Hadn’t I just told myself this was a bad idea?
So many things I should have done but didn't. I didn't turn on the light. Or push him away. I didn't leave. I lifted my face to his, accepting his kiss. Kissing him back. I let him unbutton my shorts and pushed them to the floor myself. And when he lifted me to sit on the counter, I spread my legs in welcome.
It was the hard and fast fucking I'd wanted so badly the day before. It didn't take much to push me over the edge, my fingers gripping his arms, heels tight to his ass, holding him close as he followed me into orgasm with a harsh cry.
I almost believed we could work past this stalemate when he whispered, "The only time you're not lying is when I fuck you."
He pulled out, fixed his pants, and left. The brief moment of hope crumbled into dust. I'd wanted hard and fast, had gotten it, and now sat alone, inner thighs sticky and cold, feeling used and stupid.
When Bryce bumped into me after my trip upstairs to clean up and change, I didn't have the heart to bother being afraid of him. I sliced a scathing look his way, said, "I have work," and brushed by him.
By the end of the day, I wanted to curl into a ball and cry. I dodged dinner with the Sawyers in favor of eating with the kids in Savannah's rooms. Not realizing what I was doing, I lingered over putting August to sleep on the couch, delayed getting ready for bed, and finally gave up. Tenn wasn't coming.
I woke in the night to find myself wrapped around him, face tucked into his neck. Mortified, I rolled away until he pulled me back.
"Go to sleep, Scarlett."
I didn't think I could, but I did, the solid thump of his heart lulling me back to sleep.
When I woke, he was gone.
So was my phone. Again.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
SCARLETT
By Wednesday morning, I was about to pop from the tension. Tenn hadn't spoken to me since his brief words while we slept. As far as I knew, he was holed up in Griffen's office on a conference call with Royal, going over Inn business. August was happily playing with Nicky and Miss Martha, and I was finally finished cataloging the art in the Heartstone Manor library.
I hadn't even touched the books, though, in my opinion, a lot of the older texts were just as much art as the paintings and sculptures scattered through the room. But books were not my area of expertise, so I passed them by and moved down the hall to an expansive space Savannah had referred to as the family gathering room. I hadn't really paid attention to it the night we watched a movie, too obsessed with Tenn to care about decor.
With an oversized fireplace, comfortable couches and armchairs, tables set up for cards or games, and a huge flat-screen TV, the family gathering room was basically an enormous and very elegant rec room. Despite its size, I imagined it would be cozy in the winter with a fire going. No fire at the end of June, but the tall windows let in the bright summer sun, leaving the room cheery and welcoming.
There wasn't much in here to catalog. The card tables and armchairs looked well-used, but the flat screen and couches had definitely been added recently. There were a few small sculptures in nooks here and there. Sadly, none of them were Emperor Vitellius. I photographed what I found and made notes, ready to move the search somewhere new.
I was almost finished when my head snapped up at the thud of the heavy door closing, my heart jolting at the metallic snick that followed. Not just closed, but locked. He'd better be ready to apologize, especially if he thought I was having sex with him. Which I was not going to do ever again.
Clutching the tablet to my chest, I spun on my heel. My heart fell. I hadn't realized how much I was hoping to see Tenn, to fight and make up and maybe settle this thing between us. For him to beg my forgiveness and promise to give me some time to work out my problems.
The last thing I wanted was Bryce striding toward me, determination in blue eyes the exact shade of the summer sky. If he weren't such an asshole he would have been very hot. The sneer twisting his full lips drained away all that hot and left him looking like a petulant toddler.
I slipped one hand into my pocket, my finger on the panic button just in case. I thought I could handle Bryce, but I wasn't taking any chances. Straightening my spine and lifting my chin, I looked down my nose. "Can I help you?"