Page 132 of Something So Strong

Jesse’s thighs squeeze around my right leg. “Do you think you can handle being told what to do when it comes to…” His eyes break away from mine and journey to my chest. His arms unfold, and when his hands are pressed against my pecs, his gaze travels back to meet mine. “Do you think you’ll be able to do as you’re told the whole time?”

“Do you think I can’t control myself?”

I swear the freckles on Jesse’s nose darken three shades.

“I don’t want you to control yourself.” His hands tug my shirt out from my pants and his fingers tickle my stomach. “That’s the point.”

Air hisses past my teeth as I inhale. “Watch yourself, or I might have to take you right here in front of everyone.”

“Even though your daddy wants to wait till you’re back in his room?” His face twitches, and I can tell the word doesn’t feel right on his tongue. But goddamn, I fucking loved hearing it.

I expel all my frustrations in a drawn outbreath, and lean my forehead against Jesse’s. “Don’t tease me.”

“Who says I’m teasing you?”

My head shoots up, and I’m instantly searching his eyes for even the tiniest hint of deception.

One of Jesse’s hands grips my belt and the other rises to my throat. The tips of his fingers dig into the sides of my neck, his palm pushes against my Adam’s apple with just the right amount of pressure—exactly how I like it. “I’m not teasing.”

“No more drinks.” The words are tumbling out of my mouth before I can slow them down. But Jesse can see I’ve lost my cool as his hand slides from my neck, down my chest, and around my side to rest against my lower back. “I don’t want anything to blur the memory.”

“Me either.”

I try to take a step back, but my resolve is so weakened I barely move against Jesse’s hold on me. “I’m not gonna make it.”

His fingers slink further beneath my belt. "Good things come to those who wait, remember?”

This is pure agony, but I deserve every second of it for what I put Jesse through in the beginning. All the back and forth. The games. The wondering. But still, I’m only human.

“I’ve already waited two months… I’m used to fucking on the first night.”

“I know. Me too. But it’ll be worth the wait.”

“Jesus Christ,” I pant out, running my fingers up through Jesse’s hair until I’m holding the sides of his head. “I can’t wait to know how you feel.”

If my social graces were more questionably hazy, I would have probably let Kai take me right there on the table of the VIP booth.

Feigning the desire to wait hasn’t steadily built the tension, either. It’s blown it to smithereens. My primitive lizard brain has been solely focused on the narrow track that leads straight to my bedroom for the past two hours.

The second the time ticked to one minute past midnight, I grabbed Kai’s hand and I haven’t let go.

It’s below zero, but the cold isn’t even registering. I’m running purely on the fumes of anticipation and the walk back to our dorms has never been so long.

Needing to keep my body moving, I can’t risk waiting for the lift.

On the second floor landing, Kai tugs at my hand. “What are you in such a rush for?”

That was cheeky, testing, and bratty as fuck.

My hand is around his throat and I’m forcing him backwards before I can catch myself.

As Kai’s head bangs back against the exit door, his eyes glint with the exchange of our power. He gets far more out of these dynamics than I do, but keeping him happy is the reason I breathe.

“You don’t get to make fun of me when this is your fault.”

Kai raises his chin further, arching his neck to push deeper against my palm.

I dig my nails in. “Who’s the one in control here?”

---