“That’s precisely the reason why you aren’t going anywhere. I’m not letting you trek back home by yourself at this hour.”
“I’ve been battling the streets of Seattle all on my own for a few years now. I’ll be fine.” She stepped back and he tightened his hold on her wrist.
“Let me say this in a way you understand. You’renotgoing.”
“That’s exactly the way you said it before.” Pulling her hand out of his, she walked to the door. “And…I’m not spending the night.”
The door was only opened a few inches when he came up behind her and slammed it shut. She turned around to face him and she was livid, her lips pulled into a tight line.
“That’s funny,” he said with a smirk. “I don’t remember giving you a choice.” He was closer to her than he would have liked, too close, on the verge of throwing his moral compass kind of close. They weren’t touching, but one step and he could have her pressed up against that door. A deep breath was needed to renew his resolve. It was so stupid what he did to himself. He could get a driver to take her home and avoid this constant, frustrating temptation, but unfortunately, he’d developed a rather annoying addiction to her. He locked the door, placed the key in his pocket, and walked to the kitchen. “Have you eaten?”
“Yes.” She dropped her things near the door and followed him in, still arguing a matter he thought was closed for discussion. “I think whatever medication you took has distorted your reality filter. I have no clothes, no toothbrush, no place to sleep.”
His eyes searched for the dinner she had promised. He was starving now. His damp sweatshirt was feeling heavy and uncomfortable on his skin and this unnecessary argument was only making him more irritable.
“It’s in the microwave,” she stated, obviously noticing his prowl for nutrition.
“Thanks, Jordan. I really appreciate this.” He made a beeline straight for the microwave. After re-heating the vegetable casserole, he placed his plate on the island counter and dropped himself down on the wooden stool. “I have an extra toothbrush,” he said between bites. “You can use my clothes and sleep in my bed.”
This sweatshirt was really bothering him now, feeling hot and icky every time he moved. He grabbed it from the back andpulled it over his head, freeing his arms and tossing it on the counter beside him.
She froze, a flush creeping up her neck and he didn’t know if it was the mention of sleeping in his bed or his shirtless torso that had her turning all shades of red. He held back a smile, watching how she struggled for composure. His eyes just ate her up. She was barefoot. Her hair had been released from her bun; dark, untamed curls hanging around her face, and her blouse was untucked from her skirt.
Ah, the perfect state of imperfect Jordan.
But imperfect Jordan had a glint in her eye that would leave him struggling for composure if he didn’t take some corrective action.
“I’ll sleep on the couch,” he clarified quickly.
But he caught it too late. The tables were already turning. She was going to make him uncomfortable so he would give in and let her leave. Usually he played along, but entertaining her antics wasn’t very high on his priority list today. He was grumpy and tired and literally itching with lust. It was an all-round bad day.
“You sure about that?” she asked.
So it starts.
She placed her elbows on the other side of the island counter and lowered herself until their eyes met. “Do you really want to sleep on the couch? It’s your house and I don’t want to impose. Maybe if we put our heads together, we can think of some kind of arrangement that wouldpleaseboth of us. You have a reallybig…bed, Tyler.” She leaned close enough for him to breathe in her cinnamon-vanilla scent. “Decisions, decisions,” she whispered, that sadistic smile curving on her lips. She took his almost-empty plate and walked to the sink. “It must be so frustrating.”
Even knowing her intent didn’t stop his body from reacting to what she said. It was that suggestive tone, that sexualinnuendo she’d been using to rile him up for the last three weeks and he was pretty sick of it now.
She would use her words to arouse him because she knew he wouldn’t act on it. It was a test, a challenge for her. She was trying to tempt him to go back on what he’d said. He didn’t know if she was as willing as she implied, or if she was just toying with him. He was feeling a little volatile at the moment, definitely not in mood to be toyed with. This was three weeks of sleepless nights. Three weeks of her playing these games. Three weeks of gritting his teeth beneath a forced smile just to make her believe she had the upper-hand and he’d had about enough.
Generally, he let Jordan have her way. She didn’t need to be managed. She got things done without him having to ask, so for the past two years, he let her say what she wanted, do whatever the hell she liked because, frankly, there had never been a need to assert authority. Ninety percent of the time, heallowedher to walk all over him, but every now and then, she needed to be reminded who was boss.
She had just placed his plate in the draining rack when he caught her around the waist and spun her around to face him.
“Let’s make one thing very clear.” Keeping his hands firmly on her waist, he lifted her up onto the counter. “I really try to be a nice guy…but I’m still a guy. You keep toying with me and I’ve reached a point where I’m finding it really hard to be nice. You’re needling me with these little comments, pushing me for a reaction…so I’m reacting.” He pressed his palms up her soft thighs, dragging her skirt up with it. He forcefully spread her legs and shoved his hips between them. Her breath caught and her eyes grew wide, filled with surprise and anticipation.
“If I really wanted to, I could tear off every stitch of your clothing and take you right here. And I make you so hot, you wouldn’t be able to stop me. I could have youbeggingfor me, because I know I have the same effect on you.” His hands movedhigher, slipping under skirt. He caught the thin seam of her panties on the side of her hip, twisting it around his forefinger and pulling so hard, he was on the verge of ripping it off her body. She gasped and his breathing became unsteady.
“You feel this, Jordan?” he asked through gritted teeth. “This is howfrustratedI am.” Both hands slid beneath her underwear to cup her ass. He pulled her to the edge of the counter until she was pressed flush against him and he could feel her heat through his track pants. A throaty groan escaped her lips and her nails sank into his shoulder as she felt his hard length throb between her legs.
“You feelthat, Jordan?” he whispered roughly, grinding against her until she whimpered. One hand moved up and fisted in her thick hair. He leaned closer, so close their lips lightly touched when he spoke. “That’s how bad I want you right now.”
His eyes zeroed in on her mouth. The urge to kiss her was manic. He wanted to catch her lip between his teeth, feel her tongue playing with his, but he resisted. One kiss would send him over the edge. One kiss would get him so wrapped up in Jordan he wouldn’t be able stop. “You want me to say it?” he asked, his breaths heavy on her skin. “I’m saying it.I want you…and you know it, so stop messing with my head just to prove a point.”
He was about to walk away when her legs wrapped around his waist and kept him in place.
She grabbed his hands and pushed them back up her thighs. “I do it to make you feel the same way I feel. Overpowered and helpless.” Her hands moved up his bare chest, soft caresses that were pushing him to breaking point. “I hate what you do to me. Always with the mixed messages. I kissed you and then you refused to talk to me. You come back with your charm and your cute little smile and I can’t even find the will to tell you to go to hell. That’s the power you have over me.” She pulled him closer,her warm lips slowly moving up his neck, and he groaned. “I hate it,” she whispered in his ear. “You touch me the way you do and I’m about ready to strip down and let you fuck me any way you want.”
