“Is that your first one?”
Wylder shrugs. “If you like.”
“Good,” I breathe, pretending that the knowledge that he’s missed my bratting doesn’t affect meat all.“What’s next?”
“I enjoyed our date.”
My stomach flips, but I don’t comment. “Number three?”
“I can’t stop thinking about your mouth on my cock.” He touches my bottom lip, and it takes everything in me not to flick my tongue over it. “And I can’t stop regretting not taking you up on your generous offer to fuck you.”
A small groan slips from me before I can stop it.
“I think of it every day,” Wylder continues, pressing his thumb more firmly against my lip. “Every fucking day. I come with my hand on my cock and wish you were the one touching me instead.”
His skin brushes my tongue, and I almost moan again. God, why is he making this so hard? Why is he insisting on being so open?
Before our date, before things changed, I would’ve fucking celebrated this win.
But things are different now. Sex between us wouldn’t be casual.
Not for me, at least.
“What did you do to me?” he whispers suddenly, the vulnerable shine in his eyes hitting me square in the chest. “Sometimes I think this is part of your plan to drive me crazy. Make me dependent on your attention and then take it away when I need it.”
I yank my head back so that his hand falls away. “That’s not what I’m doing.”
“Then what are you doing? Because I can’t figure it out.”
“There’s nothing to figure out.” I push the chair back and stand. I move backward until there are several feet between us. Until I can’t feel the heat emanating from him. I wish I could say it makes a difference,but it doesn’t. If anything, the pull to him is worse now. “We’re working together, and that’s it.”
“You want to know the worst thing?” Wylder continues as if I didn’t speak, laughing bitterly. “I don’t even care if that is why you’re avoiding me. I’ll take that over you not wanting to be around me anymore.”
“Why?” I ask despite myself. I should be ending this conversation, not encouraging it. “I thought you didn’t like me driving you crazy. You said I was making your life a misery, remember?”
He tugs at his hair, his eyes slightly wild. I realize this is the closest to the edge I’ve ever seen him. His carefully restrained exterior is becoming more unwound with every second that passes. “I did. But I seem to prefer that to being ignored.”
“People ignore you all the time. Your brothers do it on a daily basis.”
“But they aren’t you.” His voice rises to a shout. I stare at him, stunned, as his words reverberate off the walls. “I don’t give a shit about anyone else. I don’t wantyouto ignore me.”
It’s not a declaration of love, or even interest. But it’s more than anyone has given me before.
It’s also what has me squaring my shoulders and turning for the door. “This is what you wanted. I’m giving you what you asked for. Your assistant will be back soon, and everything can go back to normal.”
I open the door, but it’s slammed shut before I can step through. Wylder’s hand is beside my head, holding it closed. His breath is coming fast and heavy, his chest brushing against my back. “Normal? You think you’ll just leave and that’ll be it?”
I keep my gaze fixed on the wood paneling. “Why wouldn’t it?”
“Because I can’t cope with you ignoring me,” he says hoarsely. “I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I can’t concentrate. You think that’s just going to go away when you do?”
“Yes,” I say firmly. “It will.”
It has to, because there’s no future for us. Wylder doesn’t want what I do.
And I won’t settle for anything less.
He laughs. It’s a hollow, bitter sound. It hits me low in my stomach. “You’re more intelligent than that. I barely understand what’s happening here, but even I know it’s not that simple.”
