Page 28 of Crush

I left the restaurant as the curtain of night was closing, leaving Rory without an explanation. Luckily, my driver was idling beside the pavement and he climbed out of the car, opening the back door as I approached. He said nothing about the state I was in, he was trained not to ask questions.

Once the cool leather of the seat hit me and my chauffeur, Dexter pulled out into traffic, I turned and looked out of the back window of the privacy glass to faintly see Max standing on the pavement. His cheek muscles were rigid as he watched my car pull away. His friend Gabriel was with him and behind them, I could just make out an ashen-faced Rory. Damn, I would need to message him an apology to explain somehow. I doubted thatmy date ran out on mewould be juicy enough fodder for his work buddies if what Max said was true. I didn’t feel sorry for him, pity was something I didn’t dish out these days. I was too busy feeling sorry for myself. Plus, from the sounds of it, Rory was a cheating prick.

I ran my tongue against the backs of my teeth as I attempted to control that sensation Max had generated in my body. Heat still seared my cheeks.

There was no denying it now, I’d behaved like I wasgaggingfor it. The lid on the bottle of my emotions had been shaken free. Yes, Max wound me up but at least he made mefeelsomething. And in his arms, I’d felt reckless, wild, and untamed and it had felt good;morethan good. I hadn’t felt as alive as that since I was fifteen/sixteen and the reality of that fact threw my mind into a war zone.

The journey home progressed like a night terror as I realised the cold hard truth. I felt afierceconnection to Max Hunter. He had unleashed past emotions that had once belonged to another. My first love, or so I had thought at the time. Zander.

Alexander Harker, the man who had kidnapped me, manipulated me to fall in love with him and then left me to suffer alone; like an animal in pain.

The man I thought I once loved; who I soon came to hate.

Tension knotted the top of my neck and it suddenly felt like my ribs were in a vice as I struggled to breathe.

Over the last few years, I shed so many versions of myself but I had been content to live in my virtual world. That fake place I had constructed to keep my past demons at bay. And now, after only a few weeks, one man had unknowingly contaminatedeverythingI had put in place. Max had managed to reveal that unprotected part of me.

Should I throw caution to the wind and go for it? Chase the storm? My life was already plagued with so many what-ifs; why fight the temptation?

It felt like forever to get back home but the more I thought about it, the more determined I became to fight it. Yes, I had a strong sexual connection with Max, but I’d be damned ifIwas the one to get burnedthistime.

Five

Max

My mind was stillreelingfrom what I had done. I had kissed Amber, initially to prove a point and it had backfired,bigtime. My body still throbbed from the feeling of her soft body pressed against my chest and I could smell her sweet scent on my skin. Ihatedto admit it but I hadneverbeen more turned on in my life.

When she’d pulled away and ran from me, that arsehole side of me wanted to go after her, haul her back outside and go for another round. I wanted toshowher what it felt like when arealman fucked her. I felt like a savage.

I hadn’t of course, I’d managed to pull myself together. It was the sight of that hint of tears which stopped me. I hadn’t badged Amber as a crier and it knocked me for six. I’d been rough with her to start with and I knew that was wrong. My parents had raised me better. Yes, I liked the rough stuff in the bedroom but only when that was reciprocated.

The soft feel of her tongue against mine, as she submitted, had shot straight to my dick,blowingmy mind. Yes, I’d been the aggressor but Amberhadsoon melted in my arms. I told myself that wasn’t the point. I felt another stab of remorse, irrespective of her response, I shouldn’t have behaved that way. The woman was a bitch, but didn’t deservethattype of treatment.

I also hadn’t appreciated my best friend looking at me like I was some type of sexual deviant. After Gabriel had torn me a new one for kissing Amber, his driver Marco had dropped me off at my apartment. I’d explained to her pathetic excuse for a date that she’d taken ill with a headache and had paid their bill. I could be Mr Nice Guy if the moment called for it. Did he believe my excuse?Who gave a shit? The guy got a free meal for his troubles and Felice’s wasn’t cheap.

Lady Amber-Leigh Swift was now even more of a puzzle. Who would have that beneath that stuck-up bitchy exterior coated in ice was a hot, passionate woman. And one that fitted against me so perfectly; almost like she was made for me.

That moment before I’d kissed her was intense. Like the developing stage of a storm; something which had always fascinated me, especially tornadoes. I had always found them beautiful, irrespective of the danger and carnage they created.

Talk about a sucker punch. That spark of liquid fire I’d felt once my mouth had met hers waselectric. Once Amber’s sweet tongue had tangled with mine, I’d wanted to lift her dress and bury myself inside her against that bloody door. Either that or drag her onto the ground like an animal. Which I wouldn’t have done, of course, I’dneverforce myself on a woman.

Another surge of shame shot through me.Fuck. Amber had stirred up such a dangerous, primitive need inside me, especially when her stomach rubbed against my junk. When I realised her change of heart as she’d pushed me away, I let her go. It had been hard but I’d done the right thing.

There was no denying the truth now, Amber had turned me into a randy teenager looking for a quicky. Even now the thought of worshiping her body with mine was making me hard.

I wasn’t stupid, seeing her with Hopton had made me jealous, and that’s why I’d acted like such a dick. It hadsod allto do with her father, but once the bullshit had started to flow, I couldn’t stop it. Add several shots of whisky into the mix and out came the dickhead; that side of me that always got what he wanted, orthoughthe did. Watching that fucknut Hopton get handsy with her, pissed me the hell off.

I hadn’t realised that the tension between Amber and I had been so sexual, but after that kiss, it all made sense. The forbidden fruit had her name written all over it. I could still taste her and God, past all that sour she was ripe and sweet. That little moan she had made into my mouth almost had me coming in my jeans. There wasn’t a shadow of doubt in my mind now that I wanted her. And she wanted me to, no matter how she had denied it.

As I said, I hadn’t intended to kiss her, initially. The amount of alcohol I’d sunk and then seeing her with Hopton had forced me to demand answers. I needed to knowwhythey were together and what the hell she saw in that dipshit. When I’d seen the punk with his hand on her and knowing his questionable past, I’d seen red. The desire to fuck him up had been swift but fortunately, I’d managed toappearcivil. When riled, I usually hit first and talked after. What? Talking is overrated when a strong message needs to be sent.

When Amber ran, I’d followed, ploughing past Gabriel and out of the dining area but I’d lost her. I’d needed to know she was OK.

I almost regretted manhandling her.

Almost.

Decorum and I hadneverbeen the closest of friends. I usually did what I wantedwhenI wanted.

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