Page 217 of Now and Forever

Mirroring the same smile I had bestowed on her, Serena gently detached herself from me. “Goodbye, Cruz.”

I merely nodded, unable to trust myself to utter a damn word. I let her words hang in the air, sounding as if it were a simple good-bye, though it indicated so much more than that. It was as if she was saying it with finality, as though she was releasing the man who could have been with her.

I stared after her, half-wanting to chase her and apologize, and the other side felt as though this was the wisest thing to be done since it had gotten out of control. We were working together, and I simply could not let this temptation derail me from my main goal, my ultimate purpose.

Never had I experienced anything like this, even though nothing really had happened between us except for that one kiss. Who would have thought a mere kiss could wreak havoc in my life? It was all over now.

Working alongside Serena Woods would be a hellish ordeal, but it was one I had to learn how to master. God help me because, if I couldn’t, it would be a bloody disaster. I would have to take all the required precautions to remind myself how closely I was to throwing everything away for a girl who made me feel like I was on the verge of a free fall.

I wasn’t aware of how long I stood there, staring at the front door after Serena had gone inside. Maybe it was exhaustion or madness, but I had to move along, or someone would see me and wonder if I had lost my mind. I took one long breath before retreating back into my vehicle and driving myself back to my own place.

The moment I entered my house, instead of going into my bedroom, I sought the bar where I drank until I was numb within, until I could no longer imagine her tearstained face.

When I kissed you … I knew you felt it. You looked as if you did. You did feel it, didn’t you?

Her words haunted me so much I barely slept a wink. It didn’t help my cause that the dress she’d had on filled my mind all night.

How I managed to restrain myself and not push her against the car and have my wicked way with her left me speechless. Functioning around her without noting how my cock painfully ached was a feat. It was no wonder I was always furious with her. The woman simply made my cock ache like no other in my life. Not even Ivy could elicit such lascivious thoughts.

“Serena,” I hissed out, “how you fuck with my bloody mind.”

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