Page 55 of Perfect

Connor rolled his eyes. He wasn’t going to tell me and I placed my hands on my hips, showing I meant business.

“Your hands are bleeding,” I pointed out crossly in a ‘matter-of-fact’ way with a flick of my head. Like a mother telling a child off for ripping his jeans.

He didn’t bat an eyelid. My comment was a dumb thing to say really as if he didn’t know that his hands were all messed up. His knuckles looked angry and my fingers twitched with the urge to soothe his injuries. He wore no tape this time and had been beating the crap out of the bag bare-knuckled it appeared.

“And what, you’ve come to kiss them better?” he drawled mockingly, his lips curling as he moved towards me with determined, but slow steps. I stayed exactly where I was, equally resolute that I would not back away. I dropped my arms to my sides.

My reply surprised me.

“Maybe?” I taunted. I was playing with fire but was past caring.

My directness was obviously unexpected by Connor as he came close and stared down at me with an all-seeing expression; like he was reaching into me, searching for the truth, stealing my secrets.

His eyes probed mine and he stopped around a metre away before slowly withdrawing a rag from his jeans pocket. He wiped his knuckles without breaking eye contact.

Connor’s lips curled slowly.

“So, you’ve come for another taste?” he said as he twisted his head momentarily to throw the rag on a bale of hay.

He turned back to face me, he was baiting me back and I knew it, but I didn’t care. Two could play that game.

I stood with my heart in my mouth.

“What if I have? What do you think about that?”

His mouth curled. “I think you’re on dangerous ground.” He was like a predatory animal on the verge of pouncing and I was the prey.

I folded my arms again.

“Why? You scared?” I tilted my head and shot him a provocative stare.

Considering I was so tired, I was on fire tonight, I usually hated any type of conflict, even when there was an undercurrent of attraction; a love/hate vibe, but I couldn’t stop. I didn’t want to.

Excitement flared in my chest at our banter. There was a definite battle of wills and I basked in it. This guy brought out the worst in me, or maybe this was the best of me?

Connor exhaled sharply before he countered. “Not at all, butyoushould be. Maybe I’ll take more than just a kiss.”

I cursed my blush; the bubble of emotions swirling in my stomach coming to the boil but in a good way. The guy was way above me in the area of sexual experience but I wanted this boy,neededto feed this hunger for him.

If only Lisa could see me now. Gone was the scared little girl and in her place was a strong, confident young woman.

It was my turn to roll my eyes.

“So, you’re back to threatening me again?” I questioned with a twist to my lips, baiting him further, totally unfazed by what he was suggesting. I noted how he used the word ‘take’ instead of ‘want’, like it was his choice alone. That excited me more.

“You know I don’t make threats. We’ve had this conversation before,” he shook off the comment and contemplated his answer. “Just promises.”

He paused and gave me a pointed look. “Then you can’t say I didn’t try to warn you,” he added using his ‘serious’ voice.

It was a blatant ‘hit you between the eyes’ challenge. The gauntlet was down and it poured fuel onto an already raging fire. My whole body was simmering and another trickle of excitement coursed through me.

I would not be the one to back down!

“I see. I think I’ll stay. You need to learn that you can’t boss me around like you can everyone else.”

I saw a flash of something across his expression like maybe he was impressed or relieved even, that I hadn’t run away and taken the easy way out.

“Suit yourself,” he replied before moving away towards a hay bale as if distance was the safest bet. I was surprised he hadn’t reacted how I’d expected him to, considering I had challenged him. If there was one guy I couldn’t read in this world, he was it.

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