Page 46 of Entwined
His words sent a shiver down my spine, and I hated how much they resonated with me. Because deep down, I knew there wassome truth in them. I had felt something for Vaughn long before Colson died, something I had buried so deep that I didn’t even recognize it until now.
I took a step back, needing some space to think, to breathe. Vaughn let me go, but his eyes stayed locked on mine, watching me closely.
“This is a lot,” I said, wrapping my arms around myself, suddenly feeling exposed and vulnerable. “I need time.”
“Take all the time you need,” Vaughn said, his voice steady, but I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his hands flexed at his sides as if he was holding himself back from reaching for me again. “But just… don’t shut me out, Joey. Don’t push me away.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. I turned and walked out of his office, my mind racing with everything that had just happened. My lips still tingled from the kiss, and I could still feel the imprint of his hands on my waist, the way they had held me like I was something precious.
As I made my way back to my office, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had just crossed a line, one that there was no going back from. But as much as I tried to tell myself that it was wrong, that I should feel guilty, a part of me—a part I didn’t want to acknowledge—felt alive for the first time in months.
I leaned against the door, trying to catch my breath. What the fuck did I just do? My heart raced, not just from the kiss but from the realization that I wanted more. I wanted him. The guilt gnawed at me, but I knew if I let it win, this would never happen.And it needed to happen. It was inevitable. We were going to fuck, and I couldn’t deny the pull I felt toward Vaughn.
I straightened up and yanked the door open, only to find Vaughn standing there, his hand poised to knock. His eyes darkened as they met mine, filled with the same raw desire I was barely holding back.
“I have the limo waiting,” he said, his voice low. “Come back to the mansion. We’ll have dinner and talk.”
“I don’t want to talk.” My voice was breathy, my words a confession more than a statement.
He opened his mouth to respond, but I didn’t give him the chance. I grabbed the lapel of his jacket and yanked him toward me, rising on my tiptoes to crash my lips against his. The tension that had been simmering between us exploded in that kiss, a desperate clash of lips and tongues that left us both gasping. He kicked the door closed hard enough to make the wall shake.
Vaughn’s hand slid into my hair, gripping my ponytail as he kissed me back with an intensity that made my knees go weak. I fumbled with the buttons of his jacket, pushing it off his shoulders, our lips never parting. The fabric fell to the floor with a soft thud, but neither of us cared.
He broke away, his breath hot against my lips. “What are you doing?” he whispered, his voice strained.
“Here. I need it here.” My voice was thick with need, my words more of a plea than a demand.
“You don’t mean that,” he said, searching my eyes for doubt.
I didn’t answer with words. Instead, I cupped his crotch, feeling the heat of him through the fabric. Vaughn was semi-erect, but as I pressed against him, he grew harder under my touch.
His eyes darkened with lust as he met my gaze.
“It’s been so long,” I breathed, my voice trembling with desire. “A girl can only use her vibrator so much.”
His eyebrows shot up, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Vibrator? Colson let you get toys?”
“No,” I replied, my voice steadying as I reveled in the look on his face. “I got it a few months ago.”
The smirk turned wicked. “Does it have an app setting?”
I swallowed hard, nodding. “It does.”
Vaughn’s eyes glinted with mischief as he prodded me toward my desk. I frowned, puzzled. “What?”
“You want it here—then grant me my fantasy.”
He pulled at his tie, tossing it onto the couch before he started on his shirt. My breath hitched as I watched him reveal the lean, muscular torso I had admired more times than I cared to admit. He was all hard lines and strength, so different from Colson but no less appealing.
“Take off your panties and let me have them,” he ordered, his voice husky. “I want you naked except for your heels. I’m going to fuck you, Joey.”
The bluntness of his words sent a shiver down my spine. I turned my back to him, exposing the zipper of my dress. “Open my dress.”
Vaughn didn’t hesitate. He yanked the zipper down with a roughness that made my breath catch, his hand lingering on my ass before he gave me a gentle push toward the desk. I slipped my thong off and tossed it to him over my shoulder. He caught the scrap of lace, bringing it to his nose with a look of dark satisfaction before shoving it into his pocket. I was sure I’d never see it again.
“Naked, Joey,” he murmured, his voice a low growl that made my skin prickle with anticipation.
I stripped for him, my heart pounding as I did. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen me naked before—he had barged in on Colson and me, but this was different. This was deliberate, and maybe in some twisted way, I wanted him to see me. Maybe that’s why I never told Colson about those times.
