Page 58 of Rush
Broderick regards me for a moment, eyes searching mine—green melting into blue. His other hand lifts, cupping the nape of my neck.
He pulls me close. So close I can feel the warmth I’ve come to adore about him, seeping into me.
My hands snake around his body, feeling the firmness of his torso. Thoughts of him in the kitchen at the Montgomery estate come rushing back—how his body might feel on top of mine.
I stand on my tiptoes as he leans down, the whisper of his breath against my lips.
“There you are, ma’am.”
The voice of my security detail slicing between us.
For fuck’s sake.
Broderick clears his throat, and I drop down on my heels, deflated. The moment—ruined.
Again.
“I’ll be out in a minute, Chris,” I hiss through clenched teeth.
Broderick runs a hand through his hair—in disbelief? Frustration, maybe? I’m not sure.
“Sorry about that,” I say, shaking my head.
“El…”
When he looks at me, there’s something pained in his eyes. Shit. Maybe he regrets it—every insecurity clawing its way to the surface.
Maybe we shouldn’t.
What if this is the universe’s way of telling me it’s a bad idea?
Stopping me from ruining everything. From making another mistake. From breaking whatever fragile thing we’re building between us.
Right now, it’s just a friendship. A beginning.
And I don’t know if I’m ready to risk that.
I shake my head, breaking eye contact, fidgeting with the hem of my shirt.
“It’s good—we’re good right?” I ask, forcing a smile I don’t quite feel.
“We’re good.”
Broderick watches me for a long beat, jaw tense, like he’s biting back the urge to push. But he doesn’t.
“Okay, I’ll talk to you later.”
I walk out, feeling like a fool.
Chapter 7
Distraction
I’m half-asleep, tangled in sheets, the adrenaline of the night finally starting to drain from my body, although Broderick’s touch still lingers on my skin.
My phone buzzes on the nightstand, its screen illuminating the silence of the dark.
Ugh.I roll over, stuffing my face into the pillow, trying desperately to ignore it.
