Shit. The way she said my name had a direct line to my groin. I was getting hard...for Kate. This was so messed-up.
Releasing her—not because she asked me, because I needed to—I took two strides away from her. The distance didn’t do shit. I still wanted to surge forward, fist my hands in those silky tresses, and demand her to say my name like that again.
“We were doing a good job out there until you turned into a statue when I touched you. How the hell are we supposed to convince anyonethis is real if I can’t touch you? Can’t hold your hand or slide my thumb over your shoulder?”
My voice was loud, my tone clipped.
I hadn’t meant for it to be. I was just so...frustrated...confused. My body was reacting to her in a way it’d never done. My thoughts were consumed by her. And my dreams? I wasn’t even fucking going there.
Maybe asking Kate to be my pretend anything was a huge damn mistake.
“Fuck.” The growl slipped from my mouth. Covering my lips with one hand, I shoved the other through my hair.
Two loud knocks sounded on the door before it creaked open to reveal an angry woman.
“Excuse me, sir, you can’t be in here.” Her gaze flicked to Kate. “Everything all right, ma’am?”
Great. Just fucking great.
“We’re good,” Kate said, her voice a lot steadier than it’d been moments ago.
The woman didn’t look convinced. “You still can’t be in here, sir. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
A growl blew over my lips. “Do you work here?”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she pinned me with a glare. “I’m the manager.”
Perfect.
Stepping forward, I reached into my pocket and pulled out my money clip. Without counting the bills, I held out the entire stack to her.
“I’m only asking for ten minutes. I swear, we’re not in here to have sex. I just want to talk to my girlfriend. Some asshole upset her, and I’m trying to make it right.”
That wasn’t very far from the truth.
Miss Manager’s eyes narrowed. She eyed me then the bills then met my gaze once more. For a moment I was certain she was going to throw me out, but then she grabbed the bills and shoved them into her pocket.
“Ten minutes.”
“I’m sorry,” Kate whispered when the door clicked shut. “Maybe…” Shaking her head, she swallowed a couple of times. “Do it again.”
My brow lifted. “Now youwantme to touch you?”
“Ugh.” Throwing her hands in the air, she started walking. “I knew this was a mistake.”
Before she could push past me, I grabbed her by the wrist and tugged. I’d done it with a bit more force than I’d intended, causing her to teeter on her heels before she tipped forward.
Her head landed on my chest, her hands going to my sides.
Thunder struck, sending a jolt of electricity zapping through my veins.
I lifted my hand and frowned. My fingers trembled. Why the fuck were my fingers trembling? Ignoring it, I trailed the tips over Kate’s shoulder and up her neck. Holy shit, her skin was soft. Silk beneath my touch.
“This what you want?”
“Want?” She shook her head. “No, I don’t want this—”
“Fine.” I cut her off, not loving the sting her words left. “Is it okayif I touch you like this?”
