Page 38 of Yours, Finally

Her question punched me in the gut, leaving a hot coil in its wake. The defiance in her voice pulled me closer, and I had to grit my teeth not to pin her against the wall.

"Violeta. That was a dangerous question."

"You're pushing me. What did you expect? Your question was dangerous, too."

"Are you always this… willful?"

"Are you asking if I'm a brat? Then ask me again when you're a VP, and maybe you'll get to find out."

My jaw clenched. I shouldn't want to know, but every synapsis in my brain fired in search of the answer.

"Is it… Jake?" The word ground between my teeth.

She made to walk past me again, and this time I couldn't help it. I caged her against the wall.

"Jake!" She gasped.

Desire bloomed on her face, her lips open and soft, and her eyes glued to mine.

"Fuck. You like this, don't you?" I asked.

"As much as you like being challenged."

"You know there's a point where I break," I growled. "And it feels like you're trying to find it."

"I didn't mean to… but I can see it's working."

Her voice sounded breathless. She licked her lips. I got a bit closer, enjoying the way she seemed to melt against the wall.

"Is the guy's name Jake?" It sounded more like an order than a question.

"Jacob. But they use Jake sometimes."

My chuckle was humorless. "What a coincidence. You have a fake guy named Jake whispering sexy things to you."

"And cute things, too."

"Meanwhile, I can't do either."

"You're doing quite well right now."

"Do you like him telling you things and hearing my name?"

Her hands were busy with her bags. She didn't touch me, and she didn't respond. I could make a move, but I didn't.

Her eyes did the touching, the weight of her sight heavy on my face, my lips, tracking my tongue as I licked my bottom lip. I had to clench my hands not to grab her neck, and feel her pulse on my thumb as I kissed her.

I could take her right there. Push my body onto hers and keep going until I was in her. Until I finally knew what moving in her felt like. Everything else be damned.

I leaned on my arm above her head, and the one by her shoulder kept me away.

"Set me straight, Vi. Tell me to stop, or I don't know that I can."

She blinked several times, her breathing fast. "Stop. Jake. Stop. We can't."

It was what I had asked for, yet her words fell on me like a bucket of ice water. I was a reckless man, a dog on the scent of what it searched, being hosed away from its prey.

"Fuck," I muttered, and pushed myself off the wall. "You're right. I'm sorry."