And white-hot possessiveness suddenly claims me, stronger than it ever has before.
“Look at me,” I tell him when his gaze rips away from mine again, but instead of being teasing or commanding, my tone feels like it’s something closer todesperation. “Will you look at me?”
“Always doing what you say,” he murmurs, finally turning his head backtoward me.
I feel like I’m flailing.
Out of nowhere.
Like the delicate balance of control I was holding over this situation is more like a tower made of cards, ready to topple at any moment.
Don’t pull away from me.
The thought rips through my mind, unbidden, unwanted, out of nowhere.
Don’t fucking pull away from me, Oliver.
“Tell me you didn’t enjoy that, upstairs.”
“I enjoyed it. Obviously.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“The problem is that I don’t know what you want from me. You’ll fuck me, but you won’ttalkto me, sometimes. You give me so much, then suddenly go cold and give me nothing.”
That hot desperation stokes a fitful rage inside me, much different than the one I felt earlier.
This time it’s dire.
This time I’m actually going to do something I shouldn’t.
“Oliver,” I say in a low tone.
The music changes, and suddenly a low, thrumming beat fills the room, vibrating through me.
When he meets my gaze and I see that glimmer of helplessness in his eyes, everything shifts.
Like delicate glass shattering inside me.
I need to stop him from feeling whatever he’s feeling right now. I can’t stand seeing him like this. Dejected. Detached. Like I’ve caused him to pull away.
I can’t stand that feeling. Don’t pull away from me.
It’s like a wall of smoke suddenly clears inside me, and I’m seeing him in a way I haven’t before.
And I act on instinct alone.
That beast, breaking out of its cage.
And bad things are going to happen.
I bring my hand to his jaw again and gently cup the side of his face, moving in close.
And I press my lips to his, claiming his soft mouth.
And it’s just as fucking tempting as I feared.
He startles as I kiss him, but his surprise quickly melts into something else.
