Take a Chance on Me(50)

Without a trace of fear, she stalked into the room, coming to stand toe to toe with him. Bare feet should have made her look cute and harmless, but there was nothing harmless about her.

Wanting nothing more than to stare down at the floor and find comfort in those pink-tipped toes, he forced himself to meet her gaze, lacing his fingers tightly.

“Don’t you lie to me.” She jabbed a finger at his chest. “I swear to God, you’d better not be protecting me.”

Calm, he needed to remain calm and get her out of here so he could think for one f*cking second. He took a steady breath. “I’m not in the mood to talk, Maddie, and that’s the God’s honest truth.”

Her eyes darkened to moss. “That’s it, isn’t it? Don’t treat me like I’m a stupid fragile flower incapable of making hard decisions. I hate that!”

His own anger bubbled to the surface. Couldn’t she understand? He had no patience right now. No capacity for gentle coaxing. “Is that what you think I’m doing?”

“Yes!” she yelled. “I ran away to get away from all that, but now you’re doing the same thing as everyone else, and I won’t stand for it. Not anymore.”

He dragged his hands through his hair, every foul word he could think of pouring through his mind as he struggled for a calmness that was more and more out his grasp. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Maddie.”

“Ha!” She stomped a foot. “You don’t think I can take it, do you? You think I’m too much of a nice girl for whatever wild kinkiness you dreamed up. Well, I’ve got news for you: I got farther with Jimmy Thompson after sophomore homecoming. I’m pretty sure I can take whatever you dish out.”

Something cold snapped deep inside him. He shot off the bed and gripped her arms far too tightly. She winced, but her expression remained defiant. “You need to run, little girl.”

If she’d had any common sense, she’d back down, but instead she scoffed. “I think you’re all talk and no follow-through.”

He brought her close, so they were nose-to-nose. “I’m going to give you to the count of five to get the hell out of here.” His voice dropped with menace that most people would have the wisdom to retreat from, but her strawberry-stained lips curved into a smile.

“One, two, three, four, five.” The words tumbled out of her mouth as though she couldn’t say them fast enough. Ripe satisfaction flashed in her eyes.

Shocked, he blinked. Everything froze for a fraction of a second as all reason fled and his body took over.

His mouth slammed over hers with a hard, brutal demand that had her squirming in his arms. Heedless of her struggle, he hauled her closer, his tongue invading her mouth. He didn’t ask permission. Didn’t tempt or coax. He took. Demanded. Gave her exactly what she’d been baiting him for and then some. She slithered against him. The heat they generated warmed places inside him that he hadn’t even known were numb with cold.

He released his hold on her arms, sliding one hand around her waist while the other moved to fist her hair, holding her still for his onslaught.

Small hands scratched at his forearms. With no idea if she wanted to push him away or pull him closer, he pressed against her, invading her space, wanting to suck up all that heat. A low moan vibrated against his mouth, and then her fingers curled into his flesh, and she yanked him even closer.

A mad, hot rush of desire flooded his system. She wouldn’t back down. No matter how aggressive, no matter how much he demanded, she’d just keep coming.

Her mouth stroked his. Tongue licking. Dueling. Competing until he was dizzy.

They fought to get closer, their breath hard and fast.

With a firm grip on her hair, he twisted it around his palm until it had to prick with pain.

The retreat didn’t come. All she gave him was an urgent groan before molding to him like a second skin.

He’d planned out his seduction, and this wasn’t it. There was no slow tease. No hot, long kisses. No slow torture until she begged for more. This would only lead one place: raw, uncontained f*cking.

He released her hair and gripped the edge of her tank top, breaking the kiss long enough to divest her of the article of clothing. Her bare breasts, soft and yielding, contrasted with the hard plains of his chest. She rubbed against him like a cat, not scared, not timid, or shy.

She was not at all what he’d been prepared for.

Hard nipples scraped along his skin. A hard jolt of electricity shocked his system. He grunted, pulling back to nip at her bottom lip with enough force for her to pull away, but instead she bit back.

On a low growl, he turned them around and tumbled them to the bed. The second she landed on the mattress, he had his hands at her shorts. Her hips lifted so he could slide them down her perfect legs.

He froze, staring at her. Half-naked, she lay sprawled and open. Mouth swollen from his kiss; hair a slash of deep red across his white pillow. Beautiful. His.

He blinked. Logic and reason crashed down on him: what was he doing?

Lashes fluttered against her flushed cheeks as her eyes opened and looked at him. Her gaze searched, her expression shifted, seeing something he felt sure he wanted to keep hidden. Out of nowhere, panic washed through him, chilling his blood as a cold sweat broke out on his brow.

He looked past her, away from her, as some unnamed emotion made his stomach knot and twist.