Chapter 4 #2
It was nothing more than a distraction to bring her nerves under control.
Things were high stress right now. He obliterated his doubt, left the cameraman in capable hands, and pushed any tension or worry from his mind before he stepped back into Alyssia’s office.
He kicked the door shut behind him, only half aware he was locking it, when he registered the sight in front of him.
She was pacing and muttering to herself, not even looking up at the click of the latch.
She raked trembling fingers through her hair, her feet slapping hard against the floor with each step.
“I can’t do this. It’s not what I signed on for.
” Her tone grew louder and higher pitched with each word.
“I can confront the abusive jackasses. I’m prepared for that.
But to have to defend myself publicly, for something I didn’t do, against a man who’s never even wondered what it might be like to not have so many people responding to his every whim. I can’t do—”
“Whoa.” Tate stepped in front of her, palms on her cheeks, forcing her to look him in the eye.
He couldn’t watch this anymore. Her tension twisted every muscle in his body until he was sure something inside might snap if he didn’t move, and her near-hysteria added a layer of something unfamiliar.
If he had to name it, it was need. The need to wrap her up and protect her.
The need to hold her and comfort her and let the rest of the world bounce off.
The need to do something more than just gloss over things and move on.
“We’ll figure it out.” He kept his voice calm, despite the heat searing his palms and the nervous energy responding to her panic mingled with her soft scent. “You’re not alone in this.”
Her chin wrinkled, and she blinked several times. She drew in a shaky breath and then another. “It’s not that easy.”
He traced a thumb over her cheek. Her face was so soft against his calloused skin. Did this comfort her even half as much as it calmed him? “It’s not easy at all. But it’s also not unsolvable.”
She covered his hand with hers, and licked her lips.
A jolt of desire seared through him, ringing in his thoughts and tugging at his groin.
He tried to will away his reaction. The last thing he should be doing was daydreaming about her.
Even if she weren’t floundering on the edge of a breaking point. She deserved—
She brushed her lips over his and all of his thoughts evaporated.
Poof, gone. Her eyes searched his, wide and hopeful and terrified all at once.
The kiss was so soft, rationally he wasn’t sure he’d felt it.
But the feather-light sensation and faint taste of bubblegum lingering on his skin snapped something inside.
The tightly wound tension he’d struggled to contain broke free and shuttered open like a window shade.
He dragged one hand to the back of her head and tangled his fingers in her hair, gripping the closest thing he had to a lifeline and letting the strands bite into his palm.
He couldn’t ignore this. No one had that much control.
He crushed his mouth to hers, years of repressed hunger roaring through him. Skin slid against teeth.
His tongue didn’t meet any resistance when he pushed into her mouth and sought hers out.
He couldn’t think about anything except how much he wanted her.
How incredible she tasted. Her gentle curves molding against his body.
What it would be like to yank her scrubs to the ground, shove her onto the desk, and slide between her legs.
His dick ached at the idea of being buried inside her.
Her palms rested on his chest, fingers digging into muscle. When her whimper vibrated through him, it was enough to wrap a leash around his desire, but only barely. He broke the kiss but didn’t let her go. Her gaze held as much turmoil as raged in his own head.
She trailed her fingers down his chest, before drawing her nails up his back. Pleading hung heavy in her low voice. “Don’t you dare stop.”
This was bad. Everything he shouldn’t be doing.
And even knowing that, he still wanted more than anything to pin her to the desk and feel her wrapped around him.
His cock strained against his slacks every time she rubbed her hip against him.
His restraint almost collapsed when he spoke, but he forced his tone to stay steady. “I can’t, Lys.”
“Bullshit.” There was a quiet fury in her response. “I want you.” She slid against him again, her body taunting his erection. “You want me.”
“You want happily ever after.” He said the words aloud as much to reinforce them in his head as to remind her. “I can’t offer that.” Despite his argument, he couldn’t make himself push her away.
“I want to be distracted for tonight. I’m not asking for anything beyond that. I don’t expect it. Don’t reject me again unless you really, honestly can’t stand the thought of being with me. Please?”
The hint of pleading that leaked into her voice shattered her firm tone and the last of his restraint. A whisper in the back of his head said this was all about her. She needed him. But that was an excuse. He fucking wanted her, Goddammit.