I shake my head, my dark curls flopping into my face. “Not necessary. I’ve already paid Hattie even though she offered to let it slide since you bounced on her too.”
He runs those big, tanned hands of his through his dark hair. “Dammit, Midge! Why are you being so bitchy about this? I say again…I had a job to do.”
“Number one,” I count off on my fingers, “don’t call me a bitch. A bitch would have cold-cocked you. I just slapped you.”
Her rubs his lean, tanned cheek and I can hear the rasp of his beard on his hand. “Pretty hard, slugger.”
I snort. “That was a love tap considering what I should have done.”
“Anyway. What’s two?”
I shake my head, my hair slipping out of the band and falling in my face. “What are you talking about?”
“You said one and then skipped two. What’s two?”
“Number two…I don’t have anything to say to you. I think you disappearing for months said just about all we needed to say to each other. Friends don’t disappear.”
“You’ve really got a bug about that don’t you?” he growls. His eyes are lit with the same anger that’s burning in me. Satisfaction streaks through me. I don’t want to be the only one hurting. The only one struggling. It’s only right that he gets to feel what I’m feeling too.
“Damn right, I do.” I stalk up to him and slam my finger in his chest, backing him up to the opposite wall. “Do you know what I’ve been through for the last three months? I’ve had to listen to the people of this town, my friends, wonder why you took off. They asked me for the longest time if I had heard from you. Was everything alright? Did I get my money’s worth on the date? Is that why you left?” I struggle to rein in the conflicting feelings tearing through me. It all boils down to one word. Hunger. I crave his touch. Need it like I need air to breathe. But I’m not taking myself down that primrose path. He left. He ghosted me. I’m done.
That’s what I tell him. “I don’t need you anymore, Jenkins. I needed you months ago. To tell me what the hell went wrong and why you were so angry. To tell me that things would go back to normal. To tell me it was all going to be okay. But you didn’t. You just left. I’m done. I’ve got nothing left to say. You can leave.”
I turn to stalk back to my office but then find myself whipped around, my dark hair flying into my eyes and blinding me.
“I’m not done here, princess. You’ve said your piece, now it’s my turn,” he growls. He bows me back over his arm and then his lips slam down on mine, plundering me like a viking sacking a village. He doesn’t ask. He takes. His lips rampage over mine, his tongue delving between my lips when I moan. He groans and his hands sink into my hair, fisting it, twisting it up in his hand until I can’t move my head. Can’t do anything but let him devour my mouth like he’s devoured my every waking thought for years.
His lips slide lower and he sucks at my neck, his teeth scraping my sensitive skin recklessly. His beard burns along my jaw and lower still until he’s buried his face in my cleavage, his tongue laving my skin.
“So salty and sweet. Just like you, babydoll. Fuck, I have missed you.”
I yank myself away from him. My breath puffing out of me in heavy, lustful pants. “I haven’t missed you. Not at all. Please leave, Jenkins. Just leave me alone.”
He backs away from me but I can see by the stubborn glint in his icy eyes that he’s not done. “I’ll leave now but it’s just to give you time to come to the same conclusion I have. You’re mine, babydoll. I was stupid to run off like that, yes. But it doesn’t change facts. And facts are that you’re the one for me. It’s taken me way too long to realize it. But I have. And now nothing’s gonna keep me from you.”
His hand twists in my hair, his lips tilting up in a soft smile. My heart bounces in my chest. I feel breathless, weightless. “I like your hair like this, princess. It suits you.”
Then he stalks out the door and I lean into the wall, struggling to make sense of what just happened. “And that doesn’t mean go get your hair cut just to spite me. Bye, princess,” he calls.
Leaving me leaning on the wall trying to figure out what the hell just happened and whether I should run like he did.
Because I could feel his dick thrusting against me and the aggressive growls told me we were far from over.
He’s coming on strong and now I’m the one that’s hot and bothered. My heart is telling me to let him take over. My head is telling me to wise up and kick him to the curb. But all of me missed him too much to just let it drop.
There’s a reckoning coming. He’s bringing the fire and the fury straight to my door. And I don’t have the will to fight him.
I am so fucked right now.
Chapter Two: Jeremiah
∞∞∞
“I warned you you were making a mistake.”
I sigh and let my head fall into my hands on the diner’s table. “I know, I know. Do you think you could save the I told you so’s for later. I need help here. She’s really pissed off. She slapped me.”
Ruth laughs, totally losing control until she’s snorting.