Page 56 of Billion Dollar Vow

“I’m not looking at you like you’re my sister,” he murmurs, low enough that I almost miss it. My heart stumbles over itself as I make a beeline for the stairs and head to my room, his words replaying in my head, making it impossible to shake the flustered feeling they leave behind.

I get up, the cool air hitting my skin as I shuffle toward the kitchen. My oversized t-shirt falls just above my knees, and my thong is the only other thing on my body. I need a drink. Something cold. My feet barely make a sound on the wood floor as I cross the dimly lit living room, the silence broken only by the hum of the fridge. I open the door, reaching for the glass, but before I can fill it, his voice, rough and unexpected, cuts through the quiet.

“I couldn’t sleep either.”

I freeze, my heart slamming into my ribs. My hand trembles as I grip the glass, and he steps out from the shadowed corner of the kitchen, his figure still half lost in the dimness. But I can make out the mess of his hair, the slight tug of his jaw as he watches me. His eyes are heavy-lidded, hooded with sleep, or maybe something else, and they lock onto mine with a force that makes my chest tighten.

I blink, fighting the sudden dizziness, and for a second, I think I must be dreaming. His presence feels too real, too electric.

“I just needed a drink.” I force the words through a scratchy throat, trying to hold on to some normalcy. My voice feels raw, barely there.

The space between us feels charged, an invisible pull that I can feel in my bones. My mouth’s dry. I swallow, almost painfully, but my lips betray me as they instinctively part, taking in the sight of him. He’s so fucking beautiful, it’s almost painful to look at.

His eyebrows raise slightly, his lips curling into something like amusement, and I realize, to my horror, that I’ve said that out loud. I want to die.

“I could say the same about you.”

My breath catches in my throat as he takes a step closer. His gaze never leaves mine, the weight of it pressing on me, making it impossible to look anywhere else. My chest rises and falls with every shallow breath and, suddenly, it feels like there’s not enough air in the room.

Just a taste. My pulse thrums in my ears, the ache between my legs undeniable. It’s too much now, his warmth wrapping around me. I want him. I ache for him.

He’s standing so close now, toe to toe, the heat of his body radiating toward me, and my skin hums in response. His fingers graze my cheek so gently, I feel it like a jolt to my system. Slowly, as if testing the limits, his hand slides under my chin, tilting my head back, forcing me to meet his gaze.

“What woke you up?” he whispers, but it lands like a command.

I swallow, my throat tight with something I can’t name. “Just a nightmare. Nothing. Really. Just my stupid past.”

The words are a lie, but I can’t seem to stop them from spilling out. I keep my eyes on him, feeling the soft burn of hisfingers as they trail down the length of my throat, brushing over the skin beneath the neck of my t-shirt. The feeling spreads throughout my body, tightening my chest, my breath hitching.

I wish I was wearing his t-shirt, I think, my body betraying me with the thought.

“Maybe I should give one to you,” he says, with an edge I can’t quite place.

God, what is he doing to me?

He’s still holding my chin, his thumb now brushing over my pulse. I can’t stop myself from shuddering. His touch is like fire, gentle but scorching, like he’s mapping out every inch of me.

I breathe in. But it feels like I’m suffocating.

I shouldn’t want this. I shouldn’t want him. I don’t have the strength to fight it, but I know I should. The words are there, on the tip of my tongue, but they won’t come.

He teases, leaning in, just close enough that I can feel his breath on my skin.

“You want me.”

I nod; a silent admission. And that’s the moment it breaks everything I’ve held back, every little piece of control I had slipping away. I want him, all of him. And he knows it.

“I've always wanted you.”

My eyes close as he continues spilling words I’ve been desperate to hear. “I've wanted you since that party. Do you know how hard it was to push you away?”

“Are you gonna push me away now?” I breathe out a challenge, desperately wanting him to prove me wrong.

“Fuck no, I've wanted you for too long.”

And then, his lips are on mine, taking my breath away. It’s a violent rush of teeth, lips, and tongue as we immediately consume each other. “Fuck,” he mumbles into my mouth between kisses.

I should stop… This is going to be messy in the morning, but worse, I’ll be left heartbroken when he admits he made a mistake.

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