Page 28 of Entwined
I frowned, trying to maintain my composure. “What are you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” he said, his voice low and teasing. “Fingers can’t make up for what I can provide. It’s been months since you’ve had it, so I can’t say I blame you.”
I snorted, trying to deflect. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. I was taking a nap. I’m exhausted.”
Vaughn cupped my chin, his touch sending a shiver down my spine. “Josephine, you’re such a bad liar.”
I stepped back, putting some distance between us. “What I do in the privacy of my own bedroom—my own home—is none of your business.”
The words tumbled out before I could stop them, practically confirming what he’d already guessed.
Vaughn licked his lips, his eyes darkening with desire. “I can only imagine how tight you are after so many months. It would be like fucking a virgin.”
“You’ll never find out,” I shot back, crossing my arms over my chest, trying to hide the way my robe clung to my body. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to take a swim.”
Just when I thought we’d reached an understanding, here he was, pushing boundaries again. His gaze lingered on the outline of my breasts through the silk robe, a gift from Colson that suddenly felt far too revealing under Vaughn’s scrutiny.
This was dangerous territory, and I needed to get out before it went any further.
“I could join you,” Vaughn offered, his voice smooth but carrying an edge that made me tense.
I narrowed my eyes, holding my ground. “You have an Olympic-sized pool at the mansion. You don’t need to swim here.”
He took a few steps toward me, his gaze locked on mine, unwavering. “But I want to,” he said softly, each word deliberate. “We could hang out, get some dinner, and talk.”
Talk? More like get me drunk and then try to fuck me.
“Go home, Vaughn,” I said firmly, trying to keep my voice steady. “Easton needs his laptop. I might head to the Hampton house tonight. I could use a break.”
But he didn’t back off. He was practically on top of me now, his presence suffocating as he closed the distance with two more steps. “Easton has Priscilla,” he murmured, his tone dripping with suggestion. “He’s probably doing to her right now what I wish I could do to you.”
I sucked in a sharp breath, the audacity of his words both shocking and infuriating. “We’ve been through this,” I snapped, taking a step back, desperate to create some space between us.
His jaw tightened, a muscle twitching as he tried to control his anger. “Why can’t you just give in?” he demanded, his voice dangerously low, almost a growl.
A bitter laugh escaped me. “My husband has been gone barely five months, and you want to fuck me? Have some respect, Vaughn.”
His eyes darkened, and he leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper. “I wanted to fuck you long before you became his wife. You know this. I almost had you.”
A shudder ran through me at the memory, the past clawing its way back to the surface. It was a year after our kiss, and Colson had been out of town for the week. Vaughn was throwing one of his infamous parties, and Simone was away for the weekend. Easton had convinced me to go, promising it would be fun, that I deserved a night with the “cool” kids.
But fun quickly turned into something darker. I drank too much, and at some point, Easton disappeared. Disoriented and alone, I stumbled into a quiet room, desperate for a place to sleep off my drunkenness. It turned out to be Colson’s office, dimly lit by a single lamp on the desk. Vaughn was already there, lounging in one of the chairs, sipping amber-colored liquid from a crystal glass, a matching decanter sitting ominously on the desk.
He didn’t say a word as I collapsed onto the couch, too far gone to care. Vaughn silently closed the door and joined me, his presence both comforting and unsettling. His words were soft, almost soothing, his kisses sweet, his hands roaming over my body, slipping under my shirt and brushing against my nipples.
He kept asking me if what he was doing was all right and I told him it was. My drunken haze and the heat of arousal had nearly broken my resolve. I was on the verge of telling him to take me—until Logan’s voice snapped me back to reality.
I managed to escape that night, but the memory lingered, gnawing at me. What would’ve happened if Logan hadn’t come looking for me? Would I regret letting Vaughn take something from me that I couldn’t get back?
“It wasn’t meant to be then, and it won’t happen now—or ever,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. “Go home, Vaughn.”
His eyes bore into mine, but I didn’t waver. After a long moment, he sighed, the tension between us thick enough to cut with a knife. Finally, he turned and left, but the weight of his presence lingered long after the door closed behind him.
Chapter 12
I sat at my desk, the dim light of my office casting long shadows across the room as I reviewed the documents spread out before me. The merger with Bass Banking was solid—every number, every projection, every piece of data pointed to a smart, stable investment. It was a smaller company, yes, but it had the potential to expand Ashworth Financial's portfolio.
My fingers tapped rhythmically against the desk as I considered the proposal. Vaughn had been less than enthusiastic when I first brought it up, dismissing the idea with a wave of his hand and a muttered, “It’s not worth the effort.” But I knew better. I saw the potential that he either couldn’t—or wouldn’t—see.
