I take in the tall frame leaning against the kitchen island. Those broad shoulders I love digging my nails into when he presses me into the mattress. The way his clothes hug his taut body. He looks delicious and he pulls me toward him like a magnet. It takes everything in me to stand my ground.
“You know it’s not a good idea.” I give him a tight smile. I won’t let myself be consumed by this fantasy. “I can’t keep hiding here. It’s not healthy.”
The violent whistle of the teapot jolts me out of staring at him and we spend the next five minutes in tense silence while I fix us two cups. I place the teacup in front of him, lingering a second too long in his gravitational pull, and his hand circles my wrist.
“Asking you to stay was one of the best decisions I ever made.”
My heart thumps harder, warmth spreading through my limbs. I clamp my mouth shut to keep anything stupid from coming out.I want to stay. I feel too much around you. This is more than sex.
Instead, I murmur a softgood night and will my legs to move away.
Chapter Thirty
CARTER
Eliza laughs and throws her head back while one of the construction workers touches her arm, giving her a carefree smile. It’s completely unprofessional of him to touch her so casually. The guy looks about her age, a bit rugged around the edges. He’s well-built, but I have no doubt I could take him down if he touches her again.
It’s the second night in a row she’s missed dinner. The way she spoke sounded like a goodbye and I’m not ready. I want more of her until it’s time to leave.
That’s what I came here to tell her. But the sight of them together unearths something ugly and poisonous from the pit of my soul.
They don’t notice me until I stop next to Eliza and wrap my arm around her middle, pulling her flush.
“Hey, kitten. Are you done for today?” I completely ignore the man staring at me.
Eliza recovers faster and slides her palm up my back, confusion marring her features.
“Carter. This is Finn, my foreman. We’re talking about the size of the bed in the upstairs loft.”
Oh, I remember. The one who’snota middle-aged man with three kids. The one Sam keeps trying to set up Eliza with.
“Big enough to fit me,” I say, looking at the confused man for the first time. His brows lower and he corrects his posture, unsuccessfully trying to reach my height.
“Carter!” Eliza pinches my side.
“Can I have a word with you?” I don’t wait for her answer and pull her toward the tree line.
“Hey, Eliza, are you OK going with him?”
This man is braver or stupider than I thought, but Eliza cuts me off before I show Mr. Foreman he’s the one who should be very afraid.
“It’s alright. His manners are down for maintenance today,” she shouts.
We stop behind a large oak and I step in front of her without touching her, close enough to distinguish the drops of color in her irises. Eliza is waiting, swallowing me whole with her honey eyes.
“You’ve been avoiding me.” I break the silence.
She dismisses me with a bored roll of her eyes. There’s my feisty kitten.
“I’m busy. I wish you wouldn’t interrupt me so I could get it done faster.”
I lean forward and she backs up against the bark. A flash of uncertainty rips through her mask of indifference and her lips open in surprise, wet, inviting. My hands find her hips and I stop before I take her mouth, and press the tip of my nose on her cheek, sliding against the smooth skin until I reach her ear.
“I’m not fond of the jealousy game.” My voice comes out coarse. “But if you want to play…” Her lips part to speak and I pull on the lobe of her ear with my teeth because I can’t help myself.
“Jealousy?” It comes out half a moan. “Why would you be—”
“Play games again and I’ll tie you to the bed and tease you until you lose the ability to speak.” I pull her hips forward and Eliza’s eyes widen. Everything about her gets me hard and I want to spin her around and slip those tight jeans around her knees. Slide inside her and make her scream. Her pupils are blown wide and the quick warm exhales down my neck make me think she wants it too.
