Chapter 23
My cock throbbed hot and heavy in my jeans, my heart pounding with desire as I watched Everleigh talk with the black-haired woman on the couch. She and the woman were smiling at each other and talking, but I was certain they’d progress to getting physical soon.
They’d left the door to the private room open and as I wrestled with my thoughts and the growing urge to march down there and stop the whole thing, electric shocks of arousal shot through my body. I groaned, my cock throbbing painfully, as I watched the hallway slowly fill up with male onlookers waiting like vultures to attack.
They watched quietly, eagerly, but thankfully not interfering. Not one of them walked in the room, but the thought of them all watching Everleigh filled me with raging jealousy.
I knew it was ridiculous beyond measure.
For fuck’s sake, I was watching, too.
And it’s not like I had any claim on Everleigh, I knew this. So why the fuck was it impossible for me to stay in my office, when I knew it was absolutely the best thing for me to do? I had no business going down there.
What Everleigh did was Everleigh’s business. Not mine. She, most importantly, was absolutely not mine.
She was nobody’s property, I knew this. My brain knew this, without a doubt. That very fact was echoing through my brain like it was being shouted from a mountaintop, but that didn’t matter one fucking bit.
My body decided for me. My emotions decided for me.
My brain skipped fucking town completely.
And then, there I was.
Insane and crazed, rushing into the temple in my fucking street clothes like a goddamned madman, pushing through the horny crowd forming outside the little private room until I found Everleigh’s bare arm and gripped it.
Once I’d pulled her from the room and rushed down the hallway with her, I could finally breathe again.
Ignoring her furious, flashing eyes, and the stream of curse words that rushed from her mouth like a raging waterfall of fury, I picked her up, threw her over my shoulder, and carried her up the secret stairwell that led from the temple directly to our offices.
Fuck the temple, I thought. I wasn’t sharing her with anyone.
When we reached my office, I kicked the door shut behind me and unceremoniously dumped her on the couch.
“You bastard!” she shouted, angrily pulling off her mask and flinging it on the floor. “You did it again!”
“You shouldn’t be down there, goddammit!” I raged back at her.
“I can do whatever the fuck I want, Theo! You don’t own me! We aren’t even in a relationship!”
Her words were like slaps to the face. Because they were nothing if not absolutely true.
I didn’t reply. I grabbed the bottle of bourbon still on my desk and poured two glasses. I handed her one, hoping she didn’t hurl it at my head. I wouldn’t put it past her. I’d never seen her this angry before.
But she didn’t. She grabbed it, downed it in two seconds, and held the glass out for more.
I smirked, pouring more in her glass before sitting down behind my desk.
“What the fuck, Theo?” she said, her voice softer now, but still laced with anger.
I had no answer for her. I hadn’t put any thought into my actions before I’d gone down there. I’d only acted on my feelings.
My very fucked up feelings.
And I couldn’t express them. What would I say? I can’t have you, but I don’t want anyone else touching you either?
“West is here.” The words rushed out. I held my breath, hoping she’d buy that excuse.
She didn’t. She lifted a brow, tilted her head, and gave me a look that told me she saw right through my bullshit. “I knew that. But he wasn’t in the temple.”
“Then you know you aren’t supposed to be here.”
“That’s not true! Just because he’s in the building, doesn’t mean I can”t be in the temple! I can do whatever the fuck I want,” she muttered again, but pouting now. She pulled her disheveled robe closed, much to my relief. Her body was magnificent and I knew that if I had to see her naked in my office, right in front of me, it would be way too much to take.
I’d seen her do a partially nude sex scene in a movie once and I’d almost lost my mind. But I knew that wasn’t real.
Her actions in the temple, though, were pure sexuality. That was real. That wasn’t pretend. It wasn’t smoke and mirrors and precise camera angles. No, seeing her in the temple was something completely different.
Having her naked in my office was even worse. I said a silent prayer of gratitude for her robe.
I shook my head, determined not to argue with her today.
“You should go home.” I turned to the papers on my desk, shifting through them and avoiding her gaze.
My words hurt her. I knew that. More likely, they infuriated her.
Slowly, she shook her head. “No.”
“No? Well, you can’t stay here. I have work to do.”
“You should have thought about that before you interrupted me, Theo.”
I turned back to her as she stood up. She walked over and stared down at me. She bit her lip before sliding her fingers up the edge of her robe. Slowly, she opened it, revealing her gorgeous body once again in all its glory.
“You can’t leave me hanging like that. I came here for something. And I intend to get it.”
“Leave you hanging?” I asked, my voice rising as I tried to look anywhere but at her.
“I came here for a reason, Theo. You interrupted. So, either you take care of my needs, or I’ll march right back down there and find another man to do so. Your choice.”
“You’re impossible! Why are you doing this?” Her words were like fire. Burning my brain with a smoldering cocktail of confusion, anger, and desire. She had no idea how close I was to throwing her onto my desk and giving into all of my desires. If she kept teasing and taunting me like this, she was going to get exactly what she was asking for. This was pure torture.
“Because I’m used to getting my way, remember? You said so yourself.” She leaned forward, pressing her breasts to my face. I gave in and buried my nose in her cleavage for the space of one inhale, then pulled away.
Roses.
Her signature scent.
“Stop it, Everleigh,” I said, hearing the weakness in my voice.
She reached down between my legs, and slid her fingers against my twitching hardness.
I groaned.
“I don’t think you really want me to stop,” she whispered, her lips brushing against my ear.
I grabbed her hand, intending to pull it away. But she squeezed my cock hard and I shuddered with pleasure.
She smiled against my ear, her whispers leaving me totally incapacitated. “Tell me you don’t want this, Theo. Say it….”
I squeezed her hand, pushing it against my cock. She moaned and pressed harder.
“Of course I fucking want you, Everleigh!” I growled, standing up suddenly. I grabbed her face and slammed my mouth onto hers. I devoured her lips forcefully as I drove my tongue inside her mouth. She kissed me back just as hard.
My breath caught in my throat at the intensity of the passion that rushed to the surface. I wanted her so badly. I’d never wanted anything so badly in my entire life. All I could think about was laying her back on the couch and sinking myself inside of her.
I was so ready.
My body was ready.
My cock was ready.
She leaned into me, pressing against me with her lush, creamy breasts, and I knew she was ready, too.
But there was no way in hell we could keep going.
West could walk into my office any minute.
Mustering all my strength, I pulled my lips from hers, hating myself for having to do it.