Collide (Collide #1)(128)

"What?" he asked in disbelief, stepping closer. She backed away. "How do you think he'd be able to control anything between you and me?"

"He will," she said as tears slipped down her cheeks.

"The hell he will," he breathed out, taking another step closer. Before she could back away again, he gripped her waist with one hand as the other wiped the tears from her face. "You're supposed to be with me, and you know it. You said it yourself that you feel me when I'm not near you." Dipping his head, he looked straight into her eyes, his voice low. "God, Emily, please...you have to give us a chance. Let me take care of you. Let me love you."

She waited for the words - the right words - to come to her, but they didn't. Cupping her hand over her mouth, she backed away, feeling Gavin's fingertips fall from her waist. A steady stream of tears dripped from her eyes. She looked at him for a moment while her heart grated to shreds in the process, and without another word, she walked out of the lobby.

Watching her slip into a taxi, Gavin stayed rooted in her wake, his heart sinking as he tried to process what had just happened. He knew Dillon had a hold on her, but Emily believing he would be able to come between them f*cked with Gavin's head - and it f*cked with it bad. Before he knew it, he was digging in his pocket for his keys and heading out to his car. After sending his brother a text to let him know that he had left the party, he found himself driving all over the city. Part of him wanted to drive over to her apartment and push the issue further, but logic told him that he had pushed far enough. There was nothing more that he could say to her, so all he wound up doing was going home.

Upon entering his penthouse, Gavin shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket, grabbed a bottle of bourbon, and promptly poured himself a shot. After tossing it back, he ripped the bow tie from his neck, kicked his shoes off, and sat at his kitchen island. He couldn't help but let out a laugh, although inside he wasn't laughing. He was sinking - sinking further into what he needed. Pounding his fists on the counter, he damned himself for not going to her apartment. Remembering his brother's words, Gavin knew right then and there that he hadn't fought hard enough for her. Standing up, he paced back and forth, staring at his phone while debating what to do. He went to dial Emily's number but stopped himself. This didn't merit a phone call. He needed to go to her - and he refused to stop himself this time.

"Fuck it," he said, digging back into his pocket for his keys.

Swinging the door open, he all but forgot about his shoes, but it didn't matter - because he was met by the most beautiful green eyes staring back at him. They didn't say hello. Words were unnecessary. They both knew right then that they would speak volumes through their actions before dawn broke. Spontaneous combustion ignited within both their bodies as they lunged at the same time - colliding - their mouths sliding over one another. Somewhere in between, the door snapped closed, and Gavin's shirt was ripped off.

Cradling the back of her head, Gavin's kiss exploded like tracer bullets against Emily's lips. Before she knew it, he had her lifted up off the ground and pressed against the wall. Placing her arms above her head, he shackled her wrists in his hand as she wrapped her legs around his waist. With the hard, rigid set of his body pushing against hers during their heated kiss, Gavin's free hand fell to her thigh, sliding her dress up over her waist. The air hissed with the sound of her panties being torn from her body. In anticipation, her wet slick center ground hard against the refined material of his pants. As a deep yearning desire began to blaze through Emily, she pulled her wrists from his hold and feverishly started unbuckling his belt.