Page 39 of Bryce

He made a sound deepinside his throat as she pressed against him. A shudder ran throughhis body at the speed of light when he felt her breasts rubbingagainst him. he could not keep this up.

He had everyintention of seducing her, using his mouth and hands all over herbody to give her the ultimate pleasure, but he was rapidly losingcontrol.

The urge to drag herto the floor and tear off her dress was so much that he had to take amental step back.

But suddenly shesurfaced. And it felt as if she was waking up from a very long sleep.Her limbs were languid, her body fluid. It took everything for her toresist him. But she must. If she continued, she was not going to findthe willpower to deny him anything.

At first, he did notrealize what was happening. That she was pushing him away. He was sofar gone, the passion swamping every inch of him, that it tookseveral moments for him to become aware of her hands pushing at hischest.

When she managed totear her mouth from his, he shook his head and stared at her with afrown.

“Zahra?”His voice was thick, his blood churning and the impossible heat wasall but scorching him.

“Let go of me.”Her voice was dangerously calm, her posture rigid.

“Baby, what…”

“Don’t.”She shoved and this time managed to dislodge his arms from aroundher. “I am going to bed. Alone.”

“What?”He must have been further gone than he realized, because her wordswere not registering.

“You’vehad your fun Bryce. And proven to both of us that you can rile me up.Congrats. It seems you can even get the fat girl to want you. Now theexperiment is over. Move out of my way.”

Passion turned tofury in a spin. His hands gripped her arms and felt like steel bandson her skin. His face was taut and harsh with anger, eyes blazingfrom it. “What the hell are you talking about?”

She forced herself toignore the painful ache in her heart and the tremors still wrackingher body. She had to get him to leave her alone and the only way todo so was inject sarcasm and scorn.

She was desperateenough to use both.

“Big Hollywoodactor like you must conquer every territory. I am the one from yourchildhood and you wanted to see if the sparks were still there. Youhave women falling at your feet everywhere you go, and you had toprove that I was no different.” She shoved at him.

“Well then, youhave made your point. I am as human as the rest. But there is adifference with me. I am not going to lie down and satisfy yourperverse sexual curiosity. From now on, until you leave, I am warningyou to stay the hell away from me.”

They stood therestaring at each other, the tension so thick, one could slice throughwith a dull knife. Zahra was hoping desperately that he would not tryto kiss her again, or those brave words she had spoken would beproven wrong. Her insides were like jelly and her knees were almostgiving out on her.

Even his nearness wasaffecting her and giving her dizzy spells. She was aware of hissubtle cologne, the stubble of hair on his face. His hair was tousledand the yearning to run her fingers through the strands was more thanshe could bear. She had to get away from him and fast.

Bryce was furious. Hehad poured his heart out to her and what they had just experiencedwas beyond description. She had gone and turned it into somethingugly and he wanted to strike her, to shake some sense into thatstubborn head of hers.

But most of all, hewanted her with a sickness that was churning inside him. But he wasdamned if he would beg. He had never begged for anything in hisgoddamned life and as much as he wanted her, he was not going tostart now.

The mask ofindifference settled over his face, and he stepped back. “Youdon’t have to ask twice.” His deep voice was cold andcontrolled and sent shivers along her spine.

Goodnight.”

She waited until hehad left and slammed the door behind him before lowering her shakingframe in the chair. Tears were threatening but she was not going toallow them to fall. She had done the right thing.

She had to make himsee that they did not belong together. He was Hollywood royalty andas soon as he left here, he would be off to the next woman, the nextconquest. Meantime, she would be here stuck with memories and forcedto watch him on the screen and being photographed with myriads ofbeautiful women.

It was better thisway. She hated that they had to part as enemies, but that’s theway of it. She had been broken by him once; she could not afford itto happen again. She swiped angrily at the tear that trickled downher cheek and took a fortifying breath.

Grabbing the bottleof scotch and the pack of cigars, he strode out to the balcony andpulled up a chair. The rain was still pelting the trees and othervegetations and every so often, the streak of lightening would piercethe darkness.

He did not notice anyof it. Did not even bloody care that the chair was soaked. He feltnothing except anger and a sexual frustration that was ripping him toshreds. Her words came back to haunt him.

She had wounded him,slashed at him like a two-edged sword. The hurt was so palpable thathe could hardly stand it. He had expected some sort of resistance andargument, but nothing like this.

Bringing the bottleto his lips, he took a long swallow and almost choked as the burningliquid slid down his throat and stomach. Putting away the bottle, heshook out a cigar and was surprised to see that his hands weretrembling. So badly that he had a hard time lighting the damn cigar.

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