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Her skin was warm when I pressed my lips to her forehead, and I tasted the salty flavor of her sweat on my tongue. I cradled the back of her neck. “I thought you were the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen before, and then you didthat. Jesus.”
She stared at me, eyes wide. “I’ve never done that before.” Embarrassment washed over her at the admission, and she started to look down, but I caught her chin between my finger and thumb, forcing her to look up.
“That makes it even better. I like knowing that you’ve only done it forme,” I whispered, and her legs quivered. “I’m going to give you a minute, and then I’m going to make you do it again.”
Chapter 20
Chelsea
“So you really like this guy, huh?” Bridget said, tapping her pen against the palm of her hand. She looked cocky, like she had just got lucky on a bet or won a game.
I nodded. I couldn’t deny it. Graham had invaded my thoughts. When I wasn’t with him, I was thinking about the next time I would be, and when I was with him, I was wishing that time really did freeze as much as it felt like it did. “Yeah. I think I do.”
My best friend danced in her chair, setting her pen down and clapping her hands together. “So what you’re saying is that I’m right?”
That’s my second favorite sentence.
I bit my lip, stifling a laugh and biting back the insistent rush of arousal that forced its way to my core. My nose crinkled, and I pursed my lips to fight the semi-permanent grin on my face.
“I knew it!” Bridget yelled, drawing attention from the other cubicles around us. She gasped, dropping down and lowering her voice to a whisper. “I knew it. You arewelcome.”
Before I could half-thank and half-scold Bridget for her hand in the situation, the quiet girl from the mailroom cleared her throat. We both spun around, going instantly silent when we saw her holding out a padded envelope. “There was a delivery for you,” she said.
“Thank you,” I said, taking the package, and the girl scurried off like she couldn’t get away from us quickly enough.
Bridget cooed, scooting her chair closer to mine. “I bet it’s something from your newboyfriendwhoIset you up with.”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t deny the butterflies that went on a rampage in my stomach. “Maybe,” I said, getting unintentionally hopeful. I tore the envelope open, pulling out a small flash drive and a folded note. I furrowed my brow and turned the flash drive over in my palm. Setting it on the desk, I opened the note, and my stomach sank.
You pretend to be a strong independent woman until you let a man tie you to the bed so you get what you want. You’re weak. You’re manipulative. You’re fake. He’s too good for you,and soon, everyone will know it. I’ll tell your friends, your family, your boss. The little reputation you’re so worried about protecting is over.
Watch your back, and don’t go barking up the wrong tree.
It felt like something had hit me in the chest, forcing all the air from my lungs. “What the hell?” I flipped the paper over before I read it again. I didn’t recognize the handwriting.
“What’s wrong?” Bridget sounded concerned as she reached for the paper, but I pulled it back. “Chelsea, you’re completely pale. Are you okay?”
I shook my head quickly to clear my thoughts and then nodded. “Yeah, I’m good.” I stuffed the letter and flash drive into my purse and stood up.
“What are you doing?” She looked half-ready to leap at me, demanding answers, but she didn’t move.
I waved my hand, as if to dismiss my sudden outburst. “Nothing,” I said, leaving the cubicle and turning over my shoulder to give a quick wave goodbye. “I just need to take care of something.”
I threw the door to the remodel open, barely catching it before the knob crashed into the wall behind it. Graham turned the corner from the kitchen, his face lighting up in a smile that made my stomach fill with dread.He’s too good for you.
“Hey, butterfly. You here to take the counter for another spin?” He wiggled his eyebrows, and my eyes stung with tears that threatened to spill out.
I shook my head. “We need to talk.”
“What’s wrong?” Graham quickly closed the distance between us, reaching for my hand. I tugged it back out of his grasp, trying to ignore the pained look that crossed his face, even though painful needles pierced my heart when he frowned.
“I can’t do this.” I nodded once to convince myself it was the right thing to do, and then I closed my eyes. I couldn’t look at his face. “I can’t see you anymore.”
My eyes flickered open when Graham pulled me to him, and I shrugged out of his grasp, hurrying back a few steps. “Why not?” he asked. His voice lacked its usual excitement. “I thought we were having fun.”
“It’s just too much. I’m sorry.” I shook my head, turning towards the door and looking back over my shoulder one more time to make sure he had stayed there. “It was really nice getting to know you.”
I opened the front door, stepping over the threshold and onto the large porch. “Chelsea, wait!” Before I could make it to the steps, Graham was on the porch behind me.
