Page 28 of Rescuing Sophia

In the end, duty wins out over desire. I force myself to take one step, then another, toward the elevator. Each step feels like I’m moving through molasses, every fiber of my being screaming at me to turn back.

As the elevator doors open, I pull up short.

Fuck professional boundaries.

I stride back to her door, resolve tightening in my chest. This time, I’m going to knock. I’ll make her understand. My hand lifts, muscles taut with tension.

Before I can knock, the door swings open, and she stands in the doorway, eyes wide in surprise. We lock eyes, the air thick with a storm of unresolved emotions.

“Sophia.” Her name escapes my lips, a desperate whisper.

She stays rooted in place, silent, those stormy eyes of hers brimming with a mix of hope and hurt. The silence between us stretches, heavy and suffocating, as we stand there, trapped in this moment.

In a sudden, uncontrollable surge of emotion, I close the distance between us, my arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her to me. My lips crash against hers, the kiss fierce and primal, a release of all my pent-up desire and frustration.

Her body tenses, but then she melts into me, her arms snaking around my neck, pulling me closer. Her sweet and intoxicating taste fills my senses, and I lose myself in the sensation.

The hallway fades away, the world narrowing to just the two of us. My hands roam her back, feeling the warmth of her skin through the thin fabric of her blouse. Her fingers tangle in my hair, tugging gently, sending shivers down my spine.

I pull back, gasping for breath, my forehead resting against hers.

I’m about to make the biggest mistake of my life, but I don’t fucking care.

“You need to understand something.” My voice is rough and strained.

“What?”

“I like it rough and dirty.” I struggle to keep my voice steady. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

She doesn’t flinch or pull away. Instead, her eyes darken. “Good thing that’s exactly what I need—someone who won’t treat me like I’m made of glass.” She steps closer, her breath warm against my skin.

Her words send a jolt through me. I search her face, looking for any sign of hesitation or fear.

“Are you sure? Because once we start, I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop.”

I search for any sign of hesitation, but all I see is determination and need.

“I want this. I want you.” Sophia’s hands slide up my chest, her touch searing through my shirt. “The good. The bad. The ugly. The rough and the dirty. All of it.” She rises on her tiptoes, her lips brushing my ear. “I won’t break. Show me how much you want me.”

“Sophia.” My voice is a whisper, barely audible.

She leans in, her lips brushing against mine, a soft, tantalizing touch. “Please.” Her fingers trail down my chest.

The last threads of my control snap. I growl low in my throat and spin us around, pressing her against the wall. My hands grip her hips, hard enough to bruise, but she doesn’t protest. Instead, she arches into me, a soft moan escaping her lips.

“Last chance to back out,” I warn, my voice barely recognizable.

Her fingers trail down my abdomen, stoking the fire burning inside me. “Show me every inch of the darkness you keep hidden from the world.”

The realization hits me like a lightning bolt, searing through my veins and awakening every nerve ending in my body. For the first time, I’m with a woman who can handle all of me—the depths of my desire, the intensity of my passion, the darkness that lurks beneath the surface. It’s a terrifying thought, one that sends a shiver down my spine. But it’s also exhilarating; like standing at the edge of a precipice, ready to jump into the unknown.

“Then prepare to be consumed.” The final thread of my restraint shatters. I can’t hold back anymore.

I capture her lips in a brutal kiss, all teeth and tongue, pouring every ounce of my bridled aggression and lust into it. She meets me with equal fervor, her nails raking down my back, urging me on.

I break away from her lips with a growl, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down her neck and onto her collarbone. Her pulse races beneath my tongue, fueling my lust.

I break away, panting. “Bedroom. Now.”

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