Love Me (WITSEC #3)(35)

“Creed.” That time it was Knox and it was far from halfhearted.

“And how would I model them?” I blurted, rebelling against Knox. I knew I needed to be patient, but I’d have been lying if I’d said I wasn’t a tiny bit mad at him. I had done something that bothered him, or it was something about me that did. Either way, it was me and he refused to talk to me about it. “Would you like me to strut like I’m on a runway? Or would you like me to dance and really show them off at every angle?” I was proud of how serious my voice sounded.

Stunned and silent. That was what they were as they gaped at me for a good minute.

Creed recovered first with a smirk that threatened to turn the dirty teasing around on me. “I vote for the dirty dancing.”

“I didn’t say it would be dirty. I’m sure I can dance tastefully,” I said, refusing to back down from this flirting game we were playing.

Creed didn’t back down, either. “It doesn’t matter what type of dance you do. You’ll still be in nothing but a little white thong and I’ll still want to rip it off of you when you’re done.”

Knox muttered something under his breath. I couldn’t hear it, but I knew Creed heard. I could tell by the way the laughter in his eyes dimmed.

“Even the robot?” I asked.

They all smiled at that.

Though Creed was grinning, it didn’t reach his eyes anymore. “Any dance, Shi, and I’ll still want you,” he assured and then his expression turned serious. “But I’m not your only boyfriend here. So unless you’re ready to dance with three of us, we should save the modeling for another time.”

Knox plopped something on his desk, drawing all of our attention. It was my gym bag.

I scooped it up and hung it on my shoulder. I was going to let it go and head to the bathroom, but my feet didn’t move. I wasn’t ready to back down just yet. And I wasn’t referring to Creed. I squeezed the strap on my gym bag. “What if I am ready?”

“You’re not,” Knox said with a firm tone.

Colt and Creed stayed quiet, which made me assume that they agreed with Knox.

“I don’t know how else I can say this to make any of you understand.” It was difficult to hide my irritation. “It is my responsibility to set boundaries on what I am or am not comfortable with and let you know what those boundaries are. It is not for any of you to assume or decide what those boundaries are for me,” I said, staring at Knox. “I know I come off as innocent and I’ve been through something tragic, but I’m not too ignorant or fragile to make decisions for myself. If any of you aren’t comfortable with something, then own it. Don’t pull back and say it’s for my benefit.”

Leaving them, mostly Knox, to hopefully process and understand my words, I stalked to the bathroom. I shut the door calmly even though I wanted to slam it.

“Creed.” I heard Knox’s muffled voice through the door. I leaned close, practically holding my breath so I could hear everything that they were saying.

“Don’t start,” Creed snapped. “You don’t get to call the shots. Each of our relationships with Shi and what happens between us is our business. I’m done listening to you. Stop trying to dictate the pace of my relationship and stop saying it’s what’s best for her. I love her and I trust her to know what she can handle. Can you say the same? You may not love her yet, but do you trust her?”

The room was quiet behind the door.

“You’re the one with the issues, Knox,” Creed said. “And after what she just said, it’s safe to say she can see it, too. I recommend you deal with it. Talk to her, because I know my girlfriend well enough to know that she didn’t humor the idea of modeling in her thong wholly for my benefit. She did it to challenge you.”

“You don’t have time to go in there, Creed. You’re covering the front desk,” Colt said.

“I’m taking my lunch break,” Creed said, his voice getting closer.

I barely stepped back in time before the door swung open and he walked in. I folded my arms across my chest. “Have you heard of knocking?”

He shut the door behind him. “I have a feeling you knew I was coming.”

My lack of response was his answer and he grinned knowingly.

“Why are you here?” I asked.

His eyes dropped to my chest. I had caught a glimpse in the mirror and my sports bra was still see-through. “I came to apologize.”

I arched a brow. “Oh, really?”

“Yup.” He took a step closer. “I figured I could either tell you how sorry I am, or I could show you.”

He was so close, his stomach brushed against my folded arms. “Show me how?”

He traced the tip of his finger along the scooped neckline of my sports bra, faintly touching the tops of my breasts. “I could start by taking this off.”

My toes curled in my shoes. “Is this one of the five ways you imagined taking my clothes off?”

“How I got you alone didn’t align with any of my ideas, but how I’m about to strip you…I think I’ll go with my third idea.”

“And that is?”

His eyes locked with mine as he knelt. “Quickly,” he said as he lifted my ankle to remove my shoe. “The faster I get you naked, the faster I can have you squeezing around my cock as I fuck you against the shower wall.”