—I just can’t figure out what.

We’ve become comfortable enough that kissing and touching each other in front of the others doesn’t feel strange anymore. It’s odd if I think about it from an outsider’s perspective, yet from mine it feels… right.

Cole has been nothing but consistently sweet, present, and attentive. The last couple of nights that I’ve spent at their house, I’ve skipped sleeping in the guest room and found myself in his bed.

All of those fantasies of his mouth between my legs didn’t come close to the real thing—it’s so much better. I’m eager to take it to the next level, but he’s fine with a slower pace, like Sutton. I may have started out wanting to take my time. Now, that’s changed. These guys are going to drive me mad when all I need is for someone to fuck me after a year of celibacy.

I push the thoughts out of my head before it sends me into a spiral that ends in self destruction.

Damian and Wesley are still distant, in their own ways. Damian is hot and cold, so I never know where I stand with him. Wesley… I don’t know. I thought we were making progress. However, it feels like he’s been avoiding me lately. I’m fine with not rushing things with the two of them.

Although, I’d be lying if I said that Damian didn’t intrigue me. Beneath that carefully controlled exterior, he’s tethering something darker. I can feel it when he looks at me—I wouldn’t mind being his undoing. He’s trouble, Thea.

I hear the door to the studio open and the faint sound of chatter. Putting on a smile that Cass would be proud of, I excitedly greet the expectant mom and her partner. Five exhausting hours later and I collapse on the couch in my studio. I underestimated how much work it would be to coach Cassie’s clients. I’m used to posing my clients provocatively while hers require more whimsy and softness.

Checking my phone, there are three missed calls. All from my landlord, Kenneth. Considering I haven’t heard a word from him since he gave me the keys to my apartment, the sudden excessive need to contact me fills me with dread.

With my string of bad luck, I’m afraid this could be the next thing. I run through the scenarios. My check cleared for rent a couple of weeks ago, so that wouldn’t be an issue. I’m a quiet resident, so my neighbors have no reason to complain. Maybe he needs to schedule a pest control visit, I try to reassure myself. It does nothing for the knot in my stomach.

The phone rings twice before I hear Kenneth’s gruff voice on the other end. “Yes?”

“Hi, this is Thea. Thea Griffin in apartment 104. You called a few time—”

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