Page 44 of Wild Thing

The words are like a death sentence.

“I can’t do that,” he repeats.

They’re deafening. I want to scream. My tears will soak the floor soon, but that’s not as devastating as the fact that he won’t give me another chance.

“I can’t let you stay here at a distance.” My words out of his mouth sound bitter. “It doesn’t work.Won’twork.”

Right.

Another sob betrays me. I push at his chest with my weak hands, wanting to walk away, but his strong rigid body won’t budge, and I look down, burning from shame.Stop touching me, then.

He’s my weakness. I should’ve left a long time ago.

“If you stay,” he says even quieter, his face inching closer to mine, his hands still holding my head, tilting it up again so I look at him, “we can’t play games anymore. We can’t pretend like we’re here for a fun ride. I’m done with those.”

His nose brushes my cheek, his warm breath making me lose my mind.

“If you stay, Kat,” he says so softly that if this sentence ends in the most devastating way, I’llhaveto leave. “Then it’s you and I. Together. Officially.”

My eyes widen in surprise. His eyes are so close and so intense and full of every possible emotion besides his usual arrogance that my head spins. One inch and I could kiss him. One inch and wecouldbe together.

“If you stay,” he whispers, his fingers lacing into my hair, “you are mine.”

“Yes,” I breathe out so quickly that it scares me, and before I can think or say anything else, Archer’s lips mold with mine in a kiss.

That inch… It can create an abyss between two people. But as soon as it vanishes between us, my world spins on its axis.

His fingers sink into my hair and grip so tightly that there’s no way to escape the deep plunge of his tongue that makes me moan into his mouth. The kiss is so deep that I feel like I lack air to breathe. But I don’t need air. Just him.

I fist his shirt, pulling him even closer, wanting to jump into his arms.

He pulls me off the door and into him, taking steps back toward the bed, his lips taking mine in a ravishing kiss. His hands start pulling my tank up and over my head because our words can’t keep up with our bodies that missed each other for far too long.

“We are together, in public,” Archer murmurs between the kisses as I slide my hands under his shirt, seeking out his bare skin.

“Yes,” I murmur, catching his lips again in a kiss, my head spinning at the realization of what he’s offering.

“That’s the only way it can work, Kat.”

“Us. Yes. Yes.” I’ll say yes to anything at this very moment.

My heart is about to explode. And there’s that beeping in Archer’s pocket. I hope it’s not bad news or another Armageddon, though I won’t let him check it, not until we seal the deal.

And I kiss him even harder so he doesn’t get a chance to back away.

I pull his shirt up.

“I don’t care about the workplace,” he murmurs, letting me yank it over his head and toss it onto the floor. “It’s my island, and we’ll do whatever we want.” He does the same to my bra.

“Yes,” I answer, my hands on his sweatpants.

“No objections.”

I push his sweats and boxers down. “No,” I murmur, letting him do the same to my shorts as we both stumble, making little steps toward the bed and kicking the shorts and pants away.

“No hiding,” Archer murmurs, his hands impatiently roaming my body.

“No hiding,” I agree, my mouth greedily kissing his neck, tasting his skin.

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