Page 19

Silas stepped closer, his gaze growing more intense with every passing second. Jealousy burned in his eyes, mingling with a desire he made little effort to hide. The closer he came, the more aware Allison became of his imposing figure and the heat radiating from his body.

“You agreed to give me a chance, yet you came to a club and let other men flirt with you. How is that fair to me?” he demanded, his voice low and edged with anger. “Or are you taking advantage of the fact that I can't get angry with you?”

He stopped directly in front of her, leaving barely any space between them. Allison had to tilt her head back to meet his eyes. The intensity of his stare and the sheer closeness of his body made her increasingly uneasy, especially with the desire burning so openly in his gaze.

“I need to leave,” she said quickly, trying to move past him. “I have to find Summer. It's very late, and she might get lost out there on her own.”

Silas stepped into her path, blocking her way to the bathroom door. Allison came to an abrupt halt, looking up at him in frustration.

“Her fiancé is already here to take her home. She's not going to get lost.” He tilted his head, watching her reaction. “Or do you want to meet her fiancé, too?”

Allison's expression darkened at his words. “Move out of my way! I want to leave,” she snapped, her voice sharp with irritation.

To her surprise, Silas took a step back, creating some distance between them. He even opened his arms slightly, as if inviting her to try.

“Go ahead,” he challenged.

Allison let out an exasperated breath and tried to push past him. But instead of getting around him, she ended up pressing both hands against his chest, her arms wrapping around his broad torso as she struggled to squeeze past him.

She felt the solid muscles shift beneath her touch. She tried to push him away, but the movement only brought her closer, her body brushing against his as she struggled to create some distance between them.

Silas drew in a slow breath, his chest rising beneath her hands. His expression changed, the amusement in his eyes giving way to something warmer and far more intense. As Allison continued to push against him, her body rubbed against his. His breathing grew heavier, and the heat of his body seeped through his shirt.

Allison glanced up, ready to scold him again for not letting her leave, only to freeze when she caught the desire in his eyes.

He was enjoying this!

The realization left her staring at him in disbelief, her hands still pressed against his chest.

The moment she understood what was happening, she jerked back, startled. But before she could put any real distance between them, Silas stepped forward, closing the space she had tried so desperately to create. Her back met the sink, and she looked up at him as he loomed over her, his face flushed with barely restrained desire.

He planted both hands on either side of her, caging her between his arms.

A low growl escaped his throat as he leaned closer, his hungry gaze fixed on her lips. He wet his own lips, then stared at her parted mouth as though he could no longer bear the thought of holding himself back. Whatever was running through his mind was far from innocent.

“It's a mistake. I shouldn't have agreed to give you six months to think about it.” His voice dropped, rough with frustration. “I can't wait another fucking day.”

Allison stared at him, her body stiffening. The desire burning in his eyes made it impossible to mistake his feelings for anything purely romantic or platonic. He wanted more than just to be near her. The way he watched her mouth, his breathing growing heavier with every passing second, made it painfully clear how badly he wanted to kiss her.

Heat crept up Allison's neck under his intense gaze. She planted both hands against his chest and pushed, trying to put some distance between them.

“Don't forget what we talked about, Silas,” she warned. “You're not allowed to kiss me yet.”

He looked almost desperate, his gaze drifting back to her lips. Every passing second seemed to make it harder for him to control himself.

“Don't do this to me, Allison,” he pleaded, his voice strained. “I can't wait anymore. I want to kiss you.”

The hunger in his eyes was so intense that a shiver ran down Allison's spine. For a moment, she struggled to catch her breath under the weight of his stare.

“It's not been six months yet. I need those six months to figure out whether I want to be with you or not. Don't forget that you agreed to it.”

Silas barely seemed to hear her. His eyes remained fixed on her mouth, his gaze growing even more intent, as though he were dying to taste her and was running out of strength to resist the temptation.

“Do you really not like me even a little?” he asked, his voice suddenly quieter.

Allison turned her face away, her body tense beneath his gaze. “No, I don't.”

A deep crease appeared between Silas's eyebrows, and for a moment, he looked genuinely wounded by her answer. But the hurt in his expression did nothing to lessen the longing in his eyes.