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“Thanks,” I say, lowering my eyes. The silence between us stretches on, and my cheeks heat with embarrassment. “I guess I’ll get back to it.”
I turn on my heel and leave the office before he can react. I don’t want him to know I wanted more from him. I don’t even know what I wanted. At least with Trey, our attraction is tangible—undeniable—but Link is so damn confusing, and it’s like I’m always being pulled in two directions—I either hate his guts or I feel like a stupid little girl with a one-sided crush. My eyes fill with unwanted tears, and I blink them back.
I’m such a naïve idiot.
“Wait, Charlie.”
I hear Link’s footfalls, and I stop just before I reach one of the projectors, my arms wrapping around my body in a vain attempt to keep my turbulent emotions in check. “Hey,” he says quietly, coming up to stand behind me.
Why does he smell so fucking good?
I turn. He’s much closer than I expect, and I have to tilt my head back to meet his steady gaze. He looks conflicted, his dark eyebrows drawn together and his full lips pressed into a hard line.
A traitorous tear trickles down my cheek.
My stomach flutters as I wait for him to say something, but he just stares at me like I’m some sort of problem to solve. He’s too damn beautiful with his messy, dark hair falling over his steely eyes. I can’t stand it.
I reach out hesitantly before I take a brave, shaky breath and brush away the silky strands with my fingertips. I half expect him to pull away, but he allows my fingers to graze the rough stubble on his face before my hand falls back to my side. In the flickering darkness, I see Link’s pupils dilate with…lust? I frown in confusion, my eyes searching his face, certain I’m reading him wrong.
“Sunshine,” he breathes.
For once, his nickname for me doesn’t mock. Instead it sends chills through my entire body. He raises his thumb, and my breath catches as he runs it over my lips, his remaining fingers cupping my chin. “What’re you thinking about? Tell me,” he demands, his voice husky.
“I…”
A million dirty thoughts fly through my brain. I try to pull away, but his grip is ironclad, holding me in place, and I finally stop fighting.
“You, okay, Link? It’s always you.” I don’t bother hiding the note of defeat in my voice because at that moment, despite all the terrible things he’s done to me, all I can see is him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
LINCOLN
Charlie’s hand falls back to her side, but I can still feel the trail of heat from her fingers searing my cheek. She stares back at me, her forest-green eyes glassy in the dim light. My body is practically vibrating with the strength it takes to resist giving in to everything I feel and want.
And what I want to do is kiss her, touch her,make her mine.
I tried to keep her at arm’s length with the whole bullshit workplace conversation. It’s not the conversation I wanted to have. But I know Trey feels something for her, and I’ve seen the way he watches her. She’s more than a quick fuck to him now.
And I get it. I wanted to hate her.
As fucked-up as it was, I wanted to unload all my anger and frustration before I exploded.
But Trey was right: Charlie is not Ellen, the woman who took a wrecking ball to our otherwise mundane, happy childhoods. Ellen’s actions destroyed two families and triggered my deep-seated, misplaced resentment that has made my tumultuous relationship with Charlie a toxic mess.
And here we are.
I take her cheeks in my hands and pull her lips to mine. She stiffens in surprise, but as my tongue teases the seam ofher soft lips, she relaxes, returning the kiss. Her movements are tentative at first before she growls—literally growls into my mouth—and lets go.
Holy shit, does she let go.
Our kiss becomes needy and desperate and messy. Our teeth clash. Our tongues collide. I bite her lower lip, pulling it into my mouth and sucking it with fervor. Charlie moans, and my dick twitches, thickening against the zipper of my pants.
She presses her hands against my chest, and first I think she’s going to push me away, but instead, she fists the fabric of my shirt, pulling us closer. Her breasts press against my pecs, and despite the barrier of our clothing, I can feel her heated skin and the rapid flutter of her heart.
My hands skim down her body, landing on her firm ass. I squeeze eagerly and then lift her into my arms. Charlie’s sexy-as-fuck legs wrap around my waist and her arms circle my neck as she buries her fingers in my hair, tugging roughly.
Our lips are still locked together as we fight for dominance, and fuck me, kissing her is better than I remember. Charlotte Bennett is not shy or submissive. She kisses the way I do with rage and anger, lust and need, and some deeper emotion I don’t understand. It’s animalistic and intoxicating, and I never want it to stop.
