Page 16 of Under the Influence
"Oh."
"Yeah, ‘oh’." More jostling of the knob. "Here let me doit."
Finally the door slides open, and he guides her inside. Barefoot. Disheveled. Fucking gorgeous with her shiny eyes and pink cheeks and huge smile. While Tuck sets her jacket and clutch on the table, she lifts her arms in the air like she’s throwingconfetti.
“I’mhome!”
We both are, angel. Her unfocused gaze widens when she catches mine, and the grin slowly slides off her face. Tugged down, centimeter by centimeter, by a tangled rope of sorrow and humiliation and regret. That I’m going to unwind. Now. I hold out my hand. “Books.”
She stares at my fingers. Studying them like they hold meaning deeper than the thick novels she buries herself into. “Chryseis?”
Only one quick shake of her head before she twists around. Andruns.
Fuck! So it’s going to be like that. I’ve spent the last six months pushing her away, and I can’t fucking take being apart anymore. That shit stops now. If she won’t listen to my words, then she’s going to listen to her body. To herheart.
With nothing else I can do – nothing left to lose – I runtoo.
Ibarely reachthe elevator before he catches me. Fruitlessly pounding my fists against the freezing metal that refuses to slide apart. Occupied with transporting Tucker back to freedom on the ground floor. Why does he get to escape and Idon’t?
Gio’s strong arms circle around my waist, tucking me against his broad chest so tight his heart pounds as crazy as mine. It feels so nice. I'm tired and lonely and miserable. I just want to give in. I just want him to hold me and pretend everything’s okay. Make my heart stop aching so much. I don’t want to hurt any moretonight.
But I can’t. I won’t. He refuses to grow up, and I refuse to let him destroy me again. So I fight. Hard and furious. Twisting and kicking with all my might. Throwing back my head toscream.
“Damn itChryseis.”
A huge hand covers my mouth, and I’m lifted from the matted carpet. Scratchy and rough threads disappear from under my bare feet. My legs dangling as he carries me back into my apartment and kicks the door shut behind us. Damnhim!
I’m only able to grasp a sliver of skin between my teeth, but it’s enough to make him yelp when I clamp down with all the strength I can muster. Sharp bitterness warming my tongue when I break through his callousedpalm.
His grip loosens, but he doesn't release me. Instead, I tumble down toward the smooth hardwood, still trapped in his embrace. His erection bulges against my back. Incredible. I can't believe our argument turns him on. Although I can't deny the wetness in my panties from his scent. His proximity. Hispossessiveness.
“Fuck thathurt!”
Heat flares through me from his hiss in my ear. Too many memories flooding my tipsy brain of him taking me from behind. Lips on my shoulder. Tongue on my throat. Talented hands seeming to be everywhere at once pleasuring me so easily that I'd come on his fingers before he was even insideme.
No! I won't let myself fall for him just from his touch. From the need he ignites with his urgent desire so obvious for metoo.
“Good! I wanted itto!”
"I know you like it rough Books, but I didn't know you were intobiting."
His arrogant chuckle pisses me off. None of this is funny. Or cute. Or right. "Oh, so I let you lick my pussy a few times and now you think you knowme?"
He stiffens behind me. Almost as shocked as I am that I actually said that word. That I spoke in such a crass manner. I'm not that kind of woman. Rarely cursing and never using vulgarity. But he needs to understand how serious I am about battlinghim.
Because as selfish and immature and wrong as the desire may be, I want to hurt him. Ineedto hurt him. Punish him for no other reason than at this moment I hate myself more than I hate him. Despise my desperate body betraying me. Flaming from his effort to convince me this is anything butsex.
"Son of abitch."
Not shock. Rage. Insistent fingertips dig into my arm. Painful and sharp. As pointed as the fury I feel for him. Which I welcome. Reminding me of how much I loathe him before I let him have meagain.
“I didn’t fuck thosegirls.”
Now I'm the one who's surprised. I know exactly who he means. The women with their hands all over each other and their bodies all over his desk. Tempting him with the depravity I never couldprovide.
So what? He doesn't get off that easy. I didn't believe him then, and I don't believe him now. Maybe he's telling the truth about sleeping with them, but he's lying about something. Hiding the reasons for his actions. I deserve to know why he treated me like I meant nothing to him. When he knew he was myeverything.
“Well I never slept with Leighton. But I was going to.Tonight.”
