My entire body shook with fear. Fear he would confront me. Be angry with me.
Reject me.
But I also shook with need. He was right here. So fucking close. One deep inhale of his familiar scent would fucking gut me.
Don’t breathe. Just don’t breathe.
This elevator didn’t have enough oxygen. I could hardly pull in enough air to breathe anyway.
“You’re here,” I said stupidly.
His dark eyes narrowed and then began to take inventory. For seventeen floors, that man’s gaze moved over my body like it was reestablishing lost territory.
“I am,” he finally said.
The tears were coming. I could feel them. My nostrils stung, and my chin wobbled.Dammit. Fuck.Nobody wanted this. Absolutely no one.
Locke pulled the Stop button and jammed the elevator. Then he crossed his arms in front of his chest and waited.
As if the alarm wasn’t blaring.
As if security wouldn’t respond.
As if he had all the time in the world for me.
I started babbling. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry I left you. God, I am so fucking sorry for that. I wanted to protect you, but still, thinking of you handling everything alone… And I… I’m not who you think I am, Locke. I lied. I know you hate liars and manipulators. I know you’ll never be able to trust me after that. And…” Then I got angry. Defensive. “And besides, you’re not even comfortable with your sexuality! You don’t want a relationship. The whole reason you picked me was because I was easy!”
His bark of laughter made me jump. “I picked you because I couldn’t keep my fucking hands off you. Because I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Because for four fucking years, I looked for you. Thought of you. Dreamed of you.”
This couldn’t be real. If I woke up in my bed right now, I was going to be fucking livid.
“W-what?” I asked stupidly.
He uncrossed his arms and stalked forward, backing me into the wall. Six feet of angry Locke Maris made my head spin. Took up all the oxygen. Burned me from my toes to the top of my head. And convinced me that this was really happening.
“Don’t fucking leave me again,” he growled, splaying a hand high on my chest and softly shaking me. “Whatever happens from now on, we handle it together. Do you understand?”
I lurched forward, crashing my mouth into his. My throat let out an embarrassing sound, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t hold back anymore, couldn’t stop myself from touching him, from having him. From tasting his mouth and inhaling his scent.
His mouth was possessive, punishing me hard enough to leave bruises. It didn’t matter. I yanked his shirt collar, pulling him as close as I could until my arms were wrapped around his entire head.
Locke’s hands were everywhere, on my chest and abs, under my shirt, up my back to grip my shoulder blades.
His thickening cock ground into me, pressing against my own. It was too blunt, too separated by layers. Toonot close enough.
“Please,” I begged against his mouth. It came out too high. Too revealing. “Please,” I said again, in case he hadn’t heard it the first time.
“Give me an answer, Jethro.” He sounded angry. “Give me an answer right fucking now. You and me. Yes or no.”
My remaining fear tumbled past my lips without warning. “I… I don’t want to be your dirty secret.”
His face hardened, and he pulled away. Slammed the Stop button with his hand, then selected the Lobby level button.
“W-what’s happening right now?” I demanded.
Locke didn’t answer. He faced the doors as if ready to stride out and return to New York, giving me up as a bad bet. An ungrateful or distrusting partner.
I stepped up behind him and pressed my forehead to the back of his neck, taking a moment to breathe him in. “Please don’t leave,” I whispered. “Please give me a chance to understand.”
