Chapter Twenty-Six – Verity #2
I’m torn. I want to speak to him, but I’m worried about opening the floodgates and drowning before I’m able to close them again.
“Verity.”
My own name is my weakness. I can hear the curling affection in the seduction of his tone.
I push up from my seat, a sense of desperation sliding over me.
This is too much. We’re too close, and the air around him is making me dizzy. I’m losing my mental battle. I need space.
I twist to escape but only make it a few steps before his strong fingers grip my wrist.
“You can’t keep running away.”
Still, I don’t breathe a word.
Cullen stalks toward me, forcing me to take a few short steps back until I’m pressed against the wall of our very small box. I can feel my heart pounding against my rib cage. The blood in my veins heats up, causing a flush to deepen my cheeks.
The air between us crackles, the pressure rising and rising as he continues to close the distance. He lifts my arm, pressing my wrist into the wall next to my shoulder. I’m caged by his body yet again, but this time it is so much worse.
Cullen leans forward, nose millimeters from my own. His exhales become my inhales as my traitorous body syncs itself to his rhythm.
My resolve shatters, panic forcing me to speak out of fear that he is about to kiss me and that I’ll kiss him back.
“What are you doing here?”
He pulls back slightly, a smirk tugging on his lips.
“I told you, I came to watch the ballet.”
“I thought you’d never seen a ballet before.”
“You had me intrigued.”
“Really.”
“Is that so hard to believe? You said it was something you love.”
The gesture weakens my heart, melting the icy barrier I’ve been trying to keep frozen. I give a stiff laugh, trying to keep myself under control.
“Still, what’re the chances of us both being here.”
“Pretty high. A buddy of mine owns this place.”
“You really do know everyone.”
“Knowing people, having plenty of acquaintances, it’s all pointless when the one person you want keeps avoiding you.”
“I wouldn’t call commuting together avoiding you.”
“You haven’t spoken to me in weeks. You won’t respond to any of my texts. That’s avoidance.”
“What texts?”
“Don’t tease me, Verity.”
“Then stop playing with me, Cullen.”
“I’m not playing. I’m serious about this, about you, about us.”
“There can’t be an us. This can’t happen. What part of that haven’t you understood?”
“I understand your fear, but do you really want to throw away everything that could be because of Celine? That woman already rules so much of your life; are you going to allow her to own your happiness as well? I let her do that for years, and I regret it. Won’t you?”
My head spins.
There’s a small part of me that is excited by the thrill of dating Cullen, the knowledge that we shouldn’t be together, that there is danger in us getting caught. It sets me on fire, and I’m not used to that feeling. It’s something I’ve always kept buried, something I’ve always ignored.
Never take a risk. Always play it safe. Just survive and succeed.
That’s what I’ve lived by my entire life.
But would I wake up in twenty years and regret that? Would I look back on this moment and think, what if I said yes? What if I took my happiness into my own hands and did something selfish for once?
“Tell me you hate me. Tell me that there is no chance of you ever loving me. Tell me that you never want to hear from me or see my face again. Tell me that while looking me in the eyes and I’ll respect your wishes.
I’ll step back. But until you say those words and mean them, I won’t stop fighting for you.
I’ll do anything to convince you to be mine. ”
This is why I didn’t want to talk to him.
This is why I gave him the silent treatment and drowned out his voice with my headphones every single day.
Because every word that leaves his lips gets under my skin and into my veins, traveling straight to the center of my heart and causing it to beat to his name.
“I push, and I push, and I push, but you just keep getting sucked back into my orbit. Why?”
“Because I’m desperate for you, Verity.” Cullen ghosts a hand along my hip. “And I’m not ashamed to beg for your attention.”
I want him.
God, I want him so bad.
“Why do you keep going so far? Why do you keep doing so much? You walk me to work, you send me flowers, and don’t even get me started on the handbag.”
“So, it did arrive.”
“You didn’t need to get me something like that.”
“I wanted to. I saw the one you brought to work every day; it looked like it was going to snap at any moment.”
How did he notice something that minor? Why does he care so much?
I attempt to strengthen my resolve one last time, one last-ditch effort to push him away.
“That’s beyond the point. You didn’t need to get me something that expensive. I don’t need designer things.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s too much.”
“Verity, nothing in this world is too much for you. Do you not see your worth? I could spend every cent in my bank account, and it still wouldn’t amount to how invaluable you are.”
“I’m no one. I have nothing.”
“You’re everything.”
My attempt fails, and my resolve fractures. My nose prickles, tears welling up in my eyes. The emotions are too much for me to handle.
My free hand moves on its own, reaching up to grab his suit vest and pull him closer to me.
His grip on my other wrist tightens, and he slides my hand farther up the wall as he erases all distance between our bodies.
Those fingers that were trailing my hip stop and squeeze the flesh, bunching the silky fabric of my dress.
My pussy throbs with an undying need for him, sending heat throughout my body.
“Tell me, Verity. Tell me to leave. Tell me to stop touching you. Tell me you don’t want to kiss me as badly as I want to kiss you.”
I can’t. I can’t do any of that.
Because I want this. I want this so much it feels like I can’t even breathe.
So, I say fuck it . For one moment, I’ll live for myself and deal with the consequences later.
I lick my lips, staring Cullen directly in his molten eyes, and tighten my hold on him.
“Kiss me.”