Page 33 of Devil in the Details
I lifted my brows. “What?”
He took a step closer. “Telling me that Logan asked you to go out with him and other coworkers.” He stared at me right in the eyes. “You lied, Olive.”
I swallowed, tightening my hand on the strap of my purse, and refused to back down, refused to break eye contact. I straightened, pulling my shoulders back and tipping my chin up slightly. “You were too hard on him.”
Pope didn’t say anything in response at first, but he did take a step forward, crowding me, his body heat slamming into me.
“I don’t think it was acceptable the way you talked to him,” I scolded and narrowed my eyes in defiance when he kept a stoic expression. “What I or any of us do outside of office hours is notyour concern.” My back was pressed against the wall now, Pope so close that if I inhaled sharply, my chest would brush against his.
The office was pretty quiet, with the majority of everyone already having left for the day. But just around the corner I heard a couple people talking, laughing. They could see us at any moment, see how close Pope was to me, inappropriately close.
But it was apparent Pope didn’t give a shit.
“What you do is my concern, Olive.” He said those words with so much authority, so much assertiveness, that I actually believed him.
He turned his head and looked in the direction Logan had disappeared and then slowly looked back at me. “I don’t want you talking to another guy who’s interested in you.” There was a deep rumble in his voice, and I couldn’t help the arousal that moved through me so swiftly it actually took my breath away. “Because even though Logan works for me, even if he does a decent job at his position, the fact that he wants you…” Pope said on a growl. “The fact he fucking wants you pisses me off so much I want to be one of those hooligans in the alleyway that would beat the shit out of him for even looking at you.”
A shiver moved through my body from his words, at the low pitch, the way he said it so only I would hear. He seemed so fierce right now, so possessive.
“You’re acting crazy.” My voice was so soft I didn’t even think he heard me.
“Do you know what I think, Olive?” He was looking at me right in eyes now, his tone brokering no argument. “I think you like the fact that I’m so jealous. I think you love how I don’t even want another guy looking at you, let alone speaking to you.” I felt that familiar, sexually charged shiver race up my spine. “I want you to admit it.”
I couldn’t speak, not for the life of me. He leaned in an inch closer, and I felt his warm breath move along my cheek. It took everything in me not to moan.
“Tell me you like that I’m jealous,” he said in a whisper.
I should have told him to fuck off, that I wasn’t going to bend to anyone, but instead, I whispered back, “I like it.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Olive
Several days later
Iheld the two bags in one hand as I walked down the busy city sidewalk. People were walking on either side of me, kids laughing, babies crying, their mothers trying to soothe them. The sounds of cars rushing past, of horns honking, was city life. I was used to it. I thrived off it.
I thought about the last few days, how things had been with Pope.
And all I could do was smile and feel giddy.
He shook my entire world, changed how I saw things, how I felt. He shifted the very foundation I was on, and all I could think about was how I was falling in love with him, how I loved him. And I did love him. So much.
I felt myself smile, but then again, when I thought about Pope, that was always my reaction. I felt euphoric, as if everything were right in the world, that a light surrounded me. And I’d never felt this way before, never been in love. He was all I thought about, all I wanted. I had butterflies in my stomachjust thinking about him. And when he touched me, when he whispered dirty things in my ear, told me I was his, that he didn’t want any other man to look at me, I felt this electricity take hold in the root of my body.
I was his world. I knew that without a doubt.
And then I felt myself blush as I thought about being with him tonight, about what I wanted, how I wanted him to touch me, make love to me... fuck me.
The sound of my cell vibrating had me reaching in my pocket to pull it out.
Michael: Want to get drinks tonight?
I stepped off to the side so I could type out a reply.
Me: Can’t. Have plans with Pope ;)
Michael: Like plan-plans? I mean, I should know with the winky face you put at the end lol
