Her head snapped up like I’d slapped her.“What?”
“You’re ending it for sure.But it’s not your fault if he cheated on you, or—” I dragged both hands over my face, fighting the burn behind my eyes.My voice fell to a rasp.“He hurt you and you stayed with him?Did you love him that much?”
“Why do you care?Don’t you hate me?”She threw the words like stones.
“I don’t hate you,” I breathed.You’re myalways and whenever.“I just… I can’t stand the thought of anyone hurting you on purpose and you taking it.”
“I can handle Jay on my own.”She stared me down, eyes flashing with warning and fury.
Jay.His name is Jay.
“Forget about him.He’s in the past.”She swallowed hard.“Maybe we should talk about who you’re dating now.”I couldn’t stand the quiet pain in her tone when she talked about the guy—like she was trying to hide a wound still bleeding.“The old Josh would never have gone for someone like her.I don’t trust that choir-angel act for a second.Milly was deceitful back in high school.Kind of doubt that’s changed.I think she hurt Dante something fierce junior year.Something about framing him for weed that wasn’t his?You should be careful.”
“Why does it matter to you who I’m with or who I’m careful of?You’re leaving.”
“Why does it matter to you if Drew wants to start something with me?Or that my latest ex is a jerk?Rule of exes is that we don’t get to be judgmental of who the other might be seeing.This is a funeral.People usually have sex afterward, right?Maybe I thought Drew would be a great rebound.”
“Drew doesn’t deserve you using him to get to me.”It came out tight and a lot angrier than intended.
“Of course, this has to be about you.”Erika rolled her eyes.“You’re so full of yourself.Are you implying I’m not good enough for Drew?”She put her hands on her hips.“Have you considered I might like him?”
“Do you like him?Enough to want to…” The words scraped out of me.I stared at the wall above her head, forcing a breath into my lungs before I said something I couldn’t take back.“I mean, he’d never hurt you.That’s good.”
She shrugged.
I took a step toward her, unable to keep my hands to myself any longer.I wished to pull the pain out of her and take it for my own.She was so heartbreakingly beautiful it almost hurt to look at her.I brushed my fingers along her cheek and whispered, “He can’t handle you.”
Her chin lifted, sharp and defiant.“Do you think you can?”
That flare of defiance was everything.That asshole, Jay, hadn’t succeeded in killing the flame that made her who she was.Erika radiated confidence; she’d bite back if I pushed her too far.I missed this gut-wrenching, mind-blowing desire to battle.I’d forgotten the excitement of the anticipation.
She glared up, not at all intimidated.“Did youhandleme the other night?I remember you there.You got Vinny to bed.I learned about your baseball injury, but I can’t remember anything after that.”
My lips split into a grin.“I said no.You tried to convince me to say yes.You triedrealhard.”
“You should tell Tonya you’re not the decent guy she thinks you are.You’re an arrogant heir-to-the-castle asshole.”
“Are you saying you prefer a polite Prince Charming?”
“Hell, no.I prefer the nasty-minded pirate.”She grabbed the back of my head and pulled me to her lips.It wasn’t the limp kiss of someone expecting me to lead the way.It was a full-on attack with several kisses back-to-back until she dug her fingers into the back of my head and nibbled along my lower lip.I opened for her.With a groan of approval, her tongue met mine.A hard jolt slammed into my gut.
God, I missed Erika Chomping.No one else had ever lit me up this fast.No one else knew how to use her tongue like this.
I didn’t even realize her legs were around my waist, dry humping me with her skirt pushed up to her thighs, until we both came up for air.
I needed this kiss.I needed it so bad.What I didn’t need was to come in my Sunday pants with the entire judgmental congregation of both churches on the other side of the door.
I had to slow this down, potentially stop it entirely.
She skimmed her hands over my back under my suit jacket.“I hate that you can still make me want you this much.”
Then she was kissing me again like I was the only man she’d ever needed.
I carried her to rest her butt on the desk.My mouth never left hers.I moved my hand up from her waist to gently touch the contour of one breast.I couldn’t stop tracing it.
“Admit no one gets you hot as fast as me?”I stopped kissing her to glare a demand she answer.
“Fuck you.”
