“I already told you,” he whispered. Then cold fingertips ran along the sides of my neck.
I gasped, a shiver running through me. “So you have been following me?”
His long fingers—the first time I noticed how exceptionally long they were— snaked around the front my neck, and his chin rested on my shoulder. “Yes.”
I sucked in a hissing breath, terrified now. I was no stranger to fear. The one Joshua induced in me was a different kind than Declan’s. This one I’d started to crave, not abhor.
And it made me wet. So wet.
Why I knew Joshua wouldn’t hurt me, why I wanted him to take me here and do whatever he wished with me was beyond my intelligence. But I liked every moment of it.
I needed it.
“Why were you following me?” I repeated.
“I feel very protective of you, Isabella.”
“That’s a line from Twilight.”
Suddenly, he backed away from me, leaving a terrible emptiness around my space. Why did I always say the first thing that came to my head that I never intended for the public?
“The one where vampires sparkled?” he mocked.
I rolled my eyes, turning to face him now that I’d ruined our moment. “Yes.”
“Well, I never watched that.” He leaned against the counter. “But I’m intrigued to know. Were you Team Edward or Team Jacob?”
Finally making that tea, I chuckled, and then returned my gaze to him. “Neither. I’m a why choose girl.”
His eyes narrowed at me with genuine interest. “A why choose girl?”
“It’s when the girl doesn’t have to choose and ends up with all the guys.”
“That’s…greedy.”
“Oh c’mon. If you could have more than one woman with them okay with it, would you choose?”
“I would.” The answer came unhesitant and authentic. He didn’t have to think about it for one second. He just knew. “I’m a one woman man.”
The kettle whistled, and I poured the tea in two black mugs. “Those are rare to find, not even in romance books. Sugar?”
“No, thanks.”
“Me neither. I’m going to have that pie with it instead.” I walked to get it. When I spun to return to the kitchen, I pumped into his body. A gasp escaped me as our fronts collided, and I felt him, his need poking my stomach, his gaze raking me from head to toe.
He didn’t touch me, but he didn’t move either. He just wanted me to know how he felt for me with physical proof. I wished I could have done the same. Taken his hand and showed him what he was doing to me. Instead I just shoved the paper bag between us. “Share it with me?”
A wince contorted his face, and his teeth clenched. He looked like he was about to snatch the food and throw it away then pounce on me.
Yes, please.
I never made the first move. I didn’t know how. He had to do it. Get over whatever he was struggling with and do it.DO IT!
But he stepped back. Again. “Anything you want, Isabella.”
Really? That was it? Damn it, Joshua. Why do you have to be such a Jane Austin guy? Didn’t he know as much as a girl wanted pie, she wanted cock more?
I stalked into the kitchen, got the damn thing out of the bag and grabbed two plates and a knife.
