Page 52 of Avoiding Temptation
Suddenly, the thought of the court case that’s to come doesn’t seem so daunting. This man needs putting behind bars—he has done for a long time. How he’s allowed to roam the streets after all the evidence that’s piling up against him is beyond me.
“Are you okay?” Joe’s concerned voice fills the small room and something inside me immediately settles. I need to tell him everything. If that monster’s after me, then I need him to know the truth.
“Yeah, just coming.” I double-check the mirror to ensure there’s no evidence left behind before pulling the door open and stepping from the room.
* * *
The rideto Joe’s place is in silence. I might have tried convincing him that that was just an everyday burglary, but I’m pretty sure I’m not fooling him. The way his fingers grip the wheel and the hard set of his jaw tells me he’s more than suspicious, and I’m incredibly grateful he’s managed to hold off the questions. For now at least.
He pulls up outside a pretty standard looking apartment building and drags our stuff from the back before guiding me towards the entrance.
There’s an out of order sign on the lift as we pass in favour of the stairs, and I follow him up to the third floor. This place isn't flashy by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s a hell of a lot better than the building I live in. There’s no graffiti over the walls, the paint looks relatively fresh, and the flooring isn’t chipped and fading.
“Come on, we should have the place to ourselves.”
“Oh, you don’t live alone?”
“No, this is my friend’s place. I’m currently crashing in her spare room, but she’s met someone and will be out with him.”
“Okay.” I nod and follow him into the flat. If he didn't tell me a woman lived here, then it would be instantly obvious. There are candles, cushions, and little girly trinkets everywhere. It’s cute, exactly how I’d want my home to look if I actually had one and a little money
I jump a mile when Joe drops the bags to the floor with a bang. I thought I’d managed to put what happened at my place behind me on the drive over, but it seems I might just be lying to myself.
“Fuck.” His eyes run the length of me, and for a second I fear he’s going to send me away. But when they return to mine a few shades darker, I realise it’s not with fear but something else entirely.
He takes a step forward. His hand glides across my jaw and his fingers thread in my hair so he can tilt my head to just the right angle for him to slam his lips on mine and plunge his tongue between.
His kiss is exactly what I need to forget. I lift my arms around his neck at the same time he lifts me and presses me back against the wall.
All thoughts of the man inside my flat this weekend leave as he kisses me like he might die without it.
I moan with desire as he trails his lips across my jaw and begins sucking on the sensitive skin below my ear.
“Let me make you forget.”
“Yes.”
“Let me make you feel safe.”
A noise rumbles up my throat, and when it erupts, I can only describe it as a needy purr. Whatever it is, it makes Joe smile against my throat, his weekend long scruff scratching at my sensitive skin and sending shivers down my spine.
His fingers make quick work of unzipping my coat before his palms cup my heavy, needy breasts. My head falls back and he makes the most of my exposed neck. As good as his hands feel, I need them on my skin.
“More, Joe. More.”
He pulls back and his eyes are wild with desire. “I’ll give you everything, Quinn.” His eyes lock onto mine, and the intensity and honesty within them make me want to look away, to break our connection, but it’s too strong. All I can do is stare back, hoping like hell he’s not going to break me even worse than my past tried to.
He’s totally lost one second and then seems to remember exactly what he’s meant to be doing the next.
My skirt is pushed up around my waist, and my boot covered legs loosen around him so he can slip his hand between us.
Like an expert, he pops the button on his jeans and pushes them and his boxers down his thighs before pulling the lace of my knickers aside.
The head of his cock nudges against my entrance. I expect him to push straight inside, but instead I find him leaning forward so he can whisper in my ear. “I don’t have all that much to give you. But this,” he surges forward, making me gasp, “this I can give you until my last breath.”
It’s his admission and the uncertainty in his words that make my heart tumble. He pulls back slightly, his hands on my arse squeezing almost painfully. His eyes find mine once again, and I find everything he’s not saying staring right back at me. My chest constricts and I’m under no illusion that right there, in the hallway of his flat, is the moment I surrender to exactly how I feel about this bad boy nerd.
“Joe, I—” I start, feeling compelled to attempt to tell him how I feel, but my words are cut off by his lips.
