Page 21 of Fall Into Me

The step I took back was more of a reflex from having someone so far into my personal space bubble it should have been classified as a felony.

“Where do you plan on sleeping then?” The question was supposed to be rhetorical. It wassupposedto point out that there were no other options for him besides the couch or the floor.

Fane obviously didn’t gather that because he pointed at the only closed door in the house that clearly led to my bedroom. “There.”

“Ha!” The sound just burst out of me, shocking Jerry awake from where he’d situated himself back on his own couch. “No.” I shook my head with vigor. “You’re not sleeping in my bed.”

“Why not?” His head tilted to the side, and for reasons completely out of my control, I took another step back.

“Because it’smybed, Fane,” I seethed. “I don’t share beds with people I don’t know.”

He took another step toward me, then another. Making me retreat with every thump of his boots on the creaking hardwood floors.

He wasn’t just walking toward me; he wasstalkingme.

“Oh, I think you know me quite well, Calista.”

It was messed up the way my body shivered from head to toe after watching his mouth say my name. The way I watched every syllable roll off his tongue and imagined the way it would feel on other parts of my body.

I was too busy trying to figure out a way to speak that didn’t involve the use of my tongue, too busy trying to forget how familiar being surrounded by the smell of him was, that it didn’t register the way it should have that he was still taking those measured steps toward me.

My back hit something solid, and I decided to add my yelp of surprise to the list of things I didn’t have any super positive things to say about.

We could have stayed like that for hours, as far as I was concerned. Could have gone back in time, jumped dimensions, won the lottery.

Who the fuck knows.

It could have all happened, and I would have still been rooted to the spot I was currently in, looking into empty violet eyes, doing my best to block out every other memory I had of them except for the one that mattered.

Fane’s hand around the doorknob wasn’t what snapped me from whatever was happening to my brain.

A stroke, probably.

It was the fact that he let go of said handle. I stumbled back into the room, unable to get my footing until I landed right on the bed, right on my ass for the second time tonight.

I gave my head a little shake to clear the fog that wasn’t lifting half as fast as I needed it to, and by then, it was already too late.

“No!” I yelled at the spot where he’d been standing. My head whipped around to find him undoing the button of his jeans.

“Oh…oh my god. Have you lost yourmind?What are you doing?!” My hand flew up to cover my eyes.

“Getting ready for bed.” His voice was low and rough. It had always been like that, like he never really used it much. It made my own throat ache.

“Why are you taking off yourpants?” I was still yelling.

“You’ve seen me in a lot less than this, Rose.” And that was the moment I knew he was enjoying this.

“You donotget to call me that.” I seethed. “And we’re not sharing a bed.”

“The couch is free.”

“Fane,” I seethed again, dropping my hand at the same time I got to my feet and turned to face him. “This ismy bed.”It took everything in me not to stomp my foot like a child.

“I know.” He started to pull the covers back, and I wanted to scream. He was so fucking calm.

“Hey,” I said, trying to get his attention while he took his phone out of his pocket and set it next to the bed. He just ignored me, clearly done with whatever was going on between us. “Hey!” I said again, louder this time. “That’s my side.”

Those empty eyes looked from the covers he held in a fist to my face, shadowed by the furrow of his brow that came out of nowhere.

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