Chapter Twenty #2
Tension ripples down my spine, spreading from my arms to my hands that ball into fists. Uncurling my fingers after a deep breath, I whirl around. He’s leaning his shoulder against the wall with his arms folded over his chest. His magnetic eyes sweep up and down my body, sizzling.
Fixing him with my best raging glare, I warn, “Stop following me.”
“Stop running.”
“Why shouldn’t I run from you? You keep crossing boundaries while I’m only trying to do my job.
” Cocking my hip, I complain, “It isn’t exactly a walk in the park with you.
You were supposed to schmooze the board members.
I did my part. And for the record, I was not flirting with Rithivik.
Even if I was, you’re no one to tell me who I can or can’t talk to.
Inviting my sister and her husband to get back at me was a shitty move too. ”
I’m huffing and puffing by the time I end my tirade.
He’s inched closer, now looming over me.
No remorse in his unnerving eyes whatsoever.
A gust of air escapes my lips in a rush as he lifts a finger to slowly brush a strand behind my ear that got stuck to my right cheek.
Rather than removing his hand, he splays his hand underneath my jaw and tilts my face. “Don’t ever run from me.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m used to you running to me.” Skating a finger down the column of my throat, which causes my lashes to flutter, he rasps, “I like it that way.”
There’s a dark wonderment in his tone, like he’s as surprised by his admission as I am.
“I’m not the same weak girl who needs rescuing.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“Have you noticed that I am mad at you?”
“I have.” His finger keeps massaging my neck as he smirks. “I’m choosing to ignore it.”
I shake my head in exasperation, flattening my palms against his brick-like chest to push him away. He captures both my wrists in one large hand, dragging them to his lower abs and yanking me closer.
I’m trapped like a prisoner against his hard body. No amount of squirming and pulling loosens his vise-like grip.
“N-Nathan,” I stutter on a broken moan.
“You never answered me.”
Those four words are a bucket of ice-cold water on my head, reminding me he’s touching me with the same hands that were all over another woman─his date─minutes ago. “I won’t dignify that question with an answer. Now, let me go and return to Samaira.”
“I don’t want her.”
“Don’t insult me by lying,” I hiss. “You had your face buried in her neck when I came to the table. She was rubbing herself all over you and you sure seemed to enjoy it.”
“Did you wish it was you?”
“Yes!” I gasp as soon as I yell it.
A wide and deviant grin stretches across his mouth.
“No! no,” I backtrack. “I don’t mean that. You tricked me!”
“I won’t touch her for the rest of the night since it makes you so jealous.”
“I don’t care.” Kicking his foot, I demand, “Seriously! Take your hands off me. Or I swear I’ll scream.”
“Do it,” he dares.
I pant harder, unable to let loose the sound like I threatened. He freaking knows I despise causing scenes or any form of confrontation. Giving up the fight, I sigh. “What do you want from me, Nathan?”
He stares.
Invasive.
Intense.
Torn and lost.
“I can’t decide,” he says low, dropping his hand from around my neck. “Not even the world’s most beautiful woman is taking my mind off of you. She doesn’t hold a candle to you in my eyes.”
The earnest compliment has me blushing, but not enough to shake my resolve to resist him. “Yet you brought her here tonight. Why?”
“Because you’re a dangerous temptation. Giving in to you would be fatal.”
The harsh truth stings my soul.
He sees it flash on my face.
I do not attempt to hide it. “Then you need to stop playing games with me where you chase me, drag me into corners, touch me when we’re alone, and interfere when I talk to other men.”
The muscle tics in his square jaw at the last part. Menacing energy rolling off him in thick, scary waves.
Separating my wrists to cup each in his hands, he twists them behind my back and forces me to stretch on my toes.
My heart thunders behind my ribs as he bends and growls against my lips, “Do you know why you’re fatal to me, angel?
Because I can’t control my impulses when I’m around you.
I did what you asked, treating you like any other business colleague of mine, and you couldn’t look more butthurt when you walked out that day. ”
I open my mouth to refute his claim.
“Don’t you fucking deny it,” he warns lethally.
“But─”
“Ari.”
My lips snap shut.
“You’re smart enough to know you don’t want to get tangled up with the likes of me, even if your body doesn’t know any better. So, I’m setting the boundaries for both our sakes. You do not push my buttons by flirting and laughing at other men…”
“Oh, but you can kiss and touch other women?”
“I didn’t kiss her. After tonight’s failure, I won’t be wasting my time with petty games either.”
My eyes widen in shock. “Is that why you asked her out, to get over me?”
“No,” he snaps irritably. “I did it so I won’t find excuses to touch you. Yet here we are. All because you had to taunt me.”
“Don’t you blame me.”
“You haven’t taken your eyes off me once tonight or stopped passing dirty looks at Samaira in jealousy.” His fingers flex on my imprisoned wrists. “It’s you who can’t conceal her reactions, taunting and enticing me at every turn to retaliate harder. You’re as much to blame, little minx.”
I have no rebuttal as he throws the naked truth in my face.
My heart rate picks up, crushing my breasts against his solid chest. His eyes flare, feeling my hard nipples. There’s not an inch of space between us for me to shift away.
“O-okay,” I rasp, wanting this conversation to end so he stops touching me and I can breathe properly. “I’ll hide my emotions.”
“Don’t ever turn your back to me and run away because I will chase you every single time.”
His threat has an opposite effect on me.
It thrills me.
Do I possess that much power over him? I’m so fucking tempted to disobey him and find out.
“You’re doing it again, Ari,” he says.
“What?”
“You don’t have a poker face. Especially when I have my hands on you.”
I swallow, letting my gaze fall to his bow tie. “Don’t tease or run away from you. Got it. Will you please let me go now?”
Cool air touches my hot skin when my wrists are freed. I bring them forward as blood rushes to the spots where he held me. I wait for his intoxicating scent to fade once he steps back. Instead, it becomes stronger.
I get a head rush when I’m swept into his arms without warning. I clutch his biceps as he carries me to the nearest wall. Facing me toward it, his fingers dig into my hips, making me arch my back. “Na… Nathan!”
Grabbing my waist on one side, his other hand trails higher to the slit in my dress and slips underneath it. My palms slap against the wall as goosebumps erupt on my flesh.
“What… are you doing?”
“Apologizing.”