Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Drea
The car ride back was similar to the one on the way there—quiet and weird. Neither of us spoke the entire way until we got back into town.
She refused to let me take her home, so I dropped her off at the bookstore and she got a car from there. I wasn’t willing to argue, and it wasn’t like I wanted to see where she lived anyway.
I was lying when I said I didn't understand how people liked her books. I was ashamed to admit that I had read most of them, more than once.
I found her novels well-written and inspiring, but I couldn’t exactly tell her all that now without getting a snarky comment.
A week had slipped by, and I was sitting in my office, staring at the blank walls, still thinking about the festival. Cara owed me big for that weekend. I wouldn’t tell her exactly why, but she did.
My mind hadn’t stopped spinning since the phone interrupted what would have inevitably happened. I had been seconds away from kissing her, from knowing what her lips tasted like.
My fingers still vibrated from the feeling of her soft skin underneath them. I had been inches away from the hem of her shorts. It would have been so easy to slide underneath and—
“I’m sorry, Drea, but she insisted.” My door flung open, jerking me out of my thoughts and causing a damn near heart attack.
Kaia’s frantic voice forced me to look up and see her standing next to a furious looking Blair. But when was best-selling author Blair sterling not looking at me furiously?
The night you pushed her against the wall, and wanted to kiss her until you both forgot your names…
“Kaia, it’s all right. Why don’t you go take a little break? I’ll keep an eye on the store.”
Her eyes ping-ponged between us hesitantly, but I nodded reassuringly. She put on a faint smile before closing the door.
Blair was still standing there, staring at me with a burning intensity in her eyes.
“Please, sit down and tell me what I’ve done to piss you off this time. Would you like me to start a list?” I said dryly, reaching for a sticky note and a pen.
She gave me a curt smile. “Cute. You know what you did… or… almost did!” She stormed over, slapping her palms on my desk. The audacity she thought she had, coming into my office—You promised Cara…
I took a calming breath before responding. She wasn’t going to get a rise out of me today. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I don’t actually know what you’re rambling on about. So, could you just tell me and get it over with? I’m very busy today.”
“With what? The imaginary long line of customers circling the building? I’m talking about the festival, Drea. The kiss?”
I froze. I wanted to say something about her little dig about my business, but all thoughts flooded out of my mind at her mention of the kiss. “I’m sorry, the what?”
She rolled her eyes. “You are many things, Drea Voss, but dumb is not one of them! You know exactly what I’m talking about. After the festival, when you pushed me up against the wall, you were going to kiss me.”
“I…” I was speechless. I hadn’t stopped thinking about that night since it happened. I’d been so sexually frustrated, I’d had to lock myself in the bathroom until I knew she was asleep. I couldn’t risk the temptation, and if Blair Sterling was anything, it was extremely tempting.
I didn’t know what I was thinking. I guess all the tension built up, and when she was yelling at me, all I could think about was how I wanted to take her up against that wall and fuck the attitude right out of her. She looked so—
“I’ve been trying to come up with a reasonable explanation as to why you would have thought that would’ve been a good idea in the first place.
I mean, seriously, what the hell, Drea? What exactly were you trying to do?
Were you trying to make me think you actually had feelings for me or something?
Maybe I would get so offended that I would break my contract.
Am I really that difficult that you would try any tactic you see fit to get rid of me? !”
I sat there, still speechless. I didn’t know what to say. All the frustration was building back up, and being alone together was not a smart idea.
I needed her to leave or I was afraid I would do something regrettable. Would it be so bad to give in, though? Yes, Drea. It really would be!
“You had a lot to say that night, and now you’re quiet?”
I stood up and walked over to her, finally having had enough. I was done talking. “Are you done yelling now?”
“What? You’re not serious. You are the most enraging, insufferable—”
I cut her off, pulling her in from the waist. “Are. You. Done. Yelling?” I articulated every word slowly, demanding an answer with my tone.
“Y… yes,” she replied breathlessly.
“Good.” I grabbed the side of her face, gently feeling her bottom lip under my thumb, before I kissed her.
I could have disappeared in that kiss, not even a shadow of me to be seen for the rest of eternity.
She kissed me back with such intensity, I could hardly catch my breath. She gripped my shirt and pulled us closer together, and I almost came apart.
I should’ve stopped and pulled away, but I was glued to her. She tasted like strawberries and cream, and I could have forgotten my own name.
Nothing short of the earth caving in on itself could’ve pulled me away from her as her hands started clawing my back.
I moaned and deepened the kiss, gripping her hips and pressing her into me. I needed more. I was desperate for more.
I had thought a lot about what it would be like to kiss her since the festival. Hell, possibly even before then. But nothing could’ve prepared me for the reality of feeling her lips on mine.
The kiss lasted only a few seconds, but I was sure the heat I felt would linger for hours. I didn’t think Blair was the type for a quick office hookup, but as her lips stayed pressed against mine, I was getting closer and closer to wanting to find out.
It was Blair who finally broke the kiss, her cheeks flushed and her breathing heavy. “Drea.”
“I…” I stammered to find something to say but before I could, she turned and ran out of my office without a word, and I slumped back in my chair.
“Fuck,” I muttered to myself, rubbing my face in my hands.
Something was seriously wrong with me. Was I trying to mess up everything?
“Drea, are you okay? I just saw Blair run out of here, and she looked upset.”
I jumped at Kaia’s voice. “Uh… yeah, everything’s fine. She got a call and had to go.” I hated lying to Kaia, but I couldn't tell her what had happened.
“Oh no, I hope everything’s okay.”
“I’m sure it will be. Are you heading back to work?” I asked.
She smiled. “Yeah. I just came in to tell you I was back.”
I nodded. I was anxious for Kaia to leave the room. I had to wrap my head around what I’d just done.
“Oh, Drea? You have a little something on the corner of your mouth.” My head shot up to see a wide grin.
I brought my hand to my lips, seeing the telltale sign of red lipstick smeared on the pads of my fingers when I pulled them away. Well, fuck me into next week!
“Goodbye, Kaia.” My face burned as she shut the door, and I was left alone with my thoughts.