Page 108 of A Temporary Forever

“Celeste…” I hit the partition button, because Peter doesn’t need to be privy to this.

“I said partition down. I don’t feel particularly safe with you right now.”

“Don’t be dramatic.”

“Don’t be an asshole.”

“Peter, stop the car right now.”

“Good idea. I don’t think I want to go anywhere with you tonight.”

The car comes to a stop. “Peter, please wait outside for a moment.” I glare at her.

“Is this supposed to make me feel better?” she scoffs.

“I’ll be right outside, ma’am.” Peter gets out.

“I don’t quite know what’s just happened,” I say.

“I love this dress, and I love the way it makes me feel. I spent enough time when I was a teenager fighting my body image. With others and with myself. And I don’t need you to comment on my appearance. To con—”

She turns her head away and doesn’t finish. I have no idea what she was planning to add, but it’s like she decided I’m not worth sharing her feelings with.

It’s like a punch to the gut, but I don’t have time to dissect that, because there’s enough to unpack in what she did say.

Fuck, she got it all wrong. I wasn’t… fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

“Look at me, Celeste.”

Several beats pass where she doesn’t move, her hands trembling in her lap. I yank at my tie’s knot, lacking oxygen.

“Look at me.” I take a chance and scoot closer.

She recoils, but she doesn’t open the door and run, so I take it as a win.

“Celeste, I might be confused and unprepared forwhat is growing between us… but let me make one thing clear for you. I fucking love your body.”

She finally turns her head to me, her eyes glistening. I reach tentatively and run my thumb along her jawline.

She shivers and swallows, her eyes full of hurt, but something else too. Something that looks like… But that can’t be.

Is she truly scared of me? No, that must have been just part of the heated moment.

“This dress, black swan, makes my cock hard. The problem is, I’m pretty sure it will have the same effect on other men.”

“The question is, what will you do about it?”

Her question rings with importance. I’m thoroughly fucking confused as to what I’ve triggered in her. But it’s clear she won’t give me the complete story tonight.

I’m at a loss on how to move past this, whateverthisis, so I lean in to what I know works between us.

“Since I can’t make them not look at you, I’ll just have to finger fuck you during the dinner to make sure everyone can smell who you belong to.”

The words come out naturally, but the need to execute them is stronger than ever. Like claiming this woman is a question of life and death.

Fuck, this arrangement grows more complicated every day.

A flicker of heat passes through her eyes before she sighs, “Idiot.” Like always when she is upset, she says it in French.

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