“It’s just better this way, Dante. You have the military. You’re doing so well. I heard you got into–”
“Don’t,” I cut her off. “Don’t make me feel good, Lilah. Unless you intend to make me feel good everywhere.”
My eyes raked over her body. Her breasts swelled as she breathed in, and then goosebumps popped up over her smooth skin. I couldn’t stop myself from stepping toward her and pulling her bottom lip from her mouth. She let me, even licked her lips as I stared at them. “Jesus Christ, I know you’re wet for me right now, pretty girl. I can practically smell it. I know the way it tastes too.”
“I can’t do this,” she whispered.
“You can’t or you don’t want to?”
“You know I want to, but I’m not strong enough. You’re gone and I’m here. It’s too much.”
“You knew I was in the military.” I pushed her. Something was off.
“I knew a lot.” She stepped back, and my hand fell from her chin. “I thought I knew so much. Until I didn't know anything.”
“That doesn’t make sense, Lilah.”
“We don’t make sense,” she threw back. Then she shook her head. “I can’t with you. I just can’t. You’re my brother’s best friend, and I’ve already lost so much.”
“So much what?” I practically bellowed. The woman didn’t make any sense, and I’d been gone too long, away from civilian life, away from working through my emotions. She jumped back at my yelling, and I wanted to tell her that this wasn’t me, that I didn’t want to scream at her, but itwasme.
I was trained in screaming at people now.
I was trained in assassination and torture and extracting information. Maybe that’s what this was. Or maybe she couldn’t handle the distance or the pressure.
It didn’t matter.
“You know what? It doesn’t matter.” I rubbed my head and looked toward the ceiling. “You’re right.”
“I know I am.” She nodded and stood tall like she was regaining confidence in her stupid argument. “We’re better off letting what we had die.”
I nodded. “Sure are.” But I wasn’t going to let her off that easy. She didn’t get to have all the confidence that she was doing everything right here. “Except that mouth of yours that’s spewing all this bullshit is going to miss mine. And you can deny that you want me all you want, but your pussy is going to regret that decision, Lilah.”
“I don’t think you’re the guy I thought you were.” She narrowed her eyes at me.
“No. I’m the guy you’ll always remember, though.” I took her mouth in mine. I bit down on the bottom lip that I wanted to brand as mine, and I pulled her thighs up around my waist before I shoved her ass back onto the counter. Her arm hooked around my neck, and she gave as good as she got.
I yanked at her hair and pulled it back so that her head tilted back enough for me to gain extra leverage and exposure. Consuming Lilah was my mission right then and I couldn’t see past it. She tasted like the only thing I wanted, and that was love and lust for her.
She moaned loud when my hands slid up her skirt and my thumb brushed over her panties.
“Soaked like I thought they would be. Jesus, why play with me, huh?”
“I’m not,” she whimpered, but now I was onto her games.
Still, I couldn’t stop myself. I wanted her to remember what we had between us, even if this was all a game to her, even if she wasn’t going to do anything past this night with me.
I told myself I didn’t want anything past this night either at this point.
When I pushed her panties to the side and traced my middle finger over her slit, her hips thrust forward. I pulled back, though. “You’re not getting off that quick, Little Lamb. You told me you don’t even want this.”
“I don’t. We can’t.” Her brow was furrowed; a sheen of sweat made her skin look like it glowed. Her chest was up against mine, rising and falling quickly. Instead of pushing me away, her arm around my neck tightened and her other hand went to my wrist, trying to push my hand farther into her core as I worked her.
“I think we can. I think you’ll beg me before we’re done here.”
“Dante, I can’t get off, okay? I’m broken or something.” She rolled her hips on my hand, but tears welled in her eyes as she said the words, like she knew she was chasing an unattainable dream.
“Lilah, what the fuck are you talking about?”