Page 102 of The Sound Of Silence

She opens her mouth again but changes her mind at the last second and nods, her body relaxing under my hold.

“Good girl,” I rush out, as a relieved sigh escapes me.

Step by step I guide her back toward the bed, only stopping when her legs hit the mattress. “I need to finish what we started, Willow. I think we both need it. Can you be quiet?”

Willow nods again, and the uncertainty in her gaze turns to longing as her captivating green eyes drop to my lips.

My nostrils flare, and I’d give all that I have to throw her down and ravish her, but I need to take my time.

“Is it safe to remove my hand?”

Willow nods a third time, and I feel her tongue sneak out as she licks her lips, her eyes flashing to my mouth once more.

“Good,” I rasp, trying to ignore my twitching cock as I picture that tongue licking a path along my length. “Do you want my fingers?” I ask, running my hand between her breasts, passing over the lace of her bra, my fingers itching to touch her again.

I wait for the nod, my permission to sink inside her, but when she shakes her head, I freeze, instantly stepping back.Fuck.

“I—”

Gripping my tee, Willow cuts me off and drags me back in, pulling my head down so she can whisper in my ear. “I want it all.”

Jesus. My pulse spikes as my cock hardens between us, making it wildly uncomfortable beneath my zipper.

Wasting no time, I slip my hand into the waistband of her skirt, ready to push the silky material down her legs.To hell with all my reasons, I—

“First,” Willow says urgently, breaking through my thoughts as her delicate fingers wrap around my wrist, halting me in place. “First, I want answers.”

Fuck!

My shoulders sag as I remove my hand and drop onto the bed behind her. I know Willow deserves something, but she doesn’t know what she’s asking, and I’m fucking terrified of what the answers might do to her.

Spinning on her toes, she grabs her shirt from the floor and pulls it on, fastening the buttons before crossing her arms over her chest. When she steps back, my chest aches, wanting her closer but knowing it’s infinitely better that she’s farther away.

The air around us changes when her eyes finally meet mine, but before I get the chance to speak, someone bangs on the door and we both jolt.

“We’re going for a drive,” Pippa announces. “You’re free to come out.”

“Thank you,” Willow calls back but doesn’t get a response.

Neither of us move until the front door slams shut, and it’s like a bucket of water to my face, waking me up, readying me for what has to be done. “What do you want to know?” I ask, my gaze rising to meet hers, taking in the sudden nerves in her expression.

She blinks, her lids closing for a beat longer than necessary before she takes a deep breath. “I want to know why you keep reeling me in just to push me away? And why you think it’s okay to kiss me one second and then wish yourself home the next.” She’s not yelling. She doesn’t even appear angry. She’s hurting. And fuck, that’s hard to see, knowing I’m the one hurting her. “I never pushed for this,” she continues, motioning back and forth between us. “But I wasn’t innocent in it all. The thing is… Iknowit’s not one-sided. I just don’t know why you’re fighting it so much. Am I wrong?”

Releasing a drawn-out sigh, I contemplate my words carefully. “You’re not…” I begin but trail off when her eyes light up ever so slightly. It’s time to admit defeat. “Pippa and I were dating—”

“Nope,” she interrupts.

“Nope?”

“That’s right. You and Pippa wereneverdating. You don’t get to use that as an excuse. Even after Pippa said it was fine to tell me all about your fake relationship, youstilllied. Try again. This time with the truth.”

“You didn’t let me finish. How do you know I wasn’t telling the truth?”

“Because I’ve never once felt like this was about Pippa. Even when you promised me it was.”

Running a hand through my hair, I suck in a breath and release it slowly. “I’m not good for you. I—”

“You keep saying that and yet you haven’t given me any real reasons.” Throwing her hands in the air, she shakes her head before moving to sit on the bed beside me. “Are you married?”

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