She bites her lip, and I bite back a groan at the way her teeth sink into the puffy flesh. I can’t take it. “Stop biting your lip before I do it for you,” I warn her, my voice coming out gruffer than I intend.
Her eyes widen, and she releases the flesh from her teeth. I run my thumb over her bottom lip, and her eyes flutter closed, a little whimper escaping her.
My blood thrums in tune to my heartbeat. “Why are you fighting this so much? Am I really that scary?”
Her eyes flick up to me, and she shakes her head slowly. “I'm not afraid of you,” she speaks quietly.
Relief courses through me at her admission.
“Then what is it? Your constant refusal is driving me insane. Just let me spend some time with you. That's all I ask. Spend some time with me.” I'm not one to beg for anything, but if she wants me to get down on my knees right here on her front porch and beg her, I will. That's how hard-up I am for this girl.
“It's not—” she begins, and a roar of frustration rumbles up out of my chest before I snap.
“Don't you dare finish that fucking sentence, Faith. I'm tired of hearing this it's-not-a-good-idea shit. I'm going insane here, and I know you want me too. I don't know why you're fighting this thing between us so much, but it ends now.”
She licks her lips, and the last thread of my control unravels. I grab the nape of her neck and smash my lips down onto hers, kissing her desperately, communicating my needs and wants to her through the kiss.
Fire courses through my veins at the way she melts against me. Her sweet honey taste assaults my senses. Victory surges through me when I feel her little tongue moving tentatively against mine.
I was right. Shedoeswant this—whether she'll admit it to herself or not. I don't know why she keeps fighting this so much, but I'm damn determined to put a stop to it because I am now more convinced than ever that this girl belongs to me. She's meant to bemine.
I kiss her until we're both breathless, and when I finally pull back and look down into her hazel orbs, they’re half-lidded until she blinks, and I watch as reality snaps her out of whatever haze she was is.
Her eyes turn fiery before I feel the sting of her slap hitting me across the cheek. “Fuck you, Warren Foxworth!” she hisses at me before she turns and goes inside, slamming the door in my face. I hear her click the lock into place like she's afraid I'm going to force my way in.
Little does she know if I really wanted to get in, I could kick this door down—deadbolt or no. Better yet, I could use the key in my pocket. I've not used it yet, but of course I had a key to her place commissioned for me. Something else she would no doubt call a “gross invasion of privacy,” but I don’t care. I have to be able to get at my girl at all times.
I must be really fucked up because I stand on her porch with a goofy grin on my face as I raise my hand up and feel where she slapped me.
She might act like she doesn't care, but the way she melted against me, the way her heart beat against me, the way she kissed me back. None of that was the reaction of a girl who's not interested.
No, it all proves she wants me just as badly as I do her.
Maybe she's fighting this so hard because of my reputation as the devil. I don't know. What Idoknow is that this game is not over. It's only just begun.
Iwillmake her mine.
Faith Ellison belongs tome.
ChapterSix
Faith
I don't hearfrom Warren again for three days, and I'm a confused mixture of relieved and disappointed. My slap must have done the trick and finally gotten through to him.
I feel a sting of remorse when I remember doing it, though. I've never struck anyone in my entire life, and maybe I stung his pride because he finally seems to have backed off. The gifts have stopped, the texts have stopped, and the calls have stopped.
Which is what I wanted, right?
So, why am I moping around my day, and why are my dreams still filled with fiery blue flames set under dark eyebrows?
I shake my head as I leave my last class of the day. I'm being completely ridiculous. This is what Iwant, I reaffirm to myself over and over again. I'm glad he’s left me alone. So what if the man can kiss me stupid? He makes me tongue-tied and speechless, and that's exactly why he's dangerous to me. He shifts my focus off of my schooling, and it certainly doesn't help that he's the biggest force to be reckoned with in the field I'm going into becauseifI got involved with him and it ended badly between us, I would have to leave the city.
And who's to say that his reach doesn't extend beyond the city? I might not be able to get a job in the field I have worked my ass off to go into for so long at all.
No, this really is the smartest move.
As if the universe hears me and is agreeing with me, I get a phone call from my advisor. My spirits instantly rise at her upbeat tone. “Faith Ellison, you have got to be the luckiest student I've ever worked with.”