Page 78 of Hiding from Hope

Wanting to be closer, to get lost in those stunning eyes of his, I climb to a seated position and let him pull me into his lap, straddling him as we sit on the couch and scratching at the back of his neck.

“It doesn’t like… weird you out? Me reading that stuff?” I can’t help but admire the strong line of his neck as he throws his head back in a laugh. When he comes back to me, there is nothing but love in those eyes.

“Not in the slightest. Although, if you do need me to demonstrate my superiority over…” He trails off, raising an eyebrow,

“Baseball Daddy Kai,” I clarify with a wink and bite my lip.

He just rolls his eyes and continues, “If you need me to demonstrate my superiority over Baseball Daddy Kai, I have absolutely no trouble doing so.” He leans forward, both his hands palming my ass and grinding me into him, his lips hovering just above mine. “And I bet I could make you come way harder than he could.” He sucks my bottom lip into his mouth and bites before he releases me. The moan from my throat is pure animal as I try to wrap my head around that offer.

“Umm…” I pant. “I also have no trouble with you doing so.” My words are barely louder than a whisper. His responding chuckle has warmth spreading low and the coil of desire twisting tighter.

“I guess it’s too bad, then,” he whispers just above my lips, his hands still massaging my ass, as I practically whimper and grind on him. Too distracted by his raw sex appeal to understand what he is saying.

“Hmm?”

“Well, you have work, and so do I.” He spanks me and lifts me off his lap.

“No fair!” I smack his chest as I climb off the couch, completely appalled by his audacity. I go to storm off to my room, but he grabs my elbow and pulls me against him, his fingers immediately down the front of my yoga pants, finding themselves inside my panties, as though the barriers of my clothing mean nothing.

“You really are a needy girl,” he states, leaning in to bite my neck. But the only thing I can do is pant as the evidence of my need soaks Jessie’s fingers.

“Fucking hell, Case, you’re right there, aren’t you? You’re going to come on my fingers right now.” He spears me, his palm aggressively rubbing me as his free hand spears into my hair, gripping me.

“Oh god, oh god, oh god!” I can barely catch my breath, not caring that I’m standing in my living room–thankfully with no roommates home–about to come on Jessie’s fingers.

“Good girl. Fuck, you’re so pretty when you come apart, just for me.” My head falls back, my knees buckling. Jessie’s strong arms wrap around me in time for the orgasm to hit me, and I practically scream his name as he finishes me off. “Nothing I love more than taking care of you, sunshine.” His gentle words and the caressing kiss he leaves on my lips in contradiction to the way he had me like putty in his hands. When he’s finished rubbing me through the waves of my orgasm, still holding me up, he pulls his hands from my tights, makes a show of licking his fingers, before he spanks me and whispers, “Now go get ready for work, we can finish this later.” Pulling away, he winks and heads for the bathroom, leaving me a gaping, boneless mess in the living room.

“Deep breath and relax,” I instruct my last class of the day. Thankfully, Elle offered to take my last two, so I will be able to leave just before dinnertime. Addy had messaged that she and Noah are coming to Pucks this time, and because it has been ages since I’ve had any sort of time with her, I’m excited to get the rest of the night off to hang out with our friends.

“Settle into your mind, allow yourself to track everywhere that your body is touching the ground, feel the sensation, exist in it, but then move to the next.” I walk them through the usual meditation for the end of the class, and just as I’m about to begin the individual muscle relaxation, a door to one of the studios–that I thought was empty–closes with a bang. I sit up quietly, trying desperately not to disturb the meditation. Making eyes with Elle, she nods, taking over the meditation as I head for the door.

Quietly closing the door to the studio, I head in the direction of the noise, but before I can round the corner, someone comes around and we run into each other.

“Grace?” I shake my head and look her up and down, confused, and… “What are you doing here?” She rolls her eyes at me, and that same anger that has been bubbling under my skin where she is concerned returns with a vengeance.

“It’s my studio, too, remember?” she throws back at me before she attempts to sidestep me, heading for the door.

I’m so goddamned sick of this.

I grip her elbow and turn her to face me. “I asked you a damn question. You don’t get to ignore all of my messages, calls, and visit attempts and then just show up.”

“My name is on the building. I can do whatever I please.”

“What the hell is your problem?” I shout the question back at her, embracing the anger, no longer able to bury the feelings she brings out of me. Not the first time I’ve stood my ground recently. The first time, it got me Jessie. Maybe this time, I’ll finally get my sister.

She rips her arm from my grip, but, to her credit, doesn’t shrink away from my burning gaze.

“None of your fucking business, Casey! God, get your nose out of my ass and leave me the hell alone,” she shouts back. Thinking I’m not going to have the balls to retort, she spins. To hell with her stupid feelings. If she isn’t going to love me, I’m sure as hell done loving her.

“I’m meeting with the accountant and my lawyer next week. I want this partnership dissolved,” I snap at her. That has her rooted in place before she slowly turns in my direction.

“What?” she whispers, except there is nothing but rage in her tone.

“You heard me. You want to throw away our relationship? Fine. You want me to leave you alone? Done. But you know what I won’t do, Grace? I’m not going to just sit by while you let the business we’ve spent years building–that I’ve spent my life on–be run into the ground. I can’t afford to run both studios on my own. Since you’re hellbent on feeling sorry for yourself and not communicating with me as your business partner, I’m making the economical decision for myself. I want the Upper West Side Studio to myself. The East is yours.” I cross my arms, feeling my heart pound aggressively in my chest. I am so lost in my anger, in feeling it all, I hadn’t realized we now have an audience. Grace’s gaze flits over my shoulder and a blush hits her cheeks. She stews there, in the wake of my words for a minute, maybe two, and I let her. Refusing to be the one to fix anything this time. There is only so much I can give a person who refuses to take or give back.

I’m done.

She purses her lips in indignation before she nods her head and smiles in defiance. “Fine.”

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