Page 244 of By His Rule

I’ve no idea what time we finally passed out, but it was late. Or maybe even early.

We woke up late this morning, and Kian surprised me with some new workout clothes before dragging me out of his fancy apartment to run five miles.

I needed it. I needed to clear my head, but my body was not prepared for it. My muscles were already sore and aching from our sexercise.

I struggled more than I usually do, but there was something very inspiring about the man who was challenging me to push harder. I’ve never liked working out as much as I do when I’m with him.

It’s a problem that I’m really going to have to work on. One of many, I fear, after everything that’s happened between us in the past few days.

I convinced myself that it was going to be a South Carolina thing. I was adamant that when we got back, things could go back to normal, and I’d just have to put up with him bossing me around in the office.

I was naive. I know that now. I’m pretty sure I knew it back then, too, but it was easy to lie to myself, to pretend that turning my back on this—on him—would be easy.

I let out a heavy sigh.

I should know better.

“I’m just saying that you don’t have to. You’re welcome to stay here for as long as you need. The paint is barely dry and?—”

“I’m not staying here, Kian. We’re not leaving for work together and then coming home like a happily married couple a few hours later.”

He frowns, confusion passing through his eyes for a beat before he quickly recovers. “Who said I wanted to travel to work together? I’d have left before you.”

I tilt my head to the side. “Is that right?”

He smirks. “Come on, we’re picking King and Tate up on the way.”

Excitement tingles in my stomach at the prospect of spending the afternoon with my bestie.

Without stopping to argue any more about my plans, Kian walks over and collects my things.

“We can’t be late, we’ll never hear the end of it,” he mutters as I trail him to the front door.

I shake my head, thinking of all the demands Tatum has already made to know the truth about what’s going on here between us.

I haven’t told her anything. At least, not yet. I’ve been able to—I think—successfully keep her off the scent of what’s been going on, on the phone and over messages. But the second she looks me in the eye, I know the pretense is all going to come crashing down.

I can’t lie to my best friend. She knows me too well. Knows my tells.

The second we’re in the elevator, Kian backs me up into the corner and looms over me.

“I hate the idea of you going home alone,” he confesses quietly.

“Kian,” I sigh, lifting my hand to rest on his chest. Beneath my palm, his heart beats sure and steady.

He moves closer. “Lorelei.”

The tension in the small enclosed space ramps up, and despite the number of times we’ve been intimate in the past few hours, my clit begins to throb.

It’s ridiculous.

I shouldn’t want this man. He is everything I’ve always despised in men—in society. But my body reacts to him like no other. It’s like he holds a remote control to my libido and can turn it on at any moment.

He lowers his head, resting his forehead against mine, and stares deep into my eyes.

“You’re going to demand that things go back to normal the second we step outside this building, aren’t you?”

Anxiety knots my stomach.

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