Page 26 of Ardent Desires

Shit.

I freeze for a second, unsure whether to ignore it or deal with it. I’ve been screening her calls for days, made it clear I wasn’t interested in whatever she’s trying to rekindle. But my thumb swipes across the screen before I can stop myself, and suddenly, her face fills the display.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

“Hey, baby,” she purrs, her platinum blonde hair perfectly styled, her sharp green eyes assessing me like she always does,like she’s trying to read me, trying to figure out what I want. She’s wearing lingerie—black lace, barely covering anything—and I know she’s wearing it for me. She’s biting her lip, and they look… fuller. She’s definitely had something done recently. Probably filler.

“Hey, Vanessa,” I say, keeping my voice flat, uninterested.

She doesn’t seem to notice, or maybe she just doesn’t care. “I’ve been trying to reach you,” she says, pouting a little, like it’s supposed to make mefeelsomething. “Where’ve you been?”

“Busy,” I reply, setting the water bottle down. “What’s up?”

“I’m good as you can see. You can see me clearly, can’t you?”

“I can see you clearly,” I say swallowing the lump forming in my throat. Why do I feel so guilty talking to her less than an hour after kissing Ellie.

“Imissyou,” she says, dragging the word out as she shifts, making sure I get a full view of her breasts spilling out of the lingerie. “And you didn’t answer my question.” She gives me a sly smile. “Do you like what I’m wearing?”

I sigh, already regretting picking up the call. “Why are you calling me half-naked, Vanessa?”

She pouts, glancing down at her chest like she’s surprised by her own state of undress. “Oh, I didn’t even realize,” she giggles, and the sound grates on my nerves. “I was in Milan, trying on some new lingerie. Thought you might appreciate a sneak peek.”

Yeah, it looks good. It always does on her. She’s tall, 5’9”, with a model’s figure, long legs, perfectly toned, the kind of body that stops traffic. The black set clings to her, highlighting everything she’s clearly spent hours in the gym sculpting. She looks stunning—she always does—but my mind is elsewhere.

Specifically, on Ellie.

I can’t help but wonder howshe’dlook in that set. Her curves filling it out in all the right places, her soft body in my hands. I shake the thought away, trying to focus.

“I’m exhausted,” I say, my voice flat. “I’m heading to bed.”

Vanessa’s face falls slightly, her lips twisting into something between a pout and frustration. “Oh... okay,” she says, trying to sound breezy, but I can hear the disappointment. “Well, I’ll be back in New York soon. How about we get dinner? Catch up?”

I stare at her through the screen, debating whether I should just cut her off right now. End this before it gets more complicated. But for some reason, I can’t muster the energy for a fight.

“Maybe,” I say instead, knowing damn well I’m not going to make time for her.

She perks up a little at that. “Great! I’ll text you when I’m back.”

“I really need to go,” I say, not waiting for her response before I hang up.

A few seconds later, my phone buzzes again. It’s a text from Vanessa—a selfie of her in that same lingerie, pouting at the camera. The caption reads,I’ll wear this for you when I’m back.

“Jesus Christ,” I mutter, tossing my phone onto the counter.Not tonight.

I rub a hand over my face, trying to shake off the irritation. Everything about that call felt wrong, like a bad reminder of the past I’ve been trying to leave behind. Vanessa’s world, her perfectly curated life—it’s empty. Shallow. I don’t want any part of it anymore.

I need to burn off this energy, get my head straight before I head to bed. So I head to the indoor pool. The water’s always been my place to think, to reset. I strip down, diving in, the cold shock of the water cutting through the haze in my mind. Stroke after stroke, I let my body move, pushing the thoughts out, focusing on the burn in my muscles, the rhythm of my breathing.

But no matter how many laps I swim, I can’t get rid of the lingering thoughts of Ellie. The taste of her. The way her bodytrembled beneath me. The way she cried out my name when she came, her fingers gripping my hair, pulling me deeper.

I groan, pushing off the wall harder, trying to swim the tension out of me. But it’s useless. She’s under my skin now. The feel of her, the way she looks at me, like she’s trying to figure me out—fuck.

I finish another lap, pulling myself out of the water, droplets cascading down my body as I grab a towel. My muscles are still tense, the burn in my chest hasn’t gone away. I can feel the energy thrumming under my skin, and I know sleep isn’t going to come easy tonight.

But then I think about work tomorrow. Abouthercoming into the office. About seeing her again, maybe stealing another kiss, feeling her melt against me the way she did tonight.

I catch myself smiling, shaking my head as I walk back to the bedroom. The night almost went to shit when Logan showed up, that smug bastard. He almost ruined everything. But thank fuck I ended it the way I did—with the taste of Ellie on my tongue, her moans still echoing in my head.

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