Page 59 of The Rogue and His Flower

No, she did not just fucking say that! Firstly, I’m a damn good kisser, and secondly, how many fucking men has she kissed exactly? Those thoughts run rampant through my head as I watch her storm away, and for a moment I have to gather myself, because my dick is doing its own thing again, and is straining against the zipper of my jeans, and my heart? That bastard muscle is pounding in my chest as if I’ve just run ten miles on the treadmill.

Fuck she’s infuriating, not to mention entirely correct in her judgement of me.

Ihavebeen ignoring her this week. Not because I don’t want to spend time with her, but because all I want to do is spend time with her. Why?Fuck if I know. I mean, she is fun to be around. I do like her, but I’m not used to this. The longest time I’ve ever spent with a woman before is a few hours before and during sex, and if they’re lucky I stick around for the night just so that I can fuck them in the morning. But having actual conversations with them? Fuck, no.

Yet, I find myself wanting to pass the time with Daisy, and it’s messing with my head.

“Fuck,” I mutter, pushing off from the doorframe and striding after Daisy, knowing that tonight truly is going to be a test of my control.

“You looklike you’ve just swallowed a wasp,” Sterling remarks, leaning his back against the bar next to me as I drag my gaze away from Daisy who is currently laughing animatedly with Riley, one of Drix’s close friends and his employee at the gym he owns. He’s a nice guy, we’ve all hung out together before, but right now I’m not feeling all that friendly towards him. In fact, I’m feeling slightly murderous.

“I’m fine!” I grind out, my fingers curling into fists at my side.

Sterling laughs, seeing right through me. “You’re fuming.”

“And you’re drunk,” I retort, noticing the glazed look in his eyes.

“Whatever,” he replies, flicking his gaze towards Harlow, who is currently setting up her equipment on the stage.

Needing something else to focus on, I follow his gaze. Admittedly, Harlow’s an attractive woman with long, silky blonde hair and sun-kissed skin, but there’s something abouther that just doesn’t click for me. Maybe it’s the way she’s been giving Sterling the cold shoulder, or perhaps it’s the fact that I am so thoroughly preoccupied with Daisy to even think about another woman in that way. One minute we’re on the verge of being friends, and there’s an ease between us that I could get used to, the next we’re back to being enemies and throwing insults in each other’s faces, and if we’re not doing either of those things, I’m kissing her and she’s kissing me back. All I know is that right now I’m on edge, and I’m not happy about it.

“I don’t even know why I’m here,” Sterling mumbles, drawing my attention back to him.

“Things not going too well in the Blade household I take it?”

“You’re kidding, right?” he asks, knocking back another mouthful of scotch. “It’s a fucking nightmare.”

“Have you told Robert about you and Harlow?” I ask, lowering my voice.

“Yes, my dad was particularly pleased to find out that I had the best sex of my life with my step sister a few months before he married her mum,” he hisses. “Of course I fucking haven’t.”

“Are you planning on doing anything about it?”

“About it?”

“You know, the fact you’ve still got a raging hard-on for her.”

“Like what, exactly?” he groans, dragging out a long breath.

“She’s not blood related,” I offer with a shrug.

“It’s not as simple as that,” he retorts. “Besides, our one night stand started with her lying to me about her name, and ended with her sneaking off without a goodbye, let alone any way to contact her. She’s refused to talk to me about what happened between us apart from telling me that it was a mistake. So despite pointing out that she’s not actually my sister, there isn’t a chance in hell that anything further could happen between us for a multitude of fucked-up reasons.”

“Well that blows,” I retort, twisting my body around, so I can order us both another drink. I catch Ben’s attention and he strides towards me, a grin breaking across his face.

“Another one?” he asks, lifting a brow.

“Yes, for both me and Sterling,” I reply, just as Harlow begins to sing.

“Oh fuck,” Sterling mutters, tensing beside me as his eyes snap to the stage, instantly mesmerised.

“You think you should be encouraging him?” Ben questions.

“Listen, all is not well in the Blade household. He needs another drink.”

“It’s that bad?” Ben asks, pulling a face.

“Worse,” I reply, my attention drawn to Daisy, and my own problems. She’s stopped chatting with Riley, entranced by Harlow’s singing as much as everyone else appears to be, but she hasn’t moved away from him. In fact, Ido notlike how fucking close he’s standing next to her right now.

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