Page 37 of It Must Be Love

"Then I can't accept. Also…."

"Also?"

She just shook her head. "It doesn't matter." She got up. "Was that it?"

"Why are you always running from me?"

"I'm not. I…the party and…."I walked to her and lifted her chin so she'd fucking look at me. She licked her lips and I let out a groan. My thumb traced her wet bottom lip, and I felt her shiver. Her eyes were wide. Fucking hell! She was so responsive. I pushed my thumb between her lips and when her mouth parted, I touched the underside of her lip.

My breathing was ragged, and I'd only touched her lips. I hadn't even kissed her, hadn't felt her up, nothing. My dick was harder than it had ever been. I wanted to lay her down on the couch, explore that body of hers, hear her moan. I wanted to be inside her and watch her as she orgasmed.

She pulled away and my hand dropped down.

"I have to go."

No, something inside me screamed.

"Why?"

She shook her head. "What…what is going on?"

Yeah, Amias, what the fuck is going on?

"Take the car, Naya."

"No." She was looking at me this time when she spoke. Her gray eyes flashing something, and I felt triumph roar through me. They were not clear and calm, they were…wet?

"Hey," I whispered.

She backed up again and bumped into a table, rattling the contents on top of it. A signed football, some photographs, and other memorabilia.

"No," I growled when I saw tears stream down her eyes. "Don't."

"I have to go."

I caught her arm before she could run and wrapped her into me. "Don't cry." What the fuck had I done to upset her like this? Was there anything more scary than seeing a strong woman cry?

And she was a tough cookie. I kept thinking of her as a mouse, but she wasn't. She was just an introvert who had a spine of steel. She didn't allow much to shake her. She avoided confrontations, yes, but she didn't back down from what she believed in. She took care of her father. She took care of his debt. She babysat whenever her fucking asshole brother and his vapid wife needed it. This woman was amazing.

"Please let me go." She pushed at my chest. I stepped back.

"Why are you crying?"

She wiped her tears, now looking again at the floor. "None of this is making sense."

"What is not making sense, Naya?"

"You. What…what was that?"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn’t have touched you."

"Yes," she said angrily. I'd never heard her angry, ever before. "You have a girlfriend. And I know how you think of me. Okay? I know."

"What do you think you know?" I demanded. "Damn it, Naya, look at me when you talk.

"She did, and her eyes were fire. Fucking hell if that didn't turn me on some more.

"I have no curves to speak. I have terrible fashion sense. And I'm boring as fuck," she said quietly, softly, no emotion now, no inflection. "I heard you say that right after your girlfriend mentioned how I had a crush on you. Your response was that you knew because everyone knew but you didn't think of me like that."

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