Page 24 of Everything I Crave

She continues to stand there with her arms crossed, staring me down, waiting for me to cave. But there’s no way. If I can’t touch her, they definitely fucking can’t. “Would it help if I said please for a third time and offered to bring you a buffalo chicken salad and cheesecake?”

“No. But I’m going anyway. Mack scares me and I think she’d yell at me to leave too after having to deal with that alone. So go help Mack.” She whips around to take the stairs. “And don’t forgetmy food,” she adds before making sure to slam the door.

Once I hear the stomping around in my condo stop, I let out a breath. What am I getting myself into? Moments like tonight remind me why I try to keep my rage in check and my employees at arm's length. Willow is wreaking hell on my self control and I can’t even let myself get a taste of her to get it out of my system.

I take a few seconds to get some deep breaths in. Keeping my rage in check is more important for me than others. When I was lost and trying to find my way after the military, getting into bar fights was more my thing than stopping them.

Breathe in, breathe out.

Willow is upstairs safe.

Breathe in, breathe out.

My staff is capable to handle this situation.

Breathe in, breathe out.

I control my actions.

I complete the exercise my therapist gave me, push the door to the kitchen open and join Mack in the dining room.

Chapter Eleven

Willow

I can’t believe Gunnar just thought it was okay to ship me up here and take my chance to work away from me.

Who the fuck does he think he is?

I walk into the kitchen to make something to eat, but I’m too pissed at him. He acted just like Jake tonight, taking my choices about my work away from me!

Ugh, I need to sit down. I need to relax so I plop down on the couch, and turn on the tv, but my mind won’t stop racing.

Gunnar isn’t like Jake. Waitressing isn’t my career and this isn’t the same. He was being a good boss and keeping me away from a potentially dangerous situation. Fuck him for being right.

Those assholes down there are just like Jake, that’s for sure. Thinking they can just touch my body however they want, and make lewd jokes that aren’t appropriate for them to make. Especially considering most of them have wedding rings on.Those poor women. At least Jake was decent enough to not subject a woman to his bullshit full time.

I wish I had someone like Gunnar looking out for me in Nashville.

Damn it! That thought has me pacing back into the kitchen.

I want so badly to be mad at him, but I’m just not. I’m really mad at myself for letting it happen again. I had the choice to shut them down, I know Gunnar would have supported everything I wanted to say.

Call me crazy, but the protectiveness from Gunnar has me all worked up. I’m plenty pissed he sent me home, but damn if my panties aren’t soaked from him being all alpha tonight.

The way he just came in and took charge, fuck that was hot. If only he pushed me up against his office door and … No. I can’t go there. He pushed me out the door and up the stairs.

But now the thought of him pushing me up against the door is doing something to me.

Knowing that he’ll be at work for a few more hours, and that he won’t actually touch me the way I want him to, I pull out my vibrator from my side drawer in my room. The best I’m going to get tonight.

I peel off my skin tight jeans and lay back on the pillows of my bed. I conjure thoughts of Gunnar gripping his cock in the shower, moaning through his own release while staring right at me.

I’m right at the peak before my own pleasure when I hear a soft knock on my door.

“Willow,” my name sounds strangled on his lips.

“Oh God,” I cry out. I’m not sure if I cry out in shock or pleasure at my name from Gunnar’s deep voice.

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