Page 161 of Gloves Off

“Did I go too hard?”

“A little.” Her gaze slides to mine, embarrassment and something a little sly in her eyes. “But I didn’t mind.”

“Would you say I melted your brain?”

“That’s it.” She starts to get out of bed, face flaming with embarrassment. “I’m sleeping on the couch.”

I catch her in my arms, pulling her against me, caging her in. “Like hell you are.” My fingers lift her chin so our eyes meet. “Hey.” I press a soft kiss to her lips. “Best fuck of my life, too.”

She swallows as I search her gaze.

Pressure swells in my chest, so expanding and consuming I can barely breathe as I gaze into her eyes. It’s Georgia, I’ve realized. Maybe it’s been Georgia for a long time. The intense emotions I’ve always felt toward her—maybe they were never hate. Maybe they were the opposite.

“What are we doing, Georgia?”

“I don’t know.”

“I think you do.” I want her to say it, though. I want her to trust me. And yet, I can’t help pushing her limits. “I like you.”

She frowns. Sits up and stiffens. “What?”

“I like you,” I repeat slowly. I can feel the corner of my mouth sliding up.

She laughs, nervous and tight. “Well, not likethat.”

I nod. She’s freaking out but it’s fucking cute. “Like that. I like you like that.”

“But we said?—”

“I know what we said. I know what we agreed to. I still like you.”

It’s freeing, putting it all out on the line like this. Or most of it.

“Who justsays that?” she demands. “What kind of game is this, Alexei?”

Don’t laugh,I tell myself. It’ll make her really mad. That could be fun, though.

“Don’t look at me like that.” Her tone comes out sharp, and I really do start laughing.

“Like what?”

“Like I’m cute or something.”

“You are cute. I just pulled your hair, bent you over, and fucked you against the counter, butthisis what makes you want to bolt?”

She sucks a deep breath in through her nose, folding her arms across her stomach. “You hate me.”

Did I ever actually hate her? Or did I just hate that I wanted to fuck her so badly? Did I hate how much I thought about her?

I don’t know anymore. I just like bickering with her in bed like this.

“I hate you,” I lie, reaching for her, tucking her against my chest, turning off the light and pulling the duvet around us, “but I still think you’re cute. And I still like you.”

CHAPTER 74

GEORGIA

A week later,Alexei appears in my row on the plane, lifting his bag into the overhead bin. My gaze catches on his toned arms, muscles flexing with the movement.

---