Page 29 of Crush

My mind was still spinning with a thousand questions; ones I needed answers to. I wasn’t lying when I’d told her I’d seen her eye-fucking me, but it was just something I got used to from most women. It was standard stuff and so I’d disregarded that having any gravitas. The fact that she appeared so indifferent and unimpressed when we spoke had also shat on those coy glances. Now I knew the gleams of hunger I’d witnessed werereal.

As I fisted myself in the shower later that night, I thought about Amber; imagining all the things I wanted to do to her. The images my hungry mindcreated were unbearably erotic; thoughts that made my entire body throb. I came so hard that I almost passed out.

After cleaning up, I left the bathroom naked and padded into my bedroom.

I had an eight-thirty meeting and needed to sleep but I couldn’t stop the chaos of my forbidden thoughts. The thrum of a looming alcohol-induced headache also suggested I needed my bed.

After grabbing a towel from the drawer, I rubbed it against my hair before wrapping it around my waist.

Lowering myself onto my bed, I grabbed my phone and swiped the screen. I needed to message Amber, maybe clear the air, and apologise. I didn’t usually feel regret. Regret was for pussies but I had to saysomething. Fuck. I’d had my tongue down her throat and would see her in the morning. What would I say? If I didn’t message her before we came face to face that could be as awkward as hell. Was I imagining it or had I said something about her coming home with me?

Sitting there staring at the phone, I typed and deleted the text message several times. I wasn’t one whoeverapologised for anything but what could I do?

I was about to press send when a message appeared on WhatsApp.

Opening the text, it was from Amber or as I had named her on my phone,The Antichrist. The muscles in my jaw tensed.

It never happened.She’d messaged. Great, she wentstraightthere?Denial.

Rubbing the muscles in the back of my neck, I gritted my teeth as annoyance pumped through me. Again, she’d beaten me to the punch. It also pissed me off that she would know I’d read it within seconds of its arrival. Like I was sitting at the other end of the phone,pantingfor contact from her like a sad fuck.

Screw my apology, the stubborn little witch.

I waited a few more minutes to see if she’d add anything else before I sent my intended reply. The woman was playing with fire with her smart mouth and lush little body.

Fine by me.

Not the most kick-ass response but sod it. Ifthatwas how she wanted to play it, so be it. I’d pretend too. My silence would always be much louder than hers and Ineverlost.

I thought about her killer body and stunning face, those cat-like eyes with a thousand stories locked inside them.

Fuck it, the woman had hard work written all over her. I’d clearly sunk too much booze.

I now knew that I needed to keep whatever perverted thing I had going for the woman under wraps. Under no circumstances could I allow myself to scratch that itch. I didn’t chase women,ever. I didn’t have to.

Nothing good would come out of any personal attachment to such a woman. And I didn’t do complicated.

End of.

Amber

Over the next couple of days that followed that mind-blowing kiss, Max was only on-site for a few hours each day. If hewasavoiding me, it was probably for the best. Luckily our paths didn’t cross at all, not totalkanyway.

On Friday morning, we had stared at each other through the glass of my office window before he took the stairs to his own; like a silent conversation where no words needed to be said.

During lunch, I’d seen him standing with some of the lads sharing a smoke, but he’d been wearing aviators, so I couldn’t see where he was looking. His face had oozed his trademark smirk, so I’d guessed his attention was on me.

Most of the time, I remained glued to my laptop typing up the bloody essay he’d requested and answering emails. Max clearly had business elsewhere,either that or hewasavoiding me. I had half expected him to seek me out and gloat about how I had responded to him. Max usually wore his arse-hole badge on his sleeve and was a master with the snide comments.

As I attempted to work, I cringed at how I’d switched into slut mode within seconds, recalling that fireball of need that had raced through my body. That level of chemistry he’d stirred with his killer tongue had unearthed feelings I thought I had buried deep. Max’s actions made me wonder if he knew what made me tick. A tide of dread at being so exposed washed through me. I couldn’t allow him to see my vulnerabilities.

Although he initiated it, I’d kissed him back. The moment his lips had met mine all bets were off. Desire had rushed through my body like a forest fire. Max had pulled the rug out from under me and there had been no stopping that reckless thrill his touch evoked.

That’s why I’d messaged him to say it never happened. Sweeping it under the carpet was safer.

I wondered if his request that I join him at that charity ball was still on the table. Part of me hoped not. If he wasthattalented with his mouth, he’d probably be amazing in bed and I couldn’t allow myself to go there. If I followed Mia’s advice, I was supposed to be looking for normal, not a guy with ‘bad boy heartbreaker’ tattooed all over him. The term ‘relationship’ made players like Max, break out in a rash.

Shame settled over me like an impenetrable fog. I had to rethink my strategy and keep Max Hunter at arm's length. I wouldnotallow the physical pull I was suddenly experiencing to get under my skin. I needed a distraction and something safe to cut my teeth on, like the Rory Hoptons of this world. Although not the version that cheated, if thatwasthe case. I had tried to get more intel from the girls at work but they didn’t tell me anything particularly horrifying about him.

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