Page 7 of Well Played

I couldn’t do this. Not again.

“No. Nuh uh, Solace. Not a–”

Typical him, I never got a chance to finish that sentence. His grip on me solidified as he hauled me out of the kitchen so fast I stopped talking just to concentrate on keeping my feet from tripping over each other. Mindy flipped me off as I sailed past her.

I had no recourse but to follow Solace as he yanked me along behind him down the hall, trying locked doors. He snapped up a lanyard with a swipe key from a hook and turned down a corridor, trying the next office. That one gave and he pushed the door open, towing me inside. I stumbled across the threshold, turning on him as he shut the door gently and locked it.

“What the hell was that?” I started, storming forward. “You can’t just?—”

“Me? The hell did you thinkyouwere doing?” He turned back to face me, and I faltered at the undisguised lust written across his face aimed right at me, and so close. Because my little tantrum reduced the space between us and brought me within arm’s reach of the Chimeras’ defender which seemed suddenly like a really bad, bad decision.

“Solace,” I whispered, back pedalling, but my chance to escape faded as he took up the offensive, stalking toward me.

One arm latched around my waist, pulling me into his body even as he continued to pace forward, the other sweeping out behind me and taking everything clean off the sponsor’s desk.

“You can’t do that—” I objected.

“Those noises you made in that room belong to me,” he hissed in my face.

In a single breath he lifted me off the ground and planted my ass on the corner of the desk so my legs parted. He leaned over me until I scrambled backward but since he refused to let me go the only place I could go was downward. Cowering.

This is so bad.

“Solace, stop. This isn’t a good?—”

“The only sounds out of you right now are either more of what you did in the kitchen just for me, or begging me to fuck you,” he snapped, releasing me with one hand to rake his fingers through his hair.

I stared at him, my mouth open. “What?”

“Make those fucking moans for me, Hallie,” his voice softened a touch. “Do that for me, and I’ll find out how well we fit on this damn desk together.”

Swallowing on a dry throat was another bad idea but my brain jammed and nothing seemed to make it through. “You can’t be serious,” I murmured, choking on a disparaging laugh. “This isme, Solace. Not one of the girls out there.”

“I don’t want them. I want you.” He glared into my eyes as though his desire was my personal fault.

I shook my head. “You’re insane. No one wants me.”

“Stop it.” His grip tightened as he ground his groin into me, and there was plenty of evidence right there. “I fucking want you. Hell, girl, I can barely sleep for wanting you. The earlier you get here, the earlier I have to arrive each morning to know you’re safe on your own. Same at night. Shit, I’ve considered following you home just to wait outside your window and see your lights go on and off. Sleep in the car, maybe.” He panted a little, his enormous palms dwarfing my arms where he squeezed me rhythmically as he spoke.

“Wait, you’re serious?” I whispered. “Solace— I don’t have a good dating history. Especially with hockey players.”

“So you just want to fuck, then?” His growl ripped through me.

I shook my head, flinging my hair around my face. “No.No.I’m not doing casual with you. I— I can’t do that.”

I tore my gaze away, unwilling to read the disappointment in his face. Unable to believe I just said that. This wasSolace Hunter.For fuck’s sake, if there was anyone in my life to fuck around with, it was this man.

“Good. I don’t want that either.” His breath came heavy on my neck. “But I’m still going to fuck you.”

“What?” I gripped his shoulders, barely able to close my fingers around some of the muscle there. “Dammit. You’re too big.”

He laughed low and dark. “Oh, beautiful. You have no idea.” His hand covered mine as he shoved my palm between us and closed it around his erection straining through his jeans.

I couldn't grasp him there any more than I could his shoulders.

My whimper filled the room. “Baby Jesus.”

His smile bordered on cruel, and it set off something twisted inside me. “There’s that sound I wanted to hear.” His hands skated along my thighs, squeezing hard enough to bruise, digging his fingers into my flesh beneath. “Fuck what they all want or look like, Hallie. I need a girl who’s soft and plump beneath me. Someone I can sink into. Someone who hears mehere.” He tapped my forehead. “I don’t need someone hard. That’s my damn job, you understand?” His eyes glinted, almost maniacal as I lost myself in him, leaning back when he pushed me down onto the desk.

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