Page 45 of Rainstorm

“Roselynn, I...” But before he finishes his sentence, my back is suddenly forced against the wall, I’m trapped in his strong arms and his lips are frantically seeking mine.

Reckless.

Intense.

Furious.

He’s kissed me so many times before and I thought he had done it in all possible ways.

But never like this.

This time it’s different.

This is a desperate kiss.

And it tastes like remorse and broken dreams.

Tastes like rain and betrayal.

I want to protest and walk away but instead my mouth opens to meet his. His hands are touching my arms and my body starts to burn. Burn with a desire that is consuming me as his tongue strokes mine.

It’s like strong liquor drowning my soul.

His passion sets fire to the gasoline rushing through my veins.

He grips me to lift me up, adjusting his body against mine with ease. I feel his erection rubbing against me as he synchronizes my body to the rhythm of his, our clothes still a barrier between us.

Fuck, how I have missed him.

How much I have missed this.

The passion and love colliding between us.

Entwining us.

It’s enticing and delicious.

I love his lips and the way he uses them. I love his arms around me, making me melt against his strong body. I love him, period.

God, I have missed him more than life itself, but this still can’t happen. I can’t allow it.

“Chase, you broke up our marriage and you abandoned me,” I accuse him when I finally manage to get some air into my lungs. “You left me.”

He backs away, and I manage to recover my precarious balance, though his face is still up close to mine.

“Rose,” he pleads. “You don’t understand now, but later when you know why I had to let you go, you’ll get it.”

“I don’t understand any of this—what do you mean? When will I know?” I ask, not understanding his conflicting behavior. He doesn’t want me, but he does?

“Sooner than I like.” His response is like a bucket of iced water.

As I try to work out the meaning behind his sparse words, it’s like lightning eradicates the passion from my body and sparks a train of thought in my mind, illuminating it. I give myself a quick impromptu pep talk, as determination fills me, growing from deep in my guts. He doesn’t get to treat me like this when I’ve done nothing to deserve it. For the first time in my life I should prioritize my needs. Why shouldn’t I just walk away and take what I need, if it’s being offered to me so freely?

I’m going to switch off and disregard my personal feelings for Chase, just as he has disregarded my feelings for him. I’m going to use him, and when I have gotten everything I want from him, I’ll cut him out of my life, with the precision of an expert surgeon using a scalpel.

Yes, that’s what I will do.

Ladies and gentlemen say goodbye to the sweet, selfless and cute Roselynn Holland, and say hello to the new improved and hardened version.

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