Page 104 of The Twilight Theft

No one’s opinion was supposed to be important, so long as I got my work done.

I’d held back with Vanessa because I’d never fully trusted her. I knew she’d spill details on her website if I shared too much about a job with her.

But Jayce was the opposite of everything wrong in the world. She was honest, except when she was scared. She was a beacon of positivity, except when I said things that hurt her. Things that weren’t true, but were my stupid way of protecting myself.

“Hate you?” I leaned back, pulling away one of her hands so she couldn’t keep her tear-streaked face hidden from me.

“In your apartment, you said all you wanted was to get rid of me.”

“Get you out of my system, not get rid of you.” I sighed and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Something about this woman threw me off balance, and I kept pushing her away, trying to right myself. I couldn’t read her like I could read almost everyone else on the planet. “Every time you’re near me, it throws my whole world out of whack.”

Her fists loosened but didn’t release. “What do you mean?”

I didn’t know what I meant. Words were my strength, but they were a messed-up jumble in my head. I ran my thumb under her eye to clear her tears and pressed my lips against her opposite temple.

“Why do you keep kissing me?”

I pulled back, taking in her pinched, confused face. “To make you feel better?”

“Or to take advantage of an upset woman?” Her tone sounded serious, but maybe it was the normal, taunting Jayce peeking through.

“I would never force a woman—”

“You want to make me feel better?” As she moistened her lips, she released the death grip on my shirt, her fingers beginning a descent down my back. “Then take advantage.”

Thursday night, I’d nearly convinced myself I only wanted to blow off steam with her. But tonight? That wasn’t what I wanted at all.

I shook my head.

Sadness clouded her eyes, tears welling against her lids. Rejection was as bad as failure for her.

“I’m not saying no to you, Jayce.” There was no space for lies or omissions anymore. I craved her honesty. If I was going to have it, I’d have to pay with my own. “I want to see you naked, sprawled out on that bed. I want to taste every inch of you. Bury myself inside you until you scream.”

Her chest heaved, and my cock reacted.

“If you tell me the only thing you want is for me to fuck you so hard you forget what happened tonight, I’ll do that for you. I’ll do things that make you forget your name.” I swallowed, my brain steadily losing the fight to control my body. “And then I’ll leave and never look back.”

She nodded too quickly. “Get me out of your system. And I’ll get you out of mine.”

That wasn’t the offer I wanted her to take me up on.

Wasn’t the one Ineededher to agree to.

“I want to make love to you, Jayce. Tell you how beautiful you are. Worship at your feet.” I pulled her in tighter, my hardening cock pressed against her. “I’d rather spend all night showing you how screwed up I am over you and revel in every second.”

That was the truth. I’d cracked open her most intimate side and ended up revealing my own secret.

I wanted her.

And for more than one night.

Her brows fell and she took in a breath like she was struggling to find words. The woman who chattered endlessly didn’t know what to say. Her hands trembled at the small of my back.

This wasn’t the response I was hoping for. But did it matter? Yes, it mattered. It mattered so much, that I waited, despite how the tightness in my stomach rapidly evolved into a sickly churn.

“You don’t…” She blinked, her tears gathering again. “I don’t understand.”

Neither did I. “You don’t need to. Just tell me what you want.”

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